Woman learns that it is illegal in the UK to use more than 20 pence at a ti


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What about everything being ?*.99 what would we get for change?

Here in Sweden they've abolished the minor denomination of cash entirely ? the major is a "kronor", worth about 10p, making each minor (an ?re) worth about 0.1p.

Prices still exist in the minor form, though. If you pay in cash it just gets rounded to the nearest kronor (so if the price comes to 21.31 you'll be charged 21, if it comes to 21.90 you'll be charged 22), but if you pay by card you get charged the correct amount.

In the UK they could round everything to the nearest 5p/10p and not cause the end of the world, although I'm sure the Daily Mail would be up in arms about it! :laugh:

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There must have been an ATM or cash machine somewhere nearby ???? she could have used.

At the time it happened RBS Banking Group (NatWest, Ulster and RBS Banks) had a system failure so might not have worked. That was the problem, the money is in the account but getting hold of it was the problem for most of that week and even the balance that would be displayed would have also been wrong. It was a total screw up at RBS Group that cuased to many problems. At least the women did return to pay for her fuel, but rather petty of the petrol station in my view and could have been processed on this occasion. But to me there was just so lazy.

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I never even knew this was a thing, I've handed over more than 21p in 1's before and never been questioned.

Probably because you were a nice and courteous customer. In my shop we used to accept it from our regular customers or if it was an exceptional circumstance. But if anyone was rude or not nice I would say 'You've got to be joking and send them on their way'!

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Having said that, it was absurd that they asked her to leave her phone / driver's license / jewellery as collateral for ?30. Would any of you do this?

It's really not an unusual request. In fact sometimes a customer that couldn't pay would volunteer their driver's licence themselves to show good faith - it works both ways. If you're going to be coming straight back then it really doesn't matter. At the end of the day it is completely up to the individual whether they leave something for collateral and they are under no obligation to do so.

Probably because you were a nice and courteous customer. In my shop we used to accept it from our regular customers or if it was an exceptional circumstance. But if anyone was rude or not nice I would say 'You've got to be joking and send them on their way'!

Exactly. When I was manager of a busy store I took a similar position. I'd go out of my way to help anyone that was courteous or if they were a regular customer - I'd let them use vouchers that were expired and if they were short of money I'd trust them to come back with it later (it usually always worked out fine). But if somebody was rude and condescending then I would stick absolutely rigidly to rules / technicalities and refuse to let them off even a penny. It really doesn't take much effort to be polite.

I would have done exactly the same if some woman had threatened a colleague of mine and been openly hostile. If she'd have been polite, paid in the largest denominations available to her (by all accounts she deliberately did the opposite) and calmly explained the situation then it wouldn't have been an issue.

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As already said, legal tender does not mean it is illegal to use something else.

Just that it is upto the cashier / business.

Hence why you see some businesses in tourist areas / near airports and such accepting euros.

There is nothing stopping the cashier accepting loads of coppers (what we usually call 1 and 2p coins), but they do not have to.

And when a customer acts the way this person seems to have done, then the cashier has every right to not accept it.

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It's really not an unusual request. In fact sometimes a customer that couldn't pay would volunteer their driver's licence themselves to show good faith - it works both ways. If you're going to be coming straight back then it really doesn't matter. At the end of the day it is completely up to the individual whether they leave something for collateral and they are under no obligation to do so.

For some reason the board has quoted me saying something I didn't write that you replied to!

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