Letting agent asking for a photo of me holding passport?

TallDaisy

I'm moving flat at the end of the month and bearing in mind I have sent across my passport, 3 months of bank statements, work references, landlord/agency references, proof of address and sent off deposit and signed a contract, this letting agent man is now asking for me to send photos of me and my boyfriend holding our passports as its 'new regulations'. Everything has gone through so I don't see why they are doing this now? Is this weird?
I'm only being paranoid because I don't want someone to steal my identity and never had this asked before...I can get that they might want it to verify identity but surely they can do this when I collect keys? I even have a profile pic on my whatsapp he has messaged me on?

Comms69

There's no legal requirement for this, but i suppose they havent actually met you - so makes sense

davidmcn

It's all to do with their concern about you committing identity theft - it's even easier for you to set up a WhatsApp account in somebody else's name as it is to get hold of their passport - a photo of you holding the passport is much harder to forge.

Hasbeen

They have to ensure that you and ID Is the same. So seems a reasonable request. Did you actually send your passport or a copy of pages?

Hasbeen

They have to ensure that you and ID Is the same. So seems a reasonable request. Did you actually send your passport or a copy of pages?

TallDaisy

I can understand and fine to do it, just doesn't make sense after signing the contract and handing depsoit...I just assumed because we were going to meet to collect keys he would see what we looked like then. Passport was a copy of the pages scanned in so guess they have a right to be suspect...But would be pretty to forge references from so many people!

Comms69

TallDaisy said:

I can understand and fine to do it, just doesn't make sense after signing the contract and handing depsoit...I just assumed because we were going to meet to collect keys he would see what we looked like then. Passport was a copy of the pages scanned in so guess they have a right to be suspect...But would be pretty to forge references from so many people!

You realise ofcourse that drug dealers / growers would forge references etc too. It's just making sure you are who you say you are.

Hasbeen

TallDaisy said:

I can understand and fine to do it, just doesn't make sense after signing the contract and handing depsoit...I just assumed because we were going to meet to collect keys he would see what we looked like then. Passport was a copy of the pages scanned in so guess they have a right to be suspect...But would be pretty to forge references from so many people!

They are not supposed to accept any scanned copies? They should have taken your passport checked it was you and handed it back.

They can take a photocopy of passport etc and keep for their records.

TallDaisy

Hasbeen said:

TallDaisy said:

I can understand and fine to do it, just doesn't make sense after signing the contract and handing depsoit...I just assumed because we were going to meet to collect keys he would see what we looked like then. Passport was a copy of the pages scanned in so guess they have a right to be suspect...But would be pretty to forge references from so many people!

They are not supposed to accept any scanned copies? They should have taken your passport checked it was you and handed it back.

They can take a photocopy of passport etc and keep for their records.

I've always sent over scanned copies of the passport and then showed my physical copy at a later stage, he did mention that he would take a photo of it when we met so just assumed he would do this then. If everyone is saying its okay then happy to do it, just wanted to check first.

Splatfoot

My son had an exam this  morning online and had to do the same.

Hasbeen

TallDaisy said:

Hasbeen said:

TallDaisy said:

I can understand and fine to do it, just doesn't make sense after signing the contract and handing depsoit...I just assumed because we were going to meet to collect keys he would see what we looked like then. Passport was a copy of the pages scanned in so guess they have a right to be suspect...But would be pretty to forge references from so many people!

They are not supposed to accept any scanned copies? They should have taken your passport checked it was you and handed it back.

They can take a photocopy of passport etc and keep for their records.

I've always sent over scanned copies of the passport and then showed my physical copy at a later stage, he did mention that he would take a photo of it when we met so just assumed he would do this then. If everyone is saying its okay then happy to do it, just wanted to check first.

If you are happy and agent is then all is good. 

Perhaps take passport with you when collecting keys just in case?