[Brian Nunn]

Do I have to open up an account specifically for my window cleaning earnings, is this required by law or can I use my current account?

If I do have to open a business account do I have to have a company name or can I just use my name?
I don't really want a company name.

If I pay a cheque into my account and it bounces do I get charged for it or does the customer that wrote the cheque get charged?

[Chris Galloway]

Do I have to open up an account specifically for my window cleaning earnings, is this required by law or can I use my current account?

If I do have to open a business account do I have to have a company name or can I just use my name?
I don't really want a company name.

If I pay a cheque into my account and it bounces do I get charged for it or does the customer that wrote the cheque get charged?

No you dont have to if your a sole trader. However it bar far easier to do your accounts if you work from just your business account.

If a customer cheque bounces you dont get charged, it will just get returned to you!

You can work from your name, or Your name trading as Business Name

However you will get charged for using your business account. Best to speak with a bank on their charges. Also try not to get a business account with the same bank as your current account, because then then run your current account, and if you want to do anything with your current account like increase you overdraft you have to see your business team, a right pain in the arse.

[RO-Sheen]

I use a personel account for my biz but it is only used for business. I am currently putting in about 20 cheques a week and the bank are now putting pressure on me to open a new one. When they eventually insist (and they will in time) I will close it and open a buisness account with Alliance and Leicester. They do free biz banking (I think it is upto 100 cheques a week?)
As far as I know they are the only bank that do free banking

Adie

[wightsurf]

I thought Abbey was good Free for life and it's 200 a month ( I think ) :

[Brian Nunn]

Thanks for the helpful replies.

I am a sole trader.
What sort of charges do they make on a business account?
Do they have an annual charge plus charges for each cheque deposited?

I have a current account with the Halifax so will open a business acount with another bank or building society.
That Alliance and Leicester sounds good, up to 100 cheques a week.

I live in a small village so am limited here for choice here.

[ray l]

with a+l you can use the post office .

(they take the envelope of cheques and you get a cash deposit card)

[jaykie]

Most companys will charge you around £6 a month after there free banking has run out then you will probably pay for each cheque you put in this is about 25p-60p each, if you are a member of the fsb you can get free banking with the co-op and can deposit up to £4000 a month then its 40p for every £100 you put in afterwards, you also get unlimited day to day banking and a fee free overdraft for any amount.

Chris

[wightsurf]

Direct debits, standing orders and bill payments FREE forever
  Debit card payments FREE forever
  BACS credit FREE forever
  Transfers between linked Abbey accounts FREE forever
     
  100 cheque deposits per month FREE forever
  100 cash and cheque withdrawals per month FREE forever
  £3,000 in cash deposited per month FREE forever
   
I have just got this from Abbey website. 

[jaykie]

£200 a month is that

[mustafa]

go abbey   free banking ever..

[steve a]

Direct debits, standing orders and bill payments FREE forever
  Debit card payments FREE forever
  BACS credit FREE forever
  Transfers between linked Abbey accounts FREE forever
     
  100 cheque deposits per month FREE forever
  100 cash and cheque withdrawals per month FREE forever
  £3,000 in cash deposited per month FREE forever
   
I have just got this from Abbey website. 

Unfortunately in todays world FOREVER only means 'until they change it'

[Carey Ward]

Use personal account and when they insist that I have to have business account I just say that I'll move banks and they seem to say well we'll let you do it for awhile longer but you'll have to change eventually - I think in this economic climate they will keep all the accounts they can and will be scared of loosing business

[Paul Coleman]

I thought Abbey was good Free for life and it's 200 a month ( I think ) :

It's 100.  The good thing I find about Abbey is that you can bank out of hours.  To get the free banking they insist that you only do business by cashpoint machine (even in the daytime).  It saves messing about in work hours.

[Ian Lancaster]

I thought Abbey was good Free for life and it's 200 a month ( I think ) :

It's 100.  The good thing I find about Abbey is that you can bank out of hours.  To get the free banking they insist that you only do business by cashpoint machine (even in the daytime).  It saves messing about in work hours.

So can you deposit cash?

[wightsurf]

[
  £3,000 in cash deposited per month FREE forever
   
I have just got this from Abbey website. 

]

[Window Cleaning Services]

go abbey   free banking ever..

Ive just started with them as my "free banking" with Lloyds finishes next month. My costs for my last 12 months would have averaged £25 per month had i been charged, i didn't fancy giving them £300 per year of my hard earned cash. Goodbye Lloyds hello Abbey!!!  8)Syd

[Paul Coleman]

I thought Abbey was good Free for life and it's 200 a month ( I think ) :

It's 100.  The good thing I find about Abbey is that you can bank out of hours.  To get the free banking they insist that you only do business by cashpoint machine (even in the daytime).  It saves messing about in work hours.

So can you deposit cash?

As "Wightsurf" says, you can deposit up to 3 grand a month without charge.  Of course, coins can't be deposited.  I just show coins as cash float or personal draws.

[Scrimble]

i couldnt get a business bank account because of my poor credit rating and i want to deposit cheques with my business name on so i went to a building society and opened up a savings account and i can put my business cheques into it

[Brian Nunn]

Which Building Society lets you put business cheques into a personal account?

Is there a limit to how many cheques you can deposit per week?

[Scrimble]

just a local one in the high street, dont think there is a limit but i dont have a card for the account just a book and i have to go down there if i wanna take money out of it.