[shubb]

I got a cheque book with my first real bank account in 2004, and felt like a real grown up. In the time since, I have written 2 cheques.

However, I have cashed some cheques - a tax refund cheque and a refund for my remaining balance when I closed a utilities account.

They have the advantage, for the sender, that you can discharge your responsibility to offer a refund by sending a letter, rather than having to interact with the other party. Of course these days you could email them a link to a web form.