Clearing of Euro Cheques

[Chianti]

Oh joy, I've just discovered from my bank that an € cheque from another country takes 20 days to clear. I have no idea if it's the same with other Italian banks, but wanted to inform you. In future I won't accept them unless it's for a booking made well in advance.

[mpprh]

And my French banque charges a bundle for these "foreign" Euro cheques.

Peter

[Nessie]

Also my Bank here in france charges me 25€ to bank them , ok it does not take that long to clear though normally 7 days

[Chianti]

Thanks for warning me, I must speak to the bank again. I can't believe a simple transaction can take that much time and now you've warned me, cost that much money.

[la vache!]

It was 17€ for me to clear one a few years ago, but I haven't taken one since, so it probably would be 25€ by now. A euro bank transfer from another country only costs a couple of euros.

[Nessie]

To be honest the CA charged me 23.50€ last year,and she told me the charges were going up in january but so far i have not had anybody from outside france wish to pay this way so far this year.So i have not doubled checked , but need to as i pass this charge on to the guest, think thats why most have done bank transfer

[The Olive Grove]

I really can't see these days why anyone would have a problem using bank transfers. I have only ever been paid this way, and no-one has asked to pay in any other method. I offer people the choice of Sterling into UK account, or Euro into Italian account.

[Chianti]

Olive Grove

I agree. Our guest asked if they could pay by € cheque and not knowing the above said yes, but never again

[pambon]

I really can't see these days why anyone would have a problem using bank transfers. I have only ever been paid this way, and no-one has asked to pay in any other method. I offer people the choice of Sterling into UK account, or Euro into Italian account.

Hear, hear although I don't offer the sterling option.

[Tizfata]

Hi Chianti!
I am sorry but not surprised AT ALL by the behaviour of your bank . In my experience doing another job, I learned that, unless you trust the person and the cheque is for an considerable amount of money, any other way of payment is to be preferred.
I HATE dealing with banks as they behave in 2009 as they did in 1809. Taking days like you they have to get the information sending someone with a horse... And they pretend they're doing you a favour. PLEASE!!!!
I work with CRF just because I have to. Once I lost my mind and askend them to tranfer the yearly subscription to HL and they charged me like 40 euro because the currency was Pounds. Never again!
Have a nice weekend!
Tiziana

[Chianti]

Tiziana

Thank you, you have just confirmed what I've felt after about 8 calls and several visits to the bank. They didn't tell me until about the 7th call that it took 20 days to clear. I've told them several times now it's over 20 days.

It doesn't take 20 days to clear a flipping cheque, the bank's HQ must be taking the p..s. I think they hold on to funds in order to make interest from them.

Italy has 3rd world services, not just the banks

[wrighty]

I had enquiry from USA, i checked with the bank as they wanted to pay via cheque in dollars, 6-8 WEEKS TO CLEAR !!

[Musetta]

Take paypal from the US guests (and, if you have plenty of time, they can still pay by check with PayPal) - then they can pay in dollars with their card or bank account and it converts it for you to Euros. - Americans are fairly familiar with PayPal and I've never had a problem with any American using it (I would not ask for a bank transfer - Americans tend to think that is a sign of a scam).

[Chianti]

I sat with the director of the bank this morning, a lovely chap, to discover the funds were placed in my account a week after I paid the cheque in and the bank charge was only €11, about the same, or less than they charge for a bank transfer. The problem was created because they deduct their fee before putting the money in my account, so we were all looking for the wrong sum. They should however have known it was a cheque payment and the only one, for that matter.

Musetta thanks but we've never had any problems with bank transfers from the US, Canada or elsewhere and conveniently the name is registered against the transfer, so know who paid it in.

Using cheques is not a problem, or so it would seem, it's the poor administration and account handling that is. Imagine paying in several of them and not being able to determine who made the payment, not thanks.

[pambon]

Musetta thanks but we've never had any problems with bank transfers from the US, Canada or elsewhere and conveniently the name is registered against the transfer, so know who paid it in.

Hear hear on all of that. Once I was sent, via UPS, an US bankers draft which took about 7-10 days to clear and had the guest's name and her US account number on it for identifcation. Paid about €22 charges on it though.........

No, wire transfers work fine with all my guests to date.