Cheque bounce: act in the first 48 hours

A bounced cheque needs three things fast: the bank's return memo, a written notice to the customer, and a decision about supplying further.

5 documents free. PDF, photo or XML — data out as CSV, Excel or JSON.

First 48 hours

Get the return memo from your bank — it is the document everything else rests on.

Send a short written notice: cheque number, amount, date, reason for return, and a request for a replacement date.

Assume a cash-flow problem until proven otherwise: most bounces are timing, not intent.

Ask for a specific replacement date and, if needed, a split into two payments.

Keep the memo, the notice, the reply and any replacement cheque.

If it goes further, this file is what a lawyer will ask for first.

Legal consequences of a bounced cheque depend on the circumstances and the current law; get advice rather than quoting penalties.

A threat you cannot carry out ends the negotiation you needed.

Sometimes yes, after confirming funds are in place. Coordinate with your bank.

No — the debt remains. The cheque was a payment method, not a settlement.