When you first instruct us to act for you, we will need to obtain evidence of your identity and address in order to comply with the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 (“the Regulations”). This procedure is called ‘client due diligence’.
What documents will you need to provide?
In most cases, we will need to see evidence of your identity such as your current passport (or photographic driving licence) and evidence of your address (in the form of a recent utility bill, bank statement or council tax bill). We may use an online provider to carry out client due diligence.
Commercial Clients – Instructing a Solicitor
The Regulations also require us to identify beneficial owners and controllers. This means:
For a limited company
We will need evidence of identity and address for at least two directors and a list of the names and addresses of all shareholders.
For a partnership
We will need a list of all partners, evidence of identity and address for at least two of the partners and a copy of the current partnership deed or other document that confirms who owns the equity. We may also require further information relating to the identity of shareholders or partners, depending on the circumstances.
To avoid any delay caused by the need to comply with these Regulations, please let us have the relevant documents as soon as possible. We will be unable to proceed with your matter until we have obtained all of the necessary evidence of identity. |
