"Trust, but verify." - Ronald Reagan
This quote, while emphasising the importance of verification, also conveys a sense of respect and goodwill towards the client. It suggests that due diligence is not about suspicion or distrust, but rather about ensuring a safe and transparent relationship for both parties.
Why We Carry Out Checks
Why Due Diligence Matters
We are legally required to confirm the identity of all new and existing clients and, in some matters, to understand the source of funds used. This is standard across regulated professions — you will already have encountered similar checks with banks, accountants, or estate agents.
These checks are:
Quick and secure
A legal requirement for us
A safeguard for both you and us
What to Expect
What Individuals May Need to Provide
For Individuals
Bio-metric Check via a secure app
Passport (current, valid)
Photo driving licence (with current address)
Recent utility bill (within 3 months)
For Companies, Partnerships & Trusts
For Companies, Partnerships & Trusts
Details of directors, partners, trustees, or shareholders with 25%+ ownership/control/voting rights
Certified ID and proof of address for relevant persons
Certificate of Incorporation, Memorandum & Articles, Partnership Agreement, or Trust Deed (depending on entity type)
Proof of registered and trading addresses
For Source of Funds / Wealth (examples)
For Source of Funds / Wealth (examples)
Salary: Payslips, tax return, employer confirmation
Savings: Bank statements showing build-up of funds
Property Sale: Completion statement, solicitor’s letter, bank receipt
Inheritance: Probate letter, solicitor’s correspondence, bank receipt
Investments: Sale contract, statements, bank receipt
Gift: Letter from donor, donor’s ID, evidence of donor’s wealth
(Other sources such as loans, company profits, or insurance maturities may require similar documentation.)
Who can Certify Documents
Where documentation is requested, you can provide the original documents or you may find it more convenient to provide us with certified copies.
The following are a non-exhaustive list of professionals or organisations that can certify your documentation:
- A member of the Judiciary, a Senior Civil Servant, or a Serving Police or Customs Officer
- A Practicing Solicitor or Barrister
- An officer of an Embassy, Consulate or High Commission of the country that issued the documentary evidence of identity
- A notary
- A Tax Adviser
- An Accountant
- An Insolvency Practitioner
- An Auditor
- A credit or financial institution which is an authorised person
- A consumer credit financial institution
Costs of Certification
The costs associated with certification are your expense and are not recoverable from us under any circumstances.
So, if we decide not to take on you as a client you will not be able to recover this expense from us.
Certifier
The certifier must certify that the copy is a true copy of the original document and a true likeness in the case of a photograph.
In addition, the certifier must include an adequate level of information which needs to include their name, position or capacity, their address and telephone number or email address at which they can be contacted, and their official seal.
Please note a person cannot be a suitable certifier if they are:
- related to the person being identified by birth or marriage; or
- in a relationship or living with the person being identified.
Ongoing Monitoring
On-going Monitoring
- Client due diligence is not an inception event only.
- You must inform us if your circumstances change.
- We are required to update your client due diligence (CDD) throughout the life cycle of the matter and the business relationship.
- Therefore we will ask you to provide updating information from time to time. You should also inform us if you have a change in circumstances.
- If you fail to comply with these requests, we will not be able to proceed with your matter, and the retainer will be terminated. This is generally an industry standard.
Administrative Fee
Why AML Matters to You
For Information Purposes
The above is only a general illustration, your actual pre-onboarding process may be different.
If your matter has a counterparty, a third party, if you have connections to high risk countries, or you or others are Politically Exposed Persons, or you have a business or other entity we will ask further questions and require documentation.
Identifying and verifying natural persons, is likely to be straightforward.
Identifying and verifying entities such as companies and trusts can be more involved.
More Detail: Identity & Verification
Individual Natural Persons: Identification and verification
We are required identify and verify who the prospective client is.
| Individual Natural Persons | Preferred Forms of Personal Identification |
| E-Verification | Biometric Electronic Verification via secure app |
| Original | Unexpired Passport |
| Original | Current Address Photo Driving Licence |
| Original or Certified Copy | Utility Bill - stating your full name, your current address and dated within 3 months |
Entities: Identification and verification
Where a prospective client is an entity or a prospective client has an entity (company, partnership, trust or charity or other non-personal organisation) we have to identify the entities and verify them.
