There was certainly a lot of interest in this topic but if you don't mind, I'd like to add my two cents. I'm the treasurer of my PTO and occasionally a check is returned for insufficient funds and I won't have that knowledge until after the merchandise has been delivered. In those cases I call the check writer and ask if I can redeposit. In the rare instances when the check writer refuses to return calls I have called the check writer's bank and verified that the money is in the account through a merchant verification request (some banks want this request faxed to them). Our bank waives the penalty fee on a case by case basis and that is how we set up our account. It's worth it to ask the manager at your branch for this type of arrangement.
As for the problem of the disconnected phone (which really turned out to be an unlisted number) sometimes it's because the child no longer lives in the school district but is continuing to attend the school...
Bad checks, we're probably unethical. Our school
district allows us to hold report cards until the
debt is paid....but only for debt/bad checks written by the parents. For the others (neighbors, etc.) I send a letter explaining I will have to notify the principal and the childs
report card will be held if not paid or a payment plan has not been arranged...they don't want anyone to know so they pay.......never had much of a problem.....its written very nicely. You bank shouldn't be charging you for bad checks for a non-profit...............
I will jump back in here. If a check bounces, I contact the seller when possible to have them go after the bad check or they can make up the difference to get the order delivered. If the bad check is from the students family, then the order is held and those customers that paid can contact the sellers family and deal with it that way. After the original hand out day, I will go into individual orders and pull out items that are not paid for and then deliver the remainder of the order, this just can not be done on the day we hand everything out.
We also do not release any merchandise until the balance is paid in full. It's tough but that's the way it has to be. People usually know when their check isn't going to clear but they still send it in anyway, regardless of how it may affect others. They SHOULD be embarrassed.
I, personally, write a check to cover the entire order because I know MY check won't bounce! I'd rather deal with collecting bounced checks myself than have other parents ticked off at me because someone else's check bounced and they can't get their order.
The devil is in the details, Suzi, and your second posting changes everything. If the family is writing a single check, either because they pocketed the payments or because they forgot to collect in advance, then they have become an unintended part of the process. I would agree that you need to hold the merchandise in this case.
As for the phone numbers, changing to an unlisted number is very different from allowing your phone to be disconnected. People in very dire financial troubles eliminate the expense of a phone, they don't change to a more expense service.
Do me a favor will you...hold that soap box steady, I think I made a mistake getting up on the high horse in the first place.
Question- How does the school handle this? Is there a way to adopt their policy? I understand you want to stay separate from the school but ours has helped a great deal with this issue as they already know the legal in's and out's.
I'm sorry but I would contact the police. In the real retail world this person stole this merchandise and well, that's not good. I don't want you to put this person away just find out how to protect yourself/PTA.
We have been really lucky (knocking on wood!) that this has not happened to us but we also have the school behind us to help.
I do agree that no money- no order period. That needs to be in the policy and done for these parents.
I feel bad for the kids. Hang in there.
