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View Full Version : Cheques-Everybody still accept them?



scoopd
07-09-2009, 10:16 AM
Just curious.

SC Events
07-09-2009, 10:27 AM
Nope!

PayPal, Google Checkout or Cash for deposits and strictly cash for the remainder of the fee.

I only have cash as I have to pay my roadie, I have to give my Nan some money and most importantly - A cheque won't buy you a McDonald's Big Mac afterwards! :D

Dynamic Entertainment
07-09-2009, 10:28 AM
Yes, i still accept them, but not on the night. They have to have cleared at least 7 days before the event.

Mark Wild
07-09-2009, 10:33 AM
Yes, i still accept them, but not on the night. They have to have cleared at least 7 days before the event.

Same as me and I take a cheque deposit.

Vectis
07-09-2009, 10:50 AM
Cheques are good here.

14 days prior to the event.


Quick stats of the year so far:

Deposits
----------
Paypal - 82%
Cheque - 18%

Balances
----------
Paypal - 48%
Cheque - 18%
Cash - 34%

Larry B Entertainment
07-09-2009, 11:12 AM
Yes, i still accept them, but not on the night. They have to have cleared at least 7 days before the event.

Same here.

Charlie Brown
07-09-2009, 11:51 AM
Yes, i still accept them, but not on the night. They have to have cleared at least 7 days before the event.

Same. :)

rob1963
07-09-2009, 12:06 PM
Cheques are good here.

14 days prior to the event.

Same here.

Virtually ALL my clients pay their deposit this way, and around 90% also pay the balance by cheque (several weeks before the event), with the remaining 10% paying in cash at the beginning of the evening.

theoloyla
07-09-2009, 12:12 PM
Me too. Most deposits are paid by cheque and I encourage clients to settle the balance by cheque in advance.

sted
07-09-2009, 12:25 PM
yes chegues still acceptes as long as they have cleared 7 days before the event

Danno13
07-09-2009, 12:26 PM
I take them, but only in advance. I reckon it's about a 50/50 split between cheques and card payments for me. People usually send cheques if their parents are paying.

scoopd
07-09-2009, 01:39 PM
I take them, but only in advance. I reckon it's about a 50/50 split between cheques and card payments for me. People usually send cheques if their parents are paying.

What if it's a 60th Birthday Party?

scoopd
07-09-2009, 01:40 PM
Seriously! thanks for all the knowledge guys

Spirits High
07-09-2009, 02:02 PM
Yes, i still accept them, but not on the night. They have to have cleared at least 7 days before the event.

With you on that one ;)

I do have an online payment facility but has only been used a handful of times

DazzyD
07-09-2009, 02:07 PM
Also take cheques but must receive them 21 days before the event so as to allow time for any "unfortunate" situations!

Shaun
07-09-2009, 02:19 PM
Also take cheques but must receive them 21 days before the event so as to allow time for any "unfortunate" situations!

Same for me. Cheques no later than 21 days.

Danno13
07-09-2009, 02:48 PM
What if it's a 60th Birthday Party?

I should have clarified that I was talking Weddings :p

1st Choice Karaoke
07-09-2009, 06:48 PM
Same as most others for me, I take a cheque for payment or deposit, but it must be posted to my address to clear 7 days before the event.

DeckstarDeluxe
07-09-2009, 07:21 PM
ten working days for me to cover xmas times etc.....

rob1963
07-09-2009, 08:03 PM
Also take cheques but must receive them 21 days before the event so as to allow time for any "unfortunate" situations!


Same for me. Cheques no later than 21 days.

21 days? That's being extra safe!

I accept cheques at least 14 days in advance to allow for problems, which should easily be enough.

As someone who worked in a bank for 24 years & understands the clearing system inside out, I'd suggest that those of you who accept cheques 7 days before the function are allowing insufficient time for any problems to come out.

Although cheques only take a few days to actually clear, when they DON'T clear it can easily take 7 days or more before you eventually hear about it...by which time you could have done the gig!

ppentertainments
07-09-2009, 08:11 PM
Also take cheques but must receive them 21 days before the event so as to allow time for any "unfortunate" situations!
21 days :eek: :eek:
I have trouble getting people to understand the concept of a booking form, deposit and payment in advance for local gigs, think 21 days would give most of them a heartattack.

10 working days for me by cheque, but what I normally do is collect the final payment when meeting up prior to the gig (normally about 2 weeks prior).

