ECheque transfer timescale?

[Mike249]

ECheque - How long once the money has been taken from my account, does it arrive in the sellers account?

I cannot believe I was so stupid to have chosen Echeque as a method of payment. If I knew how much grief it'd cause me I would have just paid cash.

On sat 7th sept I made a cheeky buy it now offer on ebay on the promise I completed quickly. I was very happy & the seller was too. When I realised I'd selected a slower method, I contacted the seller and apologised. I read in the paypal help pages I couldn't cancel an Echeque. The pending payment was due to complete on Friday 13th. The seller wasn't happy, but agreed. I'd collect it on Friday night. Friday came & went, still pending. I phoned Paypal on Saturday and was told "It'd take 5-7 working days & would clear by Tuesday 17th". That "It could have been cancelled for a few days after I made it" and "Paypal couldn't stop the payment, but my bank could". My bank had no record of it, so couldn't stop it. My bank advised me the seller could cancel the payment request. I emailed him links & paypal help pages my bank sent me, but he said despite this he couldn't find any way to cancel it.

I wake up this morning and find the money taken from my bank account. At last!! The Paypal call taker said "Once the money is taken, it transfers instantly to the intended account. I messaged the seller with some good news. He didn't reply all day, his replies have taken longer & longer. At the close of play tonight 21:30 18th, he still hasn't been paid. Its still showing as pending on 13th. 

Can someone reassure me that what is going on is normal??? Its been 8 'working' days plus 4 weekend days!! 

When can I expect the seller to receive the payment taken from my bank account to arrive in his account? 

[kernowlass]

@Mike249 

Normally 5-7 working days but clearance and the date given varies dependent on your banks processing times.

A seller can only refund a completed payment, they can't cancel an echeque only your bank can do that.

[Mike249]

So now the money is on its way so to speak. When will the seller be paid? Its clearly not instantly as I was told. I don't have any faith in Paypal to give me the right advice. It all is "generally" or "normally this will happen". But everytime its not happened the way they said it would. I know that I made the error in selecting echeque, thinking it was fast & easy, but it seems an awfully archaic method. 

[kernowlass]

@Mike249 

No an echeque is not instant, once its left your bank account it goes via ACH in batches and the clearance time is as i posted about but again as already said that is an estimate dependent on your banks processing times.

Its all down to the bank, paypal can't do anything until they receive the funds when they will pass it on to the seller instantly that they receive it.

[Mike249]

Another long phone call to my bank. They have a direct debit reference number & tell me paypal have received it. Another long chat to a paypal representative. Where now waiting 10 working days for it to clear. Not 5, not 7, but 10 working days to clear. If theres anything good about this I have been told a time & date it will clear. I have no faith thats the case, as every time its been wrong. If the information in the app, or what was given over the phone was consistent it definitely would have made this easier to deal with.

[Mike249]

And its not gone through. 30mins after the given time I was given it would go through its still pending. I have to now contact my bank........... nothing to do with paypal.....