Landlord returned our deposit but the cheque bounced...

[ecureilx]

Yes, I know how the SCT works and have not seen any problems like this so far. And the lawyers are discouraged to attend SCT hearings. Yet another point, why do you think she needs a demand letter from a lawyer if she asks about its content in her post? Frankly, I simply don't get why some people try to discourage other people to do the right thing pointing out to nonexistent problems and mudding the whole situation.

Not everybody can write a legal sounding letter, and if the letter doesn't sound legal enough, a landlord who issues a rubber check may junk it easily. .. that's my 2 cents ..

LL owns her some money. Letter sent by herself followed by $20 investment to open a case in SCT if ineffective. Probably 80% chance she will get the deposit after the letter.

Yah, may work as you say .. !!!

OSOD: IMHO it's not criminal unless this was the intent and intents are very difficult to prove. I.e. criminal would be if he issued 100 of such cheques to pay for something and it was clear they would have no coverage.

it becomes a criminal case, also, in the scenario where the person issues a check, and closes the account, if i remember correctly. then it is a cheating case

Nope, I am not a legal eagle as well

[PNGMK]

What lawyers are you talking about? What this has to do with a bad cheque? This is LL vs T dispute where the LL did not return the deposit. It falls under the jurisdiction of SCT and will cost her few bucks and some time only. Later, if LL still don't pays some more to get the order and get it executed.

OP said they got a rubber cheque ..

Issuing a rubber check is civil case, if the LL doesn't want to honour his check

And I am not sure if you have been to SCT, from my experience, as being asked to turn up at SCT and also another when I had to go to SCT to file a case ... if I owe you 5000, in SCT, it is perfectly OK for me to say "yes, I admit the due, and I will pay you, 100$ month X 50 months" and the sitting judge will accept it .. 99% I am sure he will say "OK" or 1$ he will say "can you pay 200 $ a month .. "

No kidding.

Then again, that's from my own experience ..

When i was in the receiving end, though the amount was small, to prove my point I told the creditor for 300 $ I will pay 30$ a month, signed and sealed.

Yes, I know how the SCT works and have not seen any problems like this so far. And the lawyers are discouraged to attend SCT hearings. Yet another point, why do you think she needs a demand letter from a lawyer if she asks about its content in her post? Frankly, I simply don't get why some people try to discourage other people to do the right thing pointing out to nonexistent problems and mudding the whole situation.
LL owns her some money. Letter sent by herself followed by $20 investment to open a case in SCT if ineffective. Probably 80% chance she will get the deposit after the letter.

OSOD: IMHO it's not criminal unless this was the intent and intents are very difficult to prove. I.e. criminal would be if he issued 100 of such cheques to pay for something and it was clear they would have no coverage.

Well maybe the law has relaxed but my ex wife bounced one of my cheques a few years ago and the bank made a hell of a fuss.

[x9200]

I had one bounced myself, 4-5y ago I think, when I forgot that my current account was close to zero. They sent me a photo-copy with some general threatening, requested to pay $40 penalty fee IIRC and that's it.
It is so common that my wife who often receives cheques had to introduce some special charge for customers having this sort of problems.

[ecureilx]

Well maybe the law has relaxed but my ex wife bounced one of my cheques a few years ago and the bank made a hell of a fuss.

bank made hell of a fuss not = police case that's the key there ..

[the lynx]

Isn't passing bad cheques illegal? It is considered a cheque fraud (especially so from OP's description of the LL evading calls etc).

Should get this reported to the police.

[ecureilx]

Isn't passing bad cheques illegal? It is considered a cheque fraud (especially so from OP's description of the LL evading calls etc).

Should get this reported to the police.

in some countries, yes, illegal, and in Middle east it is the surest way to get jailed .. I know a guy who had a tiff with his arab partner, and the arab partner used one of the blank checks signed by the other fellow, filled in some exhorbitant amount, and under the pretext of trying to cash it, called the cops and the latter spent a week in jail .. easy as that.

In Singapore, unless you have an intent to cheat, like you issue a cheque on a closed account, or you issue a check and wind your business etc, it isn't something police will investigate, as it is a Civil case, till things go bad. Police will advice you the same, should you go to them.

Tough