From: Ronald Raygun 
Subject: Re: Comet not accepting cheques
Newsgroups: uk.finance uk.legal
Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2003 17:17:37 GMT

Tim wrote:

> "Ronald Raygun" wrote
>> The ATA transfer is possible by post.  Ask HJ for his bank
>> account number, branch address, and sort code.  Then write to
>> *your* bank:  "Please pay Honest Joe (a/c 01234567) at Bank of
>> Sicily (UK) plc, Fredneedle St (code 65-43-21) the sum of £50
>> on such-and-such a date."  If they get snooty, dress it up like
>> a standing order by adding the words "and annually thereafter
>> until countermanded by me", and then countermand it.
> 
> Which all sounds quite a bit more complicated/time-consuming than simply
> writing out something that *looks* like a cheque, but isn't - ie a
> "non-transferable" cheque...

Quite.  You could ask HJ to send you a pre-printed BGC slip from
his paying-in book or the back of his cheque book.  Then write
him a cheque but don't send it to him, send (or take) it to a
bank branch near you (or even post office?) and that'll be it.
No chance of it being endorsed to anyone else.