You ain't gonna belive this!!!

Funny... at our local bank we can always talk to someone on the phone or at the branch. The branch manager will even speak to you.  They are always the most pleasant and try really hard to look out for us.  Even the tellers are nice 99.5% of the time.  They have free water and even tea and coffee sometimes. Not only do I have the branch numbers, but we have the business cards of several people at the branch.  Maybe you should consider changing from Barclays to someone with better customer service.  It is your money and your time and you should not do business with people that won't give you decent service.

NO one should ever, ever do business with Barclays, which is THE most unethical bank in Britain. Historically, their money came from the slave trade, they were deep supporters of apartheid in SA, etc. Think of evil, he's carrying a Barclays card.

Oh yeah?  I've got one in my wallet.  Funny, no where on that card does it say Mrs Evil.      And perhaps I should get my name changed because I'm doubly damned: I'm married to someone who not only DOES business with Barclays, but is employed by them as well.

Are you sure Cait?  I don't know... you do have that evil look about you.   

Moi? 

So let me get this straight Cait, you and your husband live off the proceeds of slavery, is that right?

Evidentially! 

Just checking.   

I hereby submit Caitlinn's name for banishment from the UKY kingdom.  We don't want people of your ilk around here!   

(um, I'm a Barclay's customer...as is the DH...uh oh!)

I mean look at her avatar Britwife... look at what they produced together....so evil he can kill with his cuteness..

Whatever you do DO NOT I repeat DO NOT look into his eyes... if you do all your living room furniture will disappear!

LOL, you guys crack me up!

You guys are too funny!

But, just to get back to Suzanne's point, yes, it now takes 4-6 weeks to clear a US check over here. I bank with Lloyds. Pre-9/11 it took a couple weeks max. Now it's 4-6 and I have to say I totally agree with Suzanne, it's maddness. Lloyds staff totally gave me the run-around on it the first time it happened. Whether it's a more cautious UK system or there are security checks going on courtesy of Homeland Security back in the US, I don't know but I now have a joint checking account at Chevy Chase in the US with my Mom. She deposits them there and I access the funds with my ATM card here. Pay Pal is also in the works.

Yep and you can wire money from one account to the other also.  So keep a US bank account and a UK one wire when needed.  There are two types one which works over five days and swfit which can be in one day or up to three.

I've been told that it takes so long for cheques to clear because the check has to go back to an international clearing house, then to the US bank, then finally back to your bank with notice that the cheque has cleared.  Yes, in this day and age 4-6 weeks does sound a tad on the unreasonable side.

I've also been told that provided that your account is in good standing and that the cheque is not of too a high value, some banks (branches) will credit your account immediately.  I wouldn't bank on it though (pun intended).

The longest HSBC has taken to clear a US cheque was about 5 days.  They told me it could take up to 2 weeks though.  I guess I've gotten lucky?