Penfold42
07-09-2009, 09:49 PM
Yep no problem - 14 days before hand.
Legslappers pay me after the event - never had a problem and it works well.

I'll take sheep if they were legal tender......:eek: :D

ppentertainments
07-09-2009, 09:52 PM
Yep no problem - 14 days before hand.
Legslappers pay me after the event - never had a problem and it works well.


Ignorance showing here - what are 'Legslappers' :confused:

Excalibur
07-09-2009, 09:56 PM
Yep no problem - 14 days before hand.
Legslappers pay me after the event - never had a problem and it works well.

I'll take sheep if they were legal tender......:eek: :D
What's your problem? :confused: I once took a 40ft artic trailer as payment. :D


Ignorance showing here - what are 'Legslappers' :confused:

Don't ask. Remember you're talking deepest Licolnshire here. ;) ;)

Penfold42
07-09-2009, 09:57 PM
Ignorance showing here - what are 'Legslappers' :confused:

LOL......I have a regular customer and they are German Wine Tasters....

....it's a regular gig and part of the tasting is to get the crowd involved. Very interesting.....you get me drift! ;)

Solitaire Events Ltd
08-09-2009, 12:11 AM
So...

Just out of interest, how many people have had a cheque not clear on them?

I don't really understand 2 or 3 weeks before for a cheque. I don't think I've ever had a balance cheque not clear and I have the feeling I might process a few more than a lot of you!

Danno13
08-09-2009, 12:14 AM
I can only remember two bouncing on me recently, both were for booking fees rather than balances.

Just done a quick tot-up of 99 cheques banked since April 09.. and one of the bounced ones I'm sure was last (financial) year, so a 1% failure rate!

Vectis
08-09-2009, 12:15 AM
Just out of interest, how many people have had a cheque not clear on them?

Moi :(

Although it was a couple of years ago, and the client paid cash instead after being totally humiliated.

It used to be more often back when cheques made up the majority of payments. In fact I can remember a time when for gigs over £50 I used to get customers to write multiple cheques each with a guarantee card number on them. It was rare you'd find someone with a £100 guarantee card.

Penfold42
08-09-2009, 12:15 AM
Nope not here.

*Quickly looks around for a piece of wood.*

Solitaire Events Ltd
08-09-2009, 12:16 AM
Nope not here.

*Quickly looks around for a piece of wood.*

Touch your head :boxer2:

Penfold42
08-09-2009, 12:18 AM
Touch your head :boxer2:

So predictable......:moon:

Excalibur
08-09-2009, 12:48 AM
So...

Just out of interest, how many people have had a cheque not clear on them?
!


Moi :(


Moi aussi. Long story, which I think I've told before. May tell it again. ;)

visualdjmax
08-09-2009, 12:49 AM
When your ready. I am sitting comfortably.

Shaun
08-09-2009, 01:17 AM
So...

Just out of interest, how many people have had a cheque not clear on them?

I don't really understand 2 or 3 weeks before for a cheque. I don't think I've ever had a balance cheque not clear and I have the feeling I might process a few more than a lot of you!

It's happened twice with me. One of the times was a surprise party and I had difficulty contacting the client in time via the contact email they'd provided. I ended up making contact the day before the event and arranged for cash payment, but it was to late for them to issue another cheque. After that I changed my cheque payment terms from 7 days to 21, to cover me for any eventuality.

DJMaxG
08-09-2009, 08:50 AM
I would set a Payment deadline, and the requirement for cheques would be that it has to clear ON or BEFORE That Date.

I don't see a problem with them, and if you use internet banking, you will know what cash goes in and out on the fly.


What if it's a 60th Birthday Party?
Very Funny :o :o :o


I have the feeling I might process a few more than a lot of you!
:sofa: < < <

rob1963
08-09-2009, 10:38 AM
It's happened twice with me.

Same here.

The first time was about 20 years ago when I did the discos with a colleague. In those days we didn't take a deposit, and one night we were paid half in cash & half by cheque. The cheque later bounced, but my colleague knew the client, so he contacted her & got the cash without any problem.

