Money Grouse / Bouncing into problems

Jock Smith, a professional gambler, is unhappy. He believes the Royal Bank of Scotland has not been fair to him. His concern centres on the way it failed to tell him about cheques paid into his account that bounced. His branch then refused to honour a pounds 650 cheque without telling him.

The bank charged him pounds 25 to bounce his cheque and then billed him another pounds 25 when the cheque was re-presented.

Mr Smith, a Londoner who prefers not to give his real name, believes the bank's centralised computer system is to blame.

'I have always been up-front with them about my job and they did not mind. The only thing is, I am not allowed to have any overdraft facilities.

'I first paid the pounds 2,300 cheque, which came from a bookmaker, into my account on 4 November. I made out a cheque of my own for pounds 650 to some friends. I was never told that either cheque had bounced,' he claimed.

Mr Smith was told by the bank that it bounces cheques unless a customer has a an agreed overdraft facility.

If a cheque is bounced, RBS customers are told in writing, so they can add funds to their account without incurring more than one pounds 25 penalty. Local branches are automatically told the bank is refusing to honour the cheque, but can waive the penalty.

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