Cheques - payable to bank account number?

More prone to error though, writing a string of digits without any validation char.

Tiddy Ogg.

"Tiddy Ogg" wrote

Don't bank a/c nos include a validation char already?

In message , John Smith writes

No, it wouldnt be a cheque anymore. The definition of a cheque is a bill of exchange, payable on demand, drawn on a banker. A Bill of Exchange is defined as an unconditional order in writing, addressed by one *person to another*.....

A mere number is impersonal. A cheque form bearing an impersonal payee, (other examples are 'cash' or 'wages') were deemed not to be cheques in Orbit Mining & Trading v NatWest 1962 although that case did not exempt the cheque form from being handled as though it was a cheque but the circumstances were quite different to here.

No, because account numbers are not unique. The same account number will occur at a number of branches of the original clearing banks. This does not happen for the new pretend banks, like Halifax etc., who oonly have one sorting code number.

In message , Tim writes

Thats right, they do.

OK, playing devil's advocate, how about making the cheque payable to the person, and endorsing it to the effect it must be paid into a particular account number? It would, if nothing else, alert the receiving bank staff to a potential problem.

In message , Mike Scott writes

That would work. In fact the origination of the words '& Co' on the old cheque crossing derives from a similar system years ago. When the drawer wanted to ensure that the cheque was to be collected by a particular bank they would write 'Barclays Bank & Co' with two lines across the cheque. This then became merely '& Co' meaning the cheque had to go into a bank account and couldnt be paid as cash.

I see no problem with your suggestion.