Seems like the parents were awfully casual about your criteria, and now are expecting you to be casual about it, too. I feel sorry for the student, who may or may not have realized that the parents needed to be ridden herd on, but your rules are your rules. And where do you live that a check charge is just $5?
That is the amount that the bank charges us for a bounced check. We only ask that the bouncey reimburse that amount.