I read with interest and many fond memories the letter from David Huyton (see [2004] Gazette, 18 November, 14). I recall many frantic Friday afternoons yelling down the telephone to the bank manager and trying to push through a transfer to the seller's solicitor in time for the contractual deadline, while also fending off calls from irate clients and agents.


I am pleased to say that this problem has now been eradicated at my office by our computer terminal from which CHAPS payments are authorised by the partners without human involvement from the bank, save in particularly large transactions. Funds have been received by other solicitors as little as three minutes after the instruction has been sent and authorised.


This is not restricted to large firms, as my practice has three partners and this has resolved all problems at our end of the transaction. The knock-on benefits of not having to incorporate within a fee estimate a provision for time spent on the day of completion sending funds are obvious. Not only this, but we are charged less by our bank than we used to be for a CHAPS payment sent 'by hand'.


Glen Bayliss, Aubrey David Solicitors, Manchester