Certification of documents for identity verification

cdsheldon

Banks and Building Societies have strict rules for confirming the identity of applicants applying for savings accounts, mortgages, or in my case to enable the closing of an account of a deceased relative as part of the probate process. I accept such rules are necessary but Banks and Building Societies go out of their way to make the process difficult.

I asked two financial institutions with whom I have had a long relationship (Nationwide Building Society and Bank of Scotland) if they would certify a copy of my passport to send to another financial organisation (Principality Building Society) to enable funds that were held there, in my deceased relative's name, to be transferred to my accounts with Nationwide and Bank of Scotland. Both said they were not allowed to certify documents!

According to Principality Building Society documents may be certified by a solicitor (that will be costly), a registered accountant (don't know any), an individual regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority (wouldn't know where to find one) OR a bank official. So a bank official seemed the obvious choice!

Most financial institutions have similar certification procedures to those of the Principality Building Society, so where can I find a bank official to certify my documents?

I am aware the Post Office will do this (for a charge) but have heard that Post Office certification is not accepted by some financial organisations.

dunstonh

I asked two financial institutions with whom I have had a long relationship (Nationwide Building Society and Bank of Scotland) if they would certify a copy of my passport to send to another financial organisation (Principality Building Society) to enable funds that were held there, in my deceased relative's name, to be transferred to my accounts with Nationwide and Bank of Scotland. Both said they were not allowed to certify documents!

You are asking the person certifying them to take on a legal liability. Given the fines issued over the years, banks have pulled back from doing this sort of thing for that reason.

Banks and Building Societies have strict rules for confirming the identity of applicants applying for savings accounts, mortgages, or in my case to enable the closing of an account of a deceased relative as part of the probate process. I accept such rules are necessary but Banks and Building Societies go out of their way to make the process difficult.

The staff member or adviser or broker dealing with your application will usually certify as they have a commercial interest and accept the liability that goes with it. So, on new business, it is a lot easier.

Why does the bank need ID for you closing an account? Surely the executor handles all that?

Thrugelmir

cdsheldon wrote: »

I am aware the Post Office will do this (for a charge) but have heard that Post Office certification is not accepted by some financial organisations.

Have you asked the Principality if this is acceptable?

Flobberchops

Yep, many banks decline to do this these days (source: I work in a bank). If you happen to know the manager personally you might be in luck, but if not...

Depending on what the certification is for, this can be done by a number of people including your GP or even your dentist. It's a pain in the butt though, the way banks have clamped down on ID and verification procedures in the past few years has led to a lot of chicken-egg situations (you need X, but can't get that until you have an account, which you can't open until you have X, and so on).

ColdIron

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Have you asked the Principality if this is acceptable?

Agree, a Post Office passport Identity Document Checking Service very useful and can be reused so is £8.75 well spent. Worth checking if it is acceptable

funguy

Flobberchops wrote: »

Yep, many banks decline to do this these days (source: I work in a bank). If you happen to know the manager personally you might be in luck, but if not...

Depending on what the certification is for, this can be done by a number of people including your GP or even your dentist. It's a pain in the butt though, the way banks have clamped down on ID and verification procedures in the past few years has led to a lot of chicken-egg situations (you need X, but can't get that until you have an account, which you can't open until you have X, and so on).

This is not a good use of your GPs time who are currently working hard under the pressure of NHS patient demand. They may offer a service to do this but as above there will be a reasonable charge for this non NHS work!

NigelO

Had terrible trouble when my 91 year old Mother moved house and wanted to change bank. Nationwide would only accept her with a valid passport (she had an out of date one but the photo was still recognisable) or driving licence, neither of which she had. They also demanded a letter from HMRI tax office with her new address on it. As she had just moved house she obviously didn't have that, and our "urgent" requests to HMRI just went into the pending tray, no doubt. Nightmare.


We gave up in the end and Mum stayed with the TSB.

yorkie3

My local solicitor will certify your id for £5 if you walk in off the street without an appointment. Many others probably operate similarly.

Futuristic

Yeah I didn't think solicitors certifying documents will be costly. Just depends who you go to. Won't be higher than £20ish I would think for few docs

castle96

I used (still doing it?), get this done at the County Court for £0

cdsheldon

Just a quick thank you for all the responses. I'll certainly ask if a Post Office certified document is acceptable.

Thank goodness I still get paper statements from banks and credit cards as on-line statements are not acceptable for address verification. Another pitfall for many I suspect!