Legal professionals are inadvertently facilitating money laundering. The government calls these “professional enablers” – individuals or organisations that have failed, whether by negligence or deliberate action, to do their due diligence. Conveyancing, trusts, and management of client accounts are considered the most high-risk areas for money laundering due to the large sums of money involved. Compliance […]
Your estate agent or conveyancer may have asked you to provide evidence for anti-money laundering (AML) checks. This is now a normal and necessary part of the process of buying a house. But what exactly is the danger of money laundering, and what checks must conveyancers and estate agents perform to help them meet their […]
For letting agents, tenants, and landlords, renting property is fraught with difficulty. Property owners face legal and financial risks from prospective tenants with no right to rent, while some renters find themselves forking out thousands of pounds to landlords who don’t even have legal rights over their property. To avoid these legal, financial, and reputational […]
Biometric data refers to the biological measurements used to identify a person. These biometric features include fingerprints, facial recognition, and retina scans, but blood type, gait, and even the way you smile can be unique identifiers. You probably encounter some of these identifiers daily simply when you’re unlocking your phone. Face and fingerprint scanning are […]
Client qualification is no longer just about affordability. An increasingly risky property market demands a more thorough approach to due diligence. But technology allows firms to turn this onerous regulatory burden into a swift, smart process. How qualification has changed Traditionally, qualifying a client simply meant ensuring they had the ability to repay their fees […]
What is an anti-money laundering check? When someone buys a property, conveyancers are required to conduct an anti-money laundering check. The rules for conducting AML checks and types of companies covered by those requirements are set out in the Money Laundering Regulations 2017. Among them are conveyancers, law firms, estate agents, and others. But what […]
The UK government’s new industrial strategy promises a new approach to AML regulations, aimed at reducing the burden on small law firms and unlocking their potential for growth. In particular, it wants to see small firms adopt the very latest technology to help them thrive. What’s the new UK AML strategy? The UK government is […]
You may have seen stories emerging over the last few months of AI-generated ID and passport images that are apparently good enough to fool identity verification systems. No longer are fake passports the province of dodgy dealers in back alleys: now, thanks to generative AI, anyone can create an authentic-looking identity document with just a […]
Law firms still using manual or in-person identity verification checks are in danger of falling behind. Manual form filling and data entry is a labour-intensive process, resulting in slow response times, inefficiencies, and delayed transactions, as well as raising the risk of human error. The latter, in particular, can pose security challenges that damage your […]
Compliance isn’t just the responsibility of big firms. With the right partners and the right tools, even the smallest team can meet regulatory demands without sacrificing performance. What do the regulators expect from small firms? Regulators won’t give you a break just because your firm is small. Whether you’re a solo practitioner or running a […]
