Am I legally required to cash a check?

[neutrino]

I'm not even sure this is the right place to ask this but...

I purchased a new car in August of 2013.
I was owed about $1500 from some warranty deal on the car I was trading in.
Salesman who sold me the car, advised me of that during the deal and said that his finance guy would take care of the whole thing and I'd get a check in about two weeks for the $1500.

Salesman turned out to be a lying crook, the finance guy "disappeared for a month" and the dealership wasn't any better. (which was odd, because they'd be around a long time. Although a year later, they are now under new management.)

I finally sorted the mess out by myself about 15 weeks(!) and a million headaches later. I got my check for $1500 via someone way more helpful from an entirely different dealership and went on my way.

About a month later, I got a check from the original dealership for about $13.00 for some "transaction fee" that I guess they charged me too much for. (what a surprise.) I genuinely forgot about it and never cashed it.

In May of 2014, they sent me an email asking if I'd rec'd the check, could I cash it please, etc etc. Thinking this an amusing turn of events and not really desperate for $13.00, I ignored them knowing my little $13.00 check would go 'unresolved' on their financial records. The chuckle was worth more than the $13 considering the headaches they originally caused.

Well, now it's almost closing of 2014 and they've sent me another email asking me to either cash the check if I still have it or let them know if I don't and they'll send another one.

Can I just keep ignoring them and never cash this check thereby remaining as a $13.00 blemish on their financial records? I realize some of you may think I'm being a ****, but I'm just curious. Am I legally obligated to cash this check, ever? What if they keep sending me checks and I just keep not cashing them? I now have two of these checks and no intention of cashing either.

[disneysteve]

No, you are not legally obligated to cash a check.

[kork13]

Not at all, it's simply an outstanding balance against their books. It's the same thing as my grandmother who, after a month or so of a check she sent for my birthday not getting cashed, will ask if/when I'm going to cash the check. She/they are simply trying to balance her/their checkbook (or balance sheet, in the case of the dealership).

Since they've sent you a duplicate copy, the first check has probably been cancelled. However, I don't see why you wouldn't just cash the (second) check. Clearly they're concerned enough about a clean balance sheet to follow up with you (which is admirable on the part of their accountants), so just help them out and cash the check. Go out for lunch and thank them for the free meal.

[neutrino]

Clearly they're concerned enough about a clean balance sheet to follow up with you (which is admirable on the part of their accountants), so just help them out and cash the check. Go out for lunch and thank them for the free meal.

You know, you're right. They're under new management, so it's probably not the same people that shafted me anyway. Thanks man. I'll square it away asap.

[JulieAlbright]

You know, you're right. They're under new management, so it's probably not the same people that shafted me anyway. Thanks man. I'll square it away asap.

Good choice.

[disneysteve]

You know, you're right. They're under new management, so it's probably not the same people that shafted me anyway. Thanks man. I'll square it away asap.

I agree. No way would I throw away $13 just to make a point that probably wouldn't be effective anyway.