I got a Cheque Book recently (haven't had one before), however I don't have a Cheque Guarantee Card - should I request one from my Bank - do I need it? My bank card is a basic ATM card.
If you haven't needed one up to now it's unlikely you'll need it in the future. I've always had one but never actually used it as I never guarantee my cheques. I think credit/debit cards have largely taken over the role of guaranteeing payment to the seller. The amount of the guarantee is so small it's almost as easy to pay by cash too.
In 20 years writing cheques I have never once needed to show the cheque guarantee card. I think you only need it when, for example, paying by cheque in a retail outlet and I've never done that.
Retailers wil require it if you offer them a cheque but more and more retailers are refusing to accept cheques anyway due to the time taken for fudns to be released and the amount of frauds occuring. If you use a cheque book for postal payments, you will probably not be asked for your card
However if you believe you will never right a cheque you should contact your bank to cancel the cheque book as you will be charged in advance €9 in stamp duty for a standard cheque book of 30
The Cheque Guarantee Card was introduced in the late 1960s as the then most satisfactory point-of-sale technology. Originally set at a limit of £30, later increased to £100 and then converted to Euro, it is virtually obsolete - like the telex machine (whats that??) and the telegraph.