The second time was only a couple of years ago, when I had a letter from the bank saying a deposit cheque had bounced. The answer was "Refer to drawer please represent" which usually means they don't have the money in their account, but might do by the time it goes through for a second time" In these circumstances, the bank automatically represents the cheque for you. I contacted the client anyway, who was extremely apologetic, and assured me the cheque would go through fine the second time, after explaining it had hit her account just before her pay had gone in. She was right...it did clear second time round.

bangbang
08-09-2009, 02:08 PM
cheques are a no no to me after having one bounce on me from a so called dj

rob1963
08-09-2009, 02:10 PM
cheques are a no no to me after having one bounce on me from a so called dj

That's why you should only accept them in ADVANCE...so they have time to clear before the gig.

DazzyD
08-09-2009, 02:10 PM
I've only had one cheque returned but, as they say, once bitten twice shy. That's why my terms changed to 21 days before the event.

Bad thing was, that cheque was a corporate event which they'd paid out of the wrong account and subsequently cancelled (without telling me!). However, they were quick to reissue the cheque and they even offered to pay any bank charges I'd incurred (it wan't a business account though so I didn't get charged). Still, I'd learnt what can happen!

ppentertainments
08-09-2009, 03:58 PM
I've only had one cheque returned but, as they say, once bitten twice shy. That's why my terms changed to 21 days before the event.

Bad thing was, that cheque was a corporate event which they'd paid out of the wrong account and subsequently cancelled (without telling me!). However, they were quick to reissue the cheque and they even offered to pay any bank charges I'd incurred (it wan't a business account though so I didn't get charged). Still, I'd learnt what can happen!
Do you get paid for corporate gigs in advance also ??

Excalibur
08-09-2009, 08:09 PM
Moi aussi. Long story, which I think I've told before. May tell it again. ;)


When your ready. I am sitting comfortably.

Right Lads and Lasses, you saked for it, here it comes. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin. ( Only Theo and I are old enough for that one. ;) :D :D :D )

Bear in mind that all this happened when Dinosaurs roamed the Earth, so things have changed somewhat in some ways.

Long long ago, in a land far away ( Yorkshire) I used to do a lot of gigs in a local pub. They tended to be very strict on finish times. Often, punters would book me till midnight, and I'd get thrown out at 11.30pm. This gig was for the Landlord's prospective Sister in Law. I'm booked till the witching hour, and lo and behold, house lights come on at 11.30. :bang: Ah well. :( :( :( I collect cheque, and go home. Cheque bounces, and after a fruitless conversation with customers, I have to chalk it down to experience. They write a new cheque for half the agreed fee, cos I didn't play for agreed time. Grrrrrrr. :( :( :(

Fast forward two or three years, and I'm in the village hall working with an excellent band I knew.
"Where are you tomorrow lads? "
" Not far away, just down the road in a marquee"
" That's funny , so am I "
"Well well, how interesting"

In those days I was a wage slave, and in harvest/drilling could work as many hours as I could keep my eyes open for. At this point I was very, very tired.Next morning, mobile rings, and it's the venue, can I set up early? Mood I'm in, it's only evens on me turning up at all, cos I recognise the name the band have given me, and I tell 'em that. I've already warned the band to only deal in cash, cos I've been stung previously.

Evening comes, and I go to the pub where the marquee is set up in the grounds. This is a venue I work at a bit for the Landlord/Landlady. In I go.

"Who am I working for tonight, you or the punter? " :confused:
"Punter"
" OK, Bye. See you later". :eek:

I'm persuaded to stay, pending talks, and after a conversation with mine hosts, in which I explain the situation, they guarantee to pay my fee, in case of any problems, which was above and beyond their duty. Fair play to them. They also call the father of the bride, who is drinking in another pub, and he arrives all guns blazing. I've impugned his reputation as a well respected businessman, and he won't stand for it. I could care less, I'm out on my feet and want to go home.

The cheque which was stopped on me ( not actually bounced) was his daughter, who's getting married. I don't wish to debate the niceties, it's the same surname, that's close enough for me. ;)

As the more astute among you have realised, I'm in a strong bargaining position, I don't want the gig, and I'm sure as hell not playing without some Nelsons in my pocket prior to launch. Father of the bride is faced with shelling out, or losing 60% of the night's entertainment. Hmm, tricky. :D :D :D Suffice to say, I was well paid that night. What goes around comes around, eh? ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)



Footnote: You remember I warned the band to only accept cash? They were paid by someone going round with a hat! :eek: :eek: :eek:
You also remember about the well respected local businessman who was so uptight about me besmirching his good name? ;) :confused: :confused:














I found out later there were unpaid bills after the event. ;) Mine wasn't one of them. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D