Help proving ID to solicitor needed?
Help proving ID to solicitor needed?
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tight fart

Original Poster:

3,486 posts

297 months

Sunday 5th February 2023
quotequote all
I need some ideas please, we’ve found a buyer for our house who wants and is in a position to move quickly.
We decided to use the solicitor that we used to purchase the property (18 years ago) as they are local to the property, the buyer and estate agent, the first problem was the post, we haven’t received any from our solicitor, I finally got them to email it, we completed it and sent it back special delivery the same day (last Friday).
I emailed to say I’d posted them but couldn’t include the ID checks as they didn’t want the originals posted (passport or driving license etc)
I said we would come into the office before exchange of contracts with them as we now live 265 miles away.
The reply came back, “ The Law Society Rules are that we are unable to carry out work on your file until we have carried out AML checks which we use your ID for”
We can’t both get there until the end of next week. We’ve now had 2 weeks with nothing being done and possibly another 2 weeks before we can both get there and the buyer wants to exchange by the 20th to move in on the 3rd of March.
Any ideas please on how to prove our ID without going there?

GT03ROB

13,996 posts

245 months

Sunday 5th February 2023
quotequote all
They do not NEED the originals.

I’ve provided scanned copies via email without a problem. How do they think online solicitors do it.

I bought my current property whilst not even being in the UK.

cliffords

3,740 posts

47 months

Sunday 5th February 2023
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The post office have a service where they take an official copy of your docs and then certify the likeness . Have a Google or contact your main post office.

Austin_Metro

1,421 posts

72 months

Sunday 5th February 2023
quotequote all
Use a local solicitor in your town to check it.

Agree what your actual conveyancing solicitor wants with them and then find a local solicitor to do the actual verification.

Do it exactly as the conveyancing solicitor wants, they can then meet their stringent criminal penalty backed rules. It’s a pain but it is not the conveyancer making it up.

theaxe

3,571 posts

246 months

Sunday 5th February 2023
quotequote all
Austin_Metro said:
Use a local solicitor in your town to check it.

Agree what your actual conveyancing solicitor wants with them and then find a local solicitor to do the actual verification.

Do it exactly as the conveyancing solicitor wants, they can then meet their stringent criminal penalty backed rules. It’s a pain but it is not the conveyancer making it up.
I was about to say the same thing, I think it cost me 10 each and made things much easier.

timberman

1,404 posts

239 months

Sunday 5th February 2023
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I've used the post office service in the past,

It costs a few quid but it's easy and convenient,

the last time we had to prove our I'd was for a house purchase and the selling agent was quite happy to use whatsapp,

as in I emailed over copies of passports, bank statements etc and after receiving said copies the agent called us up on Whatsapp,

I then held up our passports, bank statements etc to the camera and the agent was happy to confirm visually that the copies were genuine.

Austin_Metro

1,421 posts

72 months

Sunday 5th February 2023
quotequote all
I can’t find a reference but I’ve got a suspicion that the rules (in England and Wales) may have changed on certifying true copies via video link.

Also, when you say agent, did you mean that the estate agent was certifying the document as a true copy? The usual rule is :

Your document must be certified by a professional person or someone well-respected in your community (‘of good standing’). You could ask the following if they offer this service:

bank or building society official
councillor
minister of religion
dentist
chartered accountant
solicitor or notary
teacher or lecturer

tight fart

Original Poster:

3,486 posts

297 months

Sunday 5th February 2023
quotequote all
Thanks everyone, I’ve just had a bit of a d’oh moment.
On googling everything, local post offices local solicitors etc, wife says,,
Why not ask …. (Our son in law) he’s a lawyer surely he can do it.

timberman

1,404 posts

239 months

Sunday 5th February 2023
quotequote all
Austin_Metro said:
I can’t find a reference but I’ve got a suspicion that the rules (in England and Wales) may have changed on certifying true copies via video link.

Also, when you say agent, did you mean that the estate agent was certifying the document as a true copy? The usual rule is :

Your document must be certified by a professional person or someone well-respected in your community (‘of good standing’). You could ask the following if they offer this service:

bank or building society official
councillor
minister of religion
dentist
chartered accountant
solicitor or notary
teacher or lecturer
Yes, the estate agent

I did think it was a little odd at the time but wasn't about to argue as it made my life a bit easier and saved me money



geeks

11,214 posts

163 months

Monday 6th February 2023
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Our solicitor used the Credas app for this. Not sure if yours has this or not? Might be worth a mention

Sy1441

1,283 posts

184 months

Monday 6th February 2023
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I've literally just done the AML checks for a Lawyer in London we're engaging this morning. Scan of my driving licence, copy of my personal bank statement on an email from my chartered accountant stating that it's a true likeness of myself and I am who I say I am. This satisfy's AML requirements by law, your law practice may have more stringent policies however which is their choice.

deggles

688 posts

226 months

Monday 6th February 2023
quotequote all
tight fart said:
Thanks everyone, I’ve just had a bit of a d’oh moment.
On googling everything, local post offices local solicitors etc, wife says,,
Why not ask …. (Our son in law) he’s a lawyer surely he can do it.
I'd avoid using a family member tbh, unless the requesting solicitor confirms they're OK with that.
gov.uk guidance said:
The person you ask should not be:
  • related to you
  • living at the same address
  • in a relationship with you
https://www.gov.uk/certifying-a-document

alscar

8,356 posts

237 months

Monday 6th February 2023
quotequote all
Recently I’ve needed to prove ID on a number of different things and each time have either asked the local postmaster or my accountant ( both qualify as professionals ) to certify a copy of my driving licence which then is scanned and sent - has worked for everything so far.

digger_R

1,808 posts

230 months

Tuesday 7th February 2023
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Does anyone have a recommendation for a solicitor online (or one that is happy to do things remotely), I have CPO that I'm just agreeing the sale of and would like to get a quote as quickly as possible.

Thanks!

worsy

6,510 posts

199 months

Tuesday 7th February 2023
quotequote all
digger_R said:
Does anyone have a recommendation for a solicitor online (or one that is happy to do things remotely), I have CPO that I'm just agreeing the sale of and would like to get a quote as quickly as possible.

Thanks!
Can't recommend, because never used them, but a school friend has set this up https://www.saillegal.co.uk/

Has good reviews.

GT03ROB

13,996 posts

245 months

Tuesday 7th February 2023
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I used a company called Simply Conveyancing.

I found them very good & responsive. I was remote in Kazakh the whole time.

tight fart

Original Poster:

3,486 posts

297 months

Tuesday 7th February 2023
quotequote all
deggles said:
related to you
living at the same address
in a relationship with you

Thanks he’s none of the above

bigandclever

14,246 posts

262 months

Tuesday 7th February 2023
quotequote all
tight fart said:
deggles said:
related to you
living at the same address
in a relationship with you

Thanks he’s none of the above
I'd be surprised that son-in-law isn't considered to be related.

tight fart

Original Poster:

3,486 posts

297 months

Tuesday 7th February 2023
quotequote all
bigandclever said:
I'd be surprised that son-in-law isn't considered to be related.
He’s not married yet.