When clearing a foreign cheque, a bank profits from the spread on the exchange rate plus a fee for the transaction.  I have no dispute with either item. I do, however, object to the APS Bank’s claim that it takes four weeks to clear a sterling cheque. This allows the bank to invest their clients’ money for a month without the risk of being called.

This is utterly unacceptable. (Who got the million pound bonus for thinking up this one?)

I consider the action of the bank to be sharp practice at best and, quite possibly, contrary to EU banking regulations.

Some years ago, I had a long acrimonious debate about this subject in the columns of this newspaper. It was finally accepted that if I could prove they had received my funds I could access them.

Recently, I had occasion to do so. I took the precaution of visiting my branch to confirm the arrangement. They produced my personal file, which recorded this arrangement.

They are at it again! The bank withheld my cleared funds, which caused me to be seemingly overdrawn. To compound their action, they had the appalling gall to charge me interest, not only on the supposed overdraft but additional interest because the overdraft facility had not been arranged.

I am writing this letter because I have not yet even received the courtesy of an acknowledgement to my written request to return this interest to my account.

I wonder whether the Apostleship of Prayer Savings Bank is trying to follow in the footsteps of its big brother in the Vatican?

The legal profession must be relieved and grateful to bankers that they are no longer the butt of the totally undeserved derisory jokes about lack of professional ethics.