Cashing of UK cheques in Germany

I've a friend who owes me some cash and says he can't transfer the money with HSBC online banking to my account here. So he said he'd send me a cheque instead. Would I have any problems with cashing this here into my account?

It will cost you an arm and a leg, thats for sure.

Banks used to charge up to the equivalent of about 20 euro in "handling fees" for the old EC Eurocheques... I'd hate to see what they would charge for an ordinary cheque nowadays.

Why can't he go into his bank branch and transfer it from there??

Ouch!

Ah, he's a lazy git! Think I'll get him to move his ass and go into the bank!

cheques are practically unknown here in Germany. The bank will probably charge a hefty fee for such a strange transaction (and ask if they can place the cheque in a glass case in the national banking museum afterwards).

why cant he just make a direct debit transfer. So much simpler.

It'd probably be cheaper to have him fly over on SleazyJet and put the cash in your hand.

German Banks stopped using cheques in January 2002. I deposited a large cheque a couple of months later and was charged a 20 Euro fee. I expect it has increased since then. If you use a bank transfer you will be charged fees both in the UK and Germany.

If it is less than GBP 500 then he could send online via Western Union. Charge for 500 GBP would be GBP 37.

You should be able to collect at any of these places.

Not exactly true. Many companies, and the Finanzamt still tend to use cheques when refunding monies.
Any time I have de-registered my car in Germany, I have always received tax refunds in the form of a Verrechnungsscheck (crossed cheque)

Me thinks you have got national cheques mixed with the Eurocheque.
The Eurocheque was a cross-border cheque, done away with in 2002 in favour of cross-border electronic payments. If National cheques were done away with, then someone at the Deutsche Bank has been asleep, 'cos I've cashed in a number of the things since 2002 - the last one in November 2005

Yes you are right, I meant Eurocheques. The bank stopped issuing them for customers use in 2002, they are no longer valid for paying for goods.

After the amount of scams I have heard about -particularly on sites like Autoscout24 or ebay- involving Western Union, I would personally avoid using that crowd...

That's nothing to do with the Western Union system itself. Jester is not at risk since he is not exchanging money for goods or services. He is receiving the money, not sending it. Western Union is just a remote way of sending cash. Not good for Ebay but good for transferring money quickly to family or friends in distant places and much more secure than posting cash. ;-) When you receive the ID number from the sender you can collect the cash at any Western Union agent. If the ID number is false then you don't get the money...i.e. they still owe you the money just the same as is the case previously...

And the advantage is, the lazy git can do it online with a credit card. So he doesn't even need to get off his arse. I wonder what his excuse will be this time...

Or what about using PayPal? Assuming both of you have PayPal!

Thats true. I too have received cheques from the Finanzamt for tax refunds (ah those were the days). But domestic customers hardly seem to use them or come across them otherwise. Bank accounts dont come with them.

Bloody hell. looks expensive no matter which way it's done!
He's going to his local branch to do it. Can't see that being a problem, prob cost him a bit though.
Why is it so expensive, can't just be the exchange rate? I've transferred money recently to Ireland from here and it cost nothing with my online banking.
Is there any expense involved in withdrawing money from your Paypal a/c?
Not sure if he has one but I have, good option that I didn't think of, only ever used it for paying for whatever.

sounds a bit suss to me, if he banks online of course he can pay the money in to your account.