Cheque bounce case procedure — start within 30 days
Someone paid you with a cheque, you deposited it, and the bank returned it unpaid. Most people call the person and wait. They apologise, they promise, and weeks pass. What very few people know is that the law has already started a clock, and waiting politely can weaken a strong case.
The deadlines, from the day the cheque bounced
From the day the bank returns the cheque with its memo, the important deadlines begin:
- 30 days to send the person who gave you the cheque a formal demand notice.
- They then get 15 days to pay.
- Only after those 15 days can a complaint be filed, and that has its own time limit too.
If you miss the notice window, the straightforward route can close, leaving you the slower civil path instead. So the notice is not a formality to get to later. It is the thing to get right first.
What to keep, now
The bounced cheque itself, the bank's return memo, which gives the reason and the date, and any record of what the payment was for. That paperwork is what makes the case simple later.
Send the demand notice first
Before anything else, a proper demand notice has to reach the other person within the 30 days, with the right details and the deadline set correctly. Miss Lucy Lite explains all of this free, and she can write that demand notice for you as a finished document, correctly and in time. That is the part that protects your position.
Not sure whether your case fits, or how much time is left? Tell Miss Lucy Lite what happened and she will explain where you stand.
Ask about your own situation
Tell Miss Lucy Lite what happened, in your own words. She tells you your rights and what to do next. Free.
Sign up free