Following the implementation of the Money Laundering Regulations 2003 and in accordance with the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, we are obliged to keep sufficient evidence on our files of the identity and the address of all our clients before we undertake any work.
From private individual clients of all nationalities, we therefore require two pieces of identification – one personal identification document from the list below and one proof of residence at the time of the appointment for each person whose signature we are certifying and for the person who is acting as our client for billing purposes:
• passport
• driving licence (with photocard)
• national identity card
• Lloyd’s Pass
• an armed forces pass (with photo and signature)
• firearms licence (with photo and signature)
• other government issue ID (with photo and signature).
Proof of residence can be one of the following original documents:
• Bank statement or letter (not credit card statement or bill) dated within the last 3 months
• Utility bill dated within the last 3 months (not mobile phone bill, but can include council tax bill or statement if party is addressee and property being taxed is at the same address)
• Letter of confirmation from a lawyer, accountant, banker or doctor.
When we are acting for a corporate client, we need evidence of the due incorporation of the company or entity. This can be one of the following documents:
• Recent extract from the company register (which Saville & Co. can obtain directly for UK and many foreign registers)
• Goodstanding certificate dated within the last 3 months
• Certificate of incorporation (if recently incorporated)
• Latest report and audited accounts
• Up to date certified copy of partnership agreement
• Letter of identification from professional firm, bank or from a member of the prospective client who is already known to Saville & Co.
• Evidence of being regulated by a regulatory body such as the Law Society or FSA.
Please note that in addition to the evidence of the due incorporation of the company, each individual signatory will need to produce one of the personal identification documents mentioned above.
In all cases, we will need to take copies of the documents for our files. We are of course bound by standard confidentiality rules and these copies will not be made available to anyone else. However, we are obliged by our professional rules to keep them. We are also registered as a data controller under the Data Protection Act 1998.
