Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Information

Our legal obligations

As a regulated law firm, Mills & Bann Solicitors is required to comply with the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds Regulations 2017. These rules help prevent financial crime and ensure that legal services are not used for unlawful purposes.

Why we need to verify your identity

Before we can act for you, we must carry out identity and verification checks. This applies to all clients, whether you are buying or selling a property, making a will, dealing with probate or instructing us on any other legal matter.

These checks protect both you and the firm by ensuring that your matter is legitimate and that your identity has been confirmed.

What we will ask for

We will normally request the following:

• Proof of identity – passport, driving licence or government-issued ID
• Proof of address – recent utility bill, bank statement or council tax bill
• Source of funds – evidence showing where the money for your transaction comes from
• Source of wealth – where required for higher-risk matters

In some cases, we may need additional documentation depending on the nature of your matter.

Source of funds

For transactions involving money — particularly property purchases — we must understand and verify the origin of the funds being used. Examples of acceptable evidence include:

• bank statements
• evidence of savings
• sale of a property
• inheritance documentation
• gift letters (where applicable)

How we use your information

Information collected for AML purposes is used solely to comply with our legal obligations. It is stored securely and handled in accordance with our Privacy Notice.

When we may refuse to act

If we are unable to verify your identity or the source of funds, or if we have concerns about the legitimacy of a transaction, we may be required to:

• delay the matter
• decline to act
• make a report to the relevant authorities

In such cases, we may be legally prohibited from explaining the reason for our decision.

Reporting obligations

Under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, we must report any suspicious activity. We cannot inform you if a report has been made.

Questions?

If you have any questions about our AML procedures or the documents we require, please contact us at:
info@millsbann.co.uk