ira

>I can't afford to travel anymore because of the weak $ so I simply don't show up. What is the owner suppose to do? Chase you in courts for the balance? <

Assuming that you are honest and haven't cancelled the check, the owner deposits it.

However, AAF, you may rest assured that should I ever have occasion to rent a property to you, I would demand full payment in advance in my own currency.

carolyn

If you belong to the AAA, I think they can help you.

Patrick

Once again I'll suggest you go get Travelers Checks in pounds in the next amount over the depostit required, sign them and send to her. You are protected if they are lost, and the cost of the exchange rate in purchasing them will certainly be far less than most of these money transfer deals. She can take them to her bank and deposit them just as if they were cash at full value. Her bank will not charge her anything to deposit them, and if they are already in pounds, there will be no exchange or conversion fee for her.

laurie_ann

I don't think this was already mentioned, so if a bank to bank transfer doesn't work, I have always used foreign currency travelers checks for such things, from my own bank or American Express or AAA in the U.S.. Even if you pay a little commission or fee to get them, get enough in a round number to pay the amount in the foreign currency, fill out her name in the "pay to" and countersign yourself, mail it to her, only she will be able to cash it if it doesn't arrive in a timely mannerand you can report it lost and get a refund from the travelers check company.

Robespierre

You can pay anyone with an email address in the 45 countries that accept PayPal. Use PayPal to send payments in U.S. Dollars, Canadian Dollars, Euros, Pounds Sterling, and Yen.

LoveItaly

But escholtzia said the landlady in the UK does not have PayPal.

Also, Patrick, I have a question. With an International Travelers Check does not one have to sign it in front of the merchant, bank employee etc. as they do with US Traveler Checks. You sign in one place and then resign when cashing them in or making a purchase (it has been years since I have used a TC). If both lines are signed, and the envelope with the Int'l TC is misdelivered or stolen wouldn't who ever "got their hands" on it be able to use it exactly like cash? Just wondering. Thanks.

Patrick

Fine point about double signing TC's. But I was once told at AAA when I bought some that if you mail them it is perfectly fine to sign them before you send them. And if the person at the other end doesn't get them, you can report them as lost or stolen. I've never had occassion to try that, however. And I do know someone who lost their traveler's checks and had them replaced for free even after telling AmEx that they had presigned them all twice!

Robespierre

What part of "anyone with an email address" are you having trouble understanding?

There is no requirement that the recipient have a PayPal account.

Christina

Personal checks are not worthless in other countries. If so, it would be kind of silly for anyone to accept them, even if they say they are going to hold them and then try to cash them when someone doesn't show or something. Some stores even allow you to buy things abroad with personal checks, I've done that in various countries (places that really want your business). With the growth of ATMs, I don't take my checkbook with me when I travel abroad anymore, but I used to.

I don't blame the lady for not wanting to deal with Paypal just for you. Paypal has had some problems and it's too much trouble, I have an acct. and get tired of them myself.

YOu can always countersign TCs, that is really for a security measure. I don't see any big risk if you make them out to that lady. No one else can cash them anyway then, unless they alter them or have fraudulent ID, etc. I don't see them as any different than checks in that regard.

Patrick

Robespierre, I suggest you re-read the PayPal information. No a person doesn't have to have an existing account to receive money, but before he can collect it, he MUST OPEN AN ACCOUNT. I'm not sure why they wouldn't want to, but they do have to sign up and open the account before they can request a check from PayPal or have them transfer funds. If the person at the other end doesn't want to provide personal information such as their phone number and email address to PayPal (particularly if they don't know what it is) and open an account, then you CAN'T send them money that way.

Robespierre

escholtzia, why don't your try a PayPal transaction and give us a full report?

LoveItaly

Patrick, thanks for the info regarding the "doublesigned" TC's. I never knew, but like most of us I don't think I have used a TC in at least ten years or more. Take good care.

laurie_ann

Like a personal check, a travelers check has a place to fill in who to pay to, for example Winston Churchill, then only Winston Churchhill can cash it even if you as Uncle Sam have twice signed it. (It is the same way with a merchant, if you write the check at Churchill's Souvenir Store, only that store can cash or deposit it.)

LoveItaly

laurie_ann and Patrick, know what I was thinking of? I do think once in awhile .

Ages ago when travelers used TC our bank told us not to sign on the second line until we were at the bank or the store or hotel etc. because the person accepting the TC would insist on seeing us sign it the second time (I guess to see if one could sign the same signature as the only signature on the TC. In otherwords, sign once when you bought the TC (so the TC would not be like cash) and the second time before handing it to the clerk.

The finally appeared.

jsmith

All of this just because the Queen wants to rent the rent the west wing of Buckingham Palace and doesn't accept credit cards.