The above legislation requires us to satisfy ourselves as to the identity of all our clients and any person who may have a beneficial interest in the property. If we fail to comply with this legislation we may be committing a criminal offence. 

 

Ordinarily we are under a duty to keep all information relating to your affairs strictly confidential unless authorised by you to disclose information to someone else. However, we sometimes have other duties and obligations which affect our obligations to you; for example, we are obliged to disclose to the Serious Organised Crime Agency any suspicions we may have regarding money laundering or terrorist activities and this will override our duty of confidentiality. In such circumstances we are not obliged to notify you that we have done so. 

Before we can act for you can you please provide us with the name and address of any third party who may have a beneficial interest in the property and who may be making a financial contribution to the purchase price. 

 

At the same time, we will need to ensure that the identification and address for you and any such third party is verified. For each person would you please provide us with one document from List A and two documents from List B. 

If you or any such third party are unable to attend our offices in person with original documents please take them to an independent firm of solicitors convenient to you, an accountant, doctor, high street bank manager or your financial adviser (provided he or she is registered with the FSA) who will prepare certified copies. The Post Office also offers a certification service for your ID. The certified copies must then be sent to us immediately. 

 

Please be aware that we will also need to ask you for proof of the source of any money to be paid to us before we can accept your instructions or any money. In any event we are unable to accept any payments of cash in excess of £300.