Asked to double pay

[Melisande]

A local service provider — OK, it’s lawn care, not very mustachian, I know — came to our house the other day saying that checks have been stolen from his mailbox and re-billing us for a month we already paid. I checked and indeed that particular check had been cashed although he claims never to have received it. The check was sent out as part of an automated check-writing system (Quicken) so there is no doubt that it went out and went to the same address it always does.

What is our responsibility here?

[terran]

Seems like you should probably file a report with your bank: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/i-wrote-a-check-to-someone-but-it-was-stolen-the-thief-forged-the-indorsement-on-the-check-and-then-cashed-it-my-bankcredit-union-deducted-the-money-from-my-account-what-can-i-do-en-991/

Can you see copies the check online? Is there a signature?

The issue of course is that you don't want to pay him again only to find out that he really did cash the check and your bank won't reimburse you. Assuming he's telling the truth, then it seems paying him again and getting a refund from your bank for the fraudulent check is the right thing to do. Perhaps call your bank, tell them the situation and ask what the process is and if there's any kind of statement they'll need from the landscaper.

[BrightFIRE]

I'd say none. The owner of the mailbox is responsible for its security. He should just eat the cost as part of doing business.

[socaso]

+1 on terran's suggestion but if it were me I'd also tell the service provider that in the future I consider it their responsibility to secure their own mailbox and if it happened again there wouldn't be anything I could do to help them. I'd put that in an email if I could so there is a record of the conversation. Now that the service provider has seen that there is a security flaw in their payment system it is their responsibility to fix it and get a locking mailbox.

EDIT- I did not specify but I think you should only pay them again if the bank can reimburse you.

[Scrapr]

The check may have been mis delivered. May not even have gone to the Lawncare mailbox. Our business gets a lot of checks ea month. Probably on the order of a hundred. So stuff gets re routed on a regular basis.

I'd check the endorsement. If the lawn care then he mis applied the payment. I've done it. I try to be gentle in my collection e mails and calls.

[damyst]

Consider switching to a payment system that isn't 1,000+ years old.

[COEE]

Look at the endorsement on the check.  If it's the same as all the others then he's either lying or making an honest mistake - you have to judge that for yourself.  If the endorsement is indeed different then I'd call the bank and ask them if they can reimburse you for check fraud and I'd pay the lawn guy again.  It's not the end of the world, and the good karma might go a long way for you some day also!

[Car Jack]

What's a check?