Cheques - payable to bank account number?

Hi,

This is a silly thought that has gone through my mind but... can you pay cheques to a specific bank account number?

I mean, if I was writing a cheque to 'Joe Davies' could I instead just write the cheque, replacing 'Joe Davies' in the 'To' line, with his bank account number of XXXXXXXXX?

Just a thought - wouldn't that be more secure?

John.

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

Tiddy Ogg.

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Reply to
Tiddy Ogg

"Tiddy Ogg" wrote

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

Reply to
Tim

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.

Reply to
John Boyle

In message , Tim writes

Thats right, they do.

Reply to
John Boyle

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.

Reply to
Mike Scott

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.

Reply to
John Boyle

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