What happened to the good old days when you could buy a house without all of the intrusive AML stress? 1 July 2018 happened. The AML/CFT Act happened. And everything has been different ever since.

Now, if you want to buy or sell a house (or have any work completed that involves lawyers managing your assets) you need to provide them with a copy of your passport, proof of your address, pay slips, bank statements.. and the list goes on.

This is all very time consuming, and likely at the bottom of your list when it comes to completing a property transaction. But, its at the top of your lawyers list, and they wont work for you unless its completed first. So, here’s a few things we do at Queen City Law to make the process easier for you:

Electronic Verification

We offer all of our clients the opportunity to verify their identities on their cellphones. You simply enter in your name and address details; you then take a picture of your driver’s license and a picture of yourself and… that’s it. Your identity is run through a checking system and the finished report is emailed through to our AML team within minutes of completion.

This is our preferred process, as it means you don’t need to spend your time gathering documents and emailing them through to us, and it also means you don’t need to take time out of your day just to meet with a staff member to verify that they saw your I.D documents in person.

Direct Contact with Authors and the AML Team

All staff at Queen City Law undergo regular training in regards to AML compliance. This means no matter who you talk to about AML, they’ll be able to help you out. For example, if you’re having issues with trying to produce a proof of address document, the team have likely experienced the issue before, and can come up with quick solutions to help you out. We want the process completed just as quickly as you do, so we will always come up with a solution that works.  

Storing Previous AML Records

If you are already a client of Queen City Law, its likely we have your previous AML records on file already. We might already have your verified passport stored on file and if it hasn’t expired then we don’t need to repeat that part of the process again. The same goes for if you have purchased and sold multiple properties through us, we will already have notes in regards to your source of funds, which will make starting new work for you that much easier.

Staff Availability

If for whatever reason you can’t verify your identity electronically, you can pop into see any of the staff at Queen City Law to have your passport copied, stamped and verified on the spot. You don’t need to call to schedule an appointment to do this. (Please note that verification and certification are two different things. Certification can only be done by a lawyer).

If you have any questions, or need any help in regards to completing AML, the team at Queen City Law are more than capable of helping you out. We understand it’s a time-consuming process, but we are constantly figuring out new ways to make it as seamless as possible.

Disclaimer:
We have taken care to ensure that the information given is accurate, however it is intended for general guidance only and it should not be relied upon in individual cases. Professional advice should always be sought before any decision or action is taken.