"It's my fault that your account was overdrafted?"

[StopSignGraphics]

Here's a new one, I got a $90 deposit from a customer for a small job. It was about 5 days after I received the check before I had a chance to go to the bank.

So this guy is upset because I waited 5 days? WTF? According to him it's my fault he went into overdraft since I didn't deposit the check immediately.

Right.

~Chris

 

[thewood]

Fire said customer. Never give the issue another thought.

 

[Mosh]

It is never their fault! I have hear about every story you can think of! No one have ever just came out and said sorry, I messed up!

 

[dwt]

Shouldn't you be billing him 37.50 for a returned check? For each time it bounces? He's lucky you're not calling him.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

If they balanced their checkbook properly and budged for the $90 draft correctly it wouldn't have mattered if you cashed it immediately or a year later.

We've heard that one more than a few times...

 

[Tim Aucoin]

Fire said customer. Never give the issue another thought.

Agreed! If he's bouncing a $90 deposit check, good luck cashing the final payment check! Otherwise, make him an instant cash-up-front customer.

 

[Pat Whatley]

What really pisses me off is the customer I had earlier this year. Wrote me a check for $850, I deposited it and wrote checks on that money (yes there is usually only about $1000 in the shop checking account)

10 days later the guys check had been rejected by his bank twice so my bank took that amount out of my account. I bounced four checks before I knew about it and could transfer money over.

The guy who wrote the check apologized, came in and paid cash for the whole order plus $35 returned check fee (the most I can legally charge). Meanwhile I'm sitting on $140 in returned check fees from my bank because of it.

Thankfully I know people at the bank and managed to get them dropped but it pissed me off that all I was entitled to in restitution was $35.

 

[Tim Aucoin]

What really pisses me off is the customer I had earlier this year. Wrote me a check for $850, I deposited it and wrote checks on that money (yes there is usually only about $1000 in the shop checking account)

What about overdraft protection? Most banks will offer that for small businesses... or maybe it's different in Canada vs. US?

 

[HaroldDesign]

If at all possible I cash any check from anyone at the bank the check is from. Then if the money isn't there I find out at the counter rather than a notice of it bouncing at a fee.

 

[Pat Whatley]

What about overdraft protection? Most banks will offer that for small businesses... or maybe it's different in Canada vs. US?

It was an option when I started the account and I can't remember why I didn't take it. I've got it now tied into my savings account, then onto a VISA if the savings account won't cover it. It all really boiled down to me leaving more money in the checking account and to stop screwing around with three different shop accounts.

 

[Bradster941]

If at all possible I cash any check from anyone at the bank the check is from. Then if the money isn't there I find out at the counter rather than a notice of it bouncing at a fee.

How do you do that if the check is made out to your bussines?

.

 

[G-Artist]

I ran into that situation a few years ago. The guy who gave me the bum check was not only a buddy but my broker as well. That was for a side business he had and his bookeeper was robbing him blind.

He paid all my charges for the checks I bounced but I did yell at my banker for putting it through more than once. Now my account is flagged. Checks only go through once and I get an immediate phone call if the check is NSF or worse.

Year ago you could take the check to the issuing bank and swap it for a cashier's check.
Not so simple anymore. First you have to take the check to your bank, have your signature
guaranteed and then hoof it down to the issuing bank and do the swap. Years ago it was
free or cost a buck. Today the fees are really beyond the pale. Still might be worth it
if you are hinky about the customer. Call the issuing bank and ask about the fees and logistics.