Intermediaries Using Our Services
The Anti Money Laundering Regulations
& Know Your Client Requirements
Many of our customers purchase services for another person or business. When you purchase an address service, register a company or request certain document services this creates a relationship between you, us and the third party.
What is an Intermediary?
If you are purchasing services from us on behalf of another person or another business then you are acting as an intermediary. You are the link between us as the ‘service provider’ and the actual ‘customer’ that needs the service.
Examples of intermediaries
These are common examples of intermediaries that use our service.
Accountants
Solicitors
Bookkeepers
Tax Advisors
Overseas Business Services
Other Address Service Providers (reselling our service)
Other Company Formation Agents (reselling our service)
This list is not exhaustive. If you are purchasing a service on behalf of someone else you are an intermediary!
This link creates a ‘business relationship’ between you and us in addition to the end user or customer. When a business relationship like this exists we are required by HMRC to ‘know our client’.
Identifying Our Clients?
All UK address service providers and company formation agents need to adhere to Anti Money Laundering (AML) regulations. These regulations require us to identify or ‘know our client’. Intermediaries purchasing services on behalf of someone else are deemed to be a client as well as the end user.
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Are you a business or a person acting as an intermediary?
Corporate Entity or Business Intermediary
If you are a business acting as an intermediary for a customer you should be regulated for AML. Anyone forming companies or assisting a customer with mail services is required to register with HMRC or to be a member of a regulated body (e.g. ACCA, ICAEW, Law Society).
We need the following information
- Provide a full description of ‘your’ business activities (what does your business do for your customers?).
- Why are you purchasing a service for this customer or multiple customers?
- If your business is a registered company please confirm in which country the business is registered and the company number.
- Please confirm who regulates your business for AML, your registration number and provide details on how we can verify this (e.g. HMRC, ICAEW, ACCA).
We need you to provide-
- Your certificate of incorporation
- Company Structure Documents - confirming who directs the company and the beneficial owners
This will enable us to check your company background.
Person Intermediary
If you are an individual not regulated for AML please -
- Provide a full description of ‘your’ business activities (what does your business do for your customers?).
- Why are you purchasing a service for this customer or multiple customers?
UK INTERMEDIARIES -
We need you to provide-
- Your passport (valid for at least 6 months)
- Utility bill or bank statement confirming where you live (no more than 3 months old)
This will enable us to conduct a ‘soft search’ on your details.
NON-UK INTERMEDIARIES
If you are located outside of the UK and not registered in the UK for AML with a recognised body we need you to provide the following document
- Notarised or solicitor certified copy of your passport (valid for at least 6 months)
- Notarised or solicitor certified copy of a utility bill or bank statement confirming where you live (no more than 3 months old)
- If the documents are not written in English we require translations of these two documents.
Nominee Intermediaries!
Most UK companies are transparent in ownership and control. Companies House records who the shareholders and directors are for each company. If you are using a nominee shareholder or nominee director as an intermediary for your company we will not support your business.
We do not believe company owners and directors should hide behind complex corporate structures. We are transparent about who we are, so we expect the same from our customers.