Hi girls, I wonder how strict you all are in accepting the only currency of your choice?

As a naturally cautious erm trader I state on my website I accept only English sterling.

Once in a while I get a Scot who pays me in Scottish sterling and the occasional Irish man who includes an Irish Euro or two.

Today I had a very uncomfortable situation with an young Irish man who included a Scottish ?20 and Irish ?20 ( sterling, not Euro ). I know that both these currencies can be accepted by Banks, but I just don't feel happy about it- not being 100% aufait with exchange rates etc   If he can provide 7 ?20 english sterling notes, why can't he provide 1 more, or a ?10-which would have matched my rate. Instead he offered the 2 * foreign* currencies and asked for ?10 change-which I never have-and nor has anyone insisted before.
 The booking almost never went ahead, but I ended up staying for a shorter time and didn't take the non-English notes.
 I was only ?10 short of my rate anyway.

I don't think I would have been so fussy, but he had a bit of an * attitude* from when I walked in. You know when you can't quite put your finger on it but you KNOW they are looking down on you for doing what you do?  

That aside, am I just being too fussy about wanting every note to be English? ( I even had an English regular client slip 1 scottish note into my 3hr envelope fee once-right in the middle he pushed it. Was it a test to see if I count his money in his bathroom and would reprimand him for it?-Yes-and Yes! )  

Im happy with any of the money that you mentioned lets face it you can be anywhere in the uk and get any of the scots or irish sterling because at the end of the day its all legal tender.
Cat x

Me too - I have banked cash from Scotland, Northern Ireland, Jersey and so with no problems at all - I use a note checker pen anyway to keep an eye out for fakes (I realise these aren't foolproof but I have a UV keyring thing too for if I'm still not sure). There is no exchange rate to consider - sterling is sterling, just as Euros from France are the same as Euros from Spain.

We have a lot of Scottish visitors where I live so nobody really bats an eyelid at Scottish money even in the shops, but anything else I just go and pay in. Scottish banknotes aren't actually legal tender even in Scotland but they are legal currency - I'm not sure what the difference is but either way I've never had problems with any of it.

Thanks girls 

I did read that many places won't accept scottish or Irish notes, but that they are always accepted into the banks - and that applies to the old Irish sterling also.
( Does anyone else iron their notes before feeding them into the bank cash machine?-They get spat out less often this way! )
It's a wonder I ever accept a booking with anyone-such is my suspicious mind at times! 

Im happy with any of the money that you mentioned lets face it you can be anywhere in the uk and get any of the scots or irish sterling because at the end of the day its all legal tender.
Cat x

Me too.

LOL @ Kimba - ironing the money! 

I'll take sterling, euros, dollars or UAE Dirhams - provided it makes sense that the client would have these (I'd be fine with accepting dirhams from an Arab, say, but if it was just your average English Joe Bloggs then no!)  But there is a bureau du change on my walk to the bank that does good rates so it's no biggie for me.  It does take longer counting the cash, especially dollars because the note denominations look similar.

I have no issue with Scottish notes (being Scottish and all, I actually quite like getting them!) but some London cabbies won't take them and the Oyster card machines won't either.  The only time I ever had an issue with Scottish notes in a shop was when I proffered a rather dog-eared clydesdale bank fiver in a corner shop to pay for my choccie bar!

One thing I don't accept is a mix of currencies