ID/AML checks.Do I have a choice?

Chud786

I'm buying and the EA uses Lifetime Legal for ID/AML checks.I can just about accept the cost but I'm not happy to use this company.They have a lot of bad reviews.If I give my consent to use a third party to do the checks that is all I want them to do I don't want to be offered or buy any additional products or sign up to any membership.It appears LL see it as a hard selling opportunity.I have done 2 other checks using an app and it was simple and quick,didn't have to speak to anyone.Not sure what to do.I have yet to view but really like the look of the property and want to go to the EA as prepared as I can.Any advice please.

artyboy

ultimately if the EA has outsourced to this company then yes, you have to use them, or walk away.

Not heard of LL, but it was only a matter of time before the AML service model headed this way - it's like the "cheaper with ads" TV thing.

Not what I like to hear, but might be just one more thing to suck up, in a similar vein to when they 'ask' you to meet with their preferred mortgage broker or conveyancer…

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6679773/id-aml-checks-do-i-have-a-choice

Estate agents have a legal obligation to do KYC/AML checks, realistically they arent going to change their preferred provider for a single potential buyer. If the property is exclusively with this one agent then your choice is to do the checks with them or walk away realistically, you could ask if the agent has another provider they use but dont be surprised when they say no. If there is more than one agent working on it you can see who the other agent(s) use

eddddy

Chud786 said

I don't want to be offered or buy any additional products or sign up to any membership.

Maybe just accept that you're going to get a sales call trying to sell you things like:

• A membership subscription for a legal advice service
• Mover protection insurance
• A will writing service
• Conveyancing services

And be prepared not to engage or discuss those things, if you don't want to.

(And bear in mind that the estate agent has probably passed across info about you, to make the selling more targeted.)

From what I can gather, the phone call is mainly about selling you stuff - they give you a link to an app called Credas to do the actual ID / AML checks.

But I imagine that they will want to do their full sales script, before sending you the link.

Maybe you could try saying early on the call that you are not interested in any of their services, so could they just send the link to Credas.

(But the person calling you will be working on commission and have sales targets - and might be under strict instructions not to give the link without doing their sales script first. So you might have to push quite hard.)

(This stuff is just my opinion. If any representative of the company is reading this and feels I've got this wrong, please feel free to respond.)

Chud786

Thanks for the replies.This just doesn't sit well with me.Why should the onward progression of me buying a property be reliant on taking an unsolicited sales call.I didn't know that the company actually doing the checks was Credas,I have used them previously and still have their app on my phone.I will have to have a discussion with the EA and see what happens and research if they can legally insist on me using this company.

Albermarle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82103236#Comment_82103236

Maybe say you are now getting cold feet about buying the property, that should get them sweating about losing their commission !

Herzlos

You can certainly state that you'll undergo the checks via a more reputable company.

But are you willing to miss out on the house over a few minutes of saying "No thanks" on a call?