Can anyone help us please. We are in the process of selling a property in England. Before we can complete and obtain the proceeds, we need to prove who we are! Despite the fact that we own a home in the UK, pay UK tax, are UK pensioners etc,.etc. we have to provide evidence of our existence.
This involves having photo copies of our passports and utility bills verified and copied in the offices of an independant legal representative (usually we only need to have our own copies verified),the person doing this also has to provide a copy of his qualification/licence, fill in a form with his details and also then provide a letter in English with his letterhead to confirm who he is!
We live in HINX and if anyone knows of a suitably qualified English speaking person who could help us out in the DAX, MONT DE MARSAN, BIARRITZ area we would be extremely grateful.
We can also use a senior government official, senior bank official or use an Embassy official but feel that the above is our best bet.
Many thanks
Nigel Fisher
Just sold my house in the uk, had to go through the same process, I just went to the notarie in our town she was more than willing to write me a letter confirming she had seen my documents and didn’t charge me.
Hi Nigel, we have just gone through the process with selling two houses in the UK. The reason you have to do so is due to the Money Laundering legislation. Whilst the list is quite limited of people that can verify you most companies will accept a professional person.
Best of luck
To renew my Irish passport (which is still done via the Paris Embassy, though produced in Dublin), there was a similar requirement. It was essentially that someone 'of standing' should certify that I was a living, breathing human being who looked a bit as if he could be the individual in my convict-like passport photo. One of the categories permitted was 'police officer', and the form came with a very nice description (in French) of what it was all about. As we have recently introduced a Police municipale into the commune, it seemed to me that they would be ideal for such a task.
So it turned out to be. The young flic was very pleased to have been asked, and had a very official-looking rubber stamp, which is the essential requirement in this sort of case. Anyone with a local Police municipale probably could do no better.
thanks for the reply. we have now sorted the matter out with the conveyancing company who have agreed to accept M. Le Maire and all should now be concluded on Friday
Sheila and Nigel
thanks for the contact. the problem was with the conveyancing company who gave us a very short list of suitable contacts. after many lengthy e mails they have now said that they WILL accept M. Le Maire!! Still have to fill in all the forms but at all should now be concluded.
Sheila and Nigel
Even after nearly nine years of living in France I still have to get various documents authorised and always go to my Notaire who is always more than happy to put his official stamp and sign the documents and there is no charge.
Try your local Notaire, we've had to have similar proof of ID in the past for the UK & need to do it again soon. Last time he didn't charge us anything, we don't live in a heavy Ex-Pat community but he fully understood why it had to be done and it was accepted by UK authorities. Just as an aside, we photo copied everything ourselves and took them with us, he just rubber stamped everything.
Thanks for the reply. We have used the Maire before but on this occasion it appears he is not 'senior' enough for our needs - hence the need to ask for help! Will have to keep looking!!
The conveyancing is being carried out by Countrywide and we have asked the same question!!
What a performance, who is asking for all of this, the UK authorities?