Money laundering query.

[Ezza1]

My DP lives with me but is not on any paperwork to do with the property at all - It is my house, all bills are in my name etc... He has his own property.

The only thing he IS named on at my property is WTC. Just checked council tax bill but he's not named on there, but we obviously pay full whack (was single parent so discounted, obviously told council when DP moved in so pay full amount now)

I am selling my property and my solicitors are requesting some verification of identify from my DP, as he lives here, (as an adult occupier?) to do with anti money laundering.

DP does not have ANY of the forms of ID listed as acceptable. What the hell do we do? Can't get hold of solicitor right now - anyone have any advice til I can? Am panicking as it probably looks dodgy

Bank statements? Electoral roll? Drivers licence (required by law to show correct address) are things I can think of from the top of my head that should suffice as proof of residence in the home.

have you asked if they'll accept HMRC documents (TC paperwork)?

My DH is not on bills here either but is on electoral roll and council tax comes addressed to us both.

But, if you are not married, you are selling your house, WTF does the solicitor need any of his ID? It's FA to do with your DP really, financially speaking, unless he a registered interest in the property.

I'm a bit puzzled by this. He is not the client. He is not selling the house. I don't know why they need to confirm his identity. (I'm a lawyer but have nothing at all to do with conveyancing). Maybe the solicitors think that because he might be able to claim some equitable right to the property because he lives there, they need to check his identity too? It seems over-cautious to me, but as I've said, I don't do conveyancing. Are the solicitors aware of the situation - that the property is entirely yours and you are not married? Maybe they are just asking for both parties' IDs because most couples are either married or own property jointly.

Correspondence from the Inland revenue.
letter from WFTC mentining his name
Driving licence
Electoral Roll

You will generally need one item from list A and one from list B
si if for example you use your driving licence to prove your ID with your photo you cannot use it to prove your address. passport and driving licence would be fine.

Thanks for quick replies - some of you have echoed what I was thinking, ie wtf does it have to do with DP.

Initially I was asked in the paperwork to list who lived in my property, including children DP was then asked to sign something to say he will move out on completion.

Letter arrived for DP re verification of identity which starts " Under current anti money laundering regulations we are required by law to verify identities of any third parties involved in the transaction. We understand you are an occupier at the sale property. ..blah. ..."

Then goes on to list obscure (imo) ID acceptable.

Thing is he is NOT involved in the transaction, he just fking snores here and does the washing up occasionally. ..

Solicitor should be back in office in a bit but I'm still

Update: All sorted. Fwiw, I believe my solicitors are a tad crazy...

All they want me to do is send them a copy of my council tax bill (even though DP is not named...) with a cover letter from me stating DP lives here

Crackers.

Crackers indeed!

Sounds normal to me I am afraid. i am legal but not conveyancing. MLR are very wide these days and as much about possible hidden interests as formal ones.

Why is he struggling with the ID? Passport or drivers license and a bank statement should do it.

Doesn't drive and passport ran out years ago. Never got around to changing address with bank.

And I'm pretty sure its what you say about hidden interest ^

Right, I am back at home and have double checked on the Law Society website (v quickly). I was right, it is because of the possibility he may be a beneficial owner of the property. By law, they have to do identity checks on any beneficial owner, and with anyone who lives there the safest course is to treat them as one, even if they may not be (because failure to do ID when you should have done can get you in very sticky situations as a lawyer).

If they have now decided that they don't need to ID him, I assume that they are satisfied he isn't a beneficial owner, to a standard that lets them off ID-ing him.

Glad you got it sorted.

Ah thanks very much for clarifying Amanda

I had an inkling that was the case but laws, especially property laws, always makes my head spin a little

Anti Money Laundering makes my head spin and I am a lawyer!

When we sold our last house we had a nightmare with the new buyer and his solicitor.

The house had been bought by me with the mortgage in my name and the deposit was money from the house I owned previous to that one (IYSWIM !)

DH was not my husband at the time of purchase and agreed to the house being in my name only due to issues with his ex, but, he was on council tax and all other bills.

We lived in the house for nine years before we got married and knew we were going to move in the next 12 months and the estate agent (and the building society) advised there was no point/it would be expensive to put DH name on the mortgage.

Cue selling house:

Q. Why is Mr teller not on mortgage? A. because we were advised there was no point.

Q. Where is Mr Teller now? A. He's here but why do you need to know, I own the property?

Q. Where does Mr Teller work? A. why do you need to know, I own the property.

Q. Why is Mr Teller not on mortgage? A. He's on all the utility bills but not mortgage as we knew we were selling soon after marrying and we were advised there was no point.

Q. Why is Mr Teller not on mortgage? A. aaarrrrggghhh

and on and on..

I think the new buyer thought he was going to be sat eating his tea one day and my DH was going to turn up, put his key in the lock to find the house had been sold from under his feet