| Entity | Information and Documentation requested |
| Company | The Full Names of Directors and Senior Management The names of all the Directors and other persons who have and exercise strategic decision-taking powers or who have and exercise executive control; Identification of each Director E-verification biometric check and - a certified copy passports (ALL PAGES) - a certified copy of a current utility bills or a bank statement that is not less than 3 months old Certification: signed and dated by a suitable certifier whom have had sight of the original(s) and certifies the copies to be true copies of the original document(s) and all photographic evidence to be a true likeness of the holder(s) Shareholders We require details of any shareholder holding 25% of the shares or more. Voting Rights Address of Registered Office Proof of the address of the registered office (if different from your trading/mailing address) Proof of your principal place of business/operations (if different from the above) Certificate of Incorporation Proof of the company name and any trading names Proof of the official identification number Certified copy of the certificate of incorporation which must be signed and dated by a suitable certifier whom have had sight of the original(s) and certified the copies to be true copies of the original documents Memorandum and Articles of Association Certified copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Association which must be signed and dated by a suitable certifier whom have had sight of the originals and certified the copies to be true copies of the original documents |
| Partnership | The Full Names of all Partners The names of all the Partners Partners Proof of Identity E-verification biometric check and- a certified copy passports (ALL PAGES) - a certified copy of a current utility bills or a bank statement that is not less than 3 months old Certification: signed and dated by a suitable certifier whom have had sight of the original(s) and certifies the copies to be true copies of the original document(s) and all photographic evidence to be a true likeness of the holders Partnership Agreement Certified copy of the Partnership Agreement which must be signed and dated by a suitable certifier whom have had sight of the originals and certified the copies to be true copies of the original documents Registration Proof of the name of the partnership and any trading name Proof of the date and country of incorporation/registration and official identification number Address of Registered Office Proof of address of the registered business/office; Proof of the postal address (if different from the above) Proof of your principal place of business/operations (if different from above); |
| Trust and Estate Administration | to be updated |
| Charities | to be updated |
| Clubs and Associations | to be updated |
| Other entities | to be updated |
More Detail: Source of Funds / Source of Wealth
Source of Funds and Source of Wealth | Information and Documentation that might be requested |
| Employment Income: Do you intend to fund your matter from your monthly income? |
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| Savings: Do you intend to fund your matter from your savings? | Bank statements, that will show where the funds came from |
| Property: If you intend funding your matter from the proceeds of sale? |
|
| Shares or other investment: Do you intending to sell your investments or have you already sold them and intend to use this source of funds/wealth to fund your matter? |
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| Loan: Have you obtained a loan |
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| Company Sale: |
|
| Company Profits/ dividends: |
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| Inheritance: |
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| Gift: |
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| Maturity/ surrender of policy: |
|
| Other income sources: |
|
Further Information
Please note:
- We have stated a basic illustration of the process, it can be more involved depending on the prospective clients individual circumstances, counter-party, and third parties. There may be an an entity, which will lead to consideration of the entity's structure, ownership, control and influence and the disclosure of certified documents from independent reliance sources.
- The electronic verification checks, usually include behind the scenes checks such as: Sanctions check to ascertain if a prospective client is a designated person under the UK Sanctions Regime, US Sanctions Regime or UN Sanctions Regime, they will also be Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) check, Adverse Media check, and a light Credit check, as well as other checks such as a Mortality check, Electoral Roll check, and etc. These check are to establish you identity, and that you are not a designated person. This is ultimately to prevent our firm from being involved with a breach of the law.
- A prospective client is not a client of the firm until you have been through the pre-onboarding process, we feel comfortable about their responses, and we have agreed to take on the prospective client and matter and you have signed terms and conditions of business, and complied with any additional requests made at that stage.
- There is no obligation for this firm to take on a prospective client or matter, generally.
- Given our firm's size and operational scope, we may be unable to accept certain prospective clients or matters. This decision, for which we are not required to provide specific reasons, may be based on factors such as: potential sanctions risks involving the prospective clients, counter-party, or third parties; complex structures exceeding our expertise; or circumstances falling outside our risk appetite. In some cases, matters requiring a dedicated compliance team for assessment may also be declined. We appreciate your understanding.
- We do charge a separate fee to the initial consultation fixed fee for use undertake the compliance checks. This is generally referred to as an administrative fee. Please see the relevant fees page.
- Please note that if you provide information about counter-parties, third parties, that you should provide them with our privacy and that you obtain their consent. Will thus presume that you have undertaken the aforementioned.
See our Privacy Page
See our Client Due Diligence Page
See our Pre-onboarding Page
See our Fees Overview Page
Call Us: 020 4578 4684
Book your appointment
Contact Us
See our Privacy Page
See our Client Due Diligence Page
See our Pre-onboarding Page
See our Fees Overview Page
Call Us: 020 4578 4684
Get in Touch at Any Time
Do not hesitate to contact us with any queries.
Alexander Christian
Harrow Business Centre
429-433 Pinner Road
North Harrow
Middlesex
Greater London
HA1 4HN
Phone : 020 4578 4684
www.alexanderchristian.co.uk