Proof of Business Account

[SueEllen]

Sign the contract, forget to sign the opt-out and get on site.

Quite a few agencies I've been with I "forget" to sign the opt-out. One I got into a nasty fight with but I won.

[Taita]

At the risk of incurring NLUK's wrath, a quick question.

An agency I have worked with before (from December 2012 to March this year) have found me another contract. I've been chasing them to get the contract over, and it finally looks like it's coming today. However, one thing came up which I haven't seen before. Along with saying they "need" a signed copy of the Opt Out form (not happening) they've said they need proof that my business account is in the company name - either by way of a bank statement (they're not getting this), confirmation of the account being set up, or a blank cheque. Apparently this is to conform with money laundering regulations.

I've never been asked for any of these before. Has anyone else? I'm starting to get the feeling that they're just stalling - which isn't good since I'm meant to start my role on Tuesday and need to get the contract reviewed first.

Box ticking and unnecessary (from the Agency angle) in my opinion as you will not be paying the agency money so there is no need to establish the provenance of your lucre. On the other hand you could insist that the Agency does the same for you!

[warrenboon]

Asking for proof of company bank account seems to be increasingly common, last two times I've used an agency they've requested it. I don't think there's anything dubious, they just need to know that the money is going where it should. I send a scanned statement with the transactions blanked out...

[Mr.Whippy]

Had this recently with a large IT agency, they wouldn't accept scans they needed to see the original. So I gave them a crossed out blank cheque.

[Wanderer]

Had this recently with a large IT agency, they wouldn't accept scans they needed to see the original. So I gave them a crossed out blank cheque.

Send them a paying in slip.....

[evilagent]

There is an increasing amount of paperwork that is legally required.
It is a pain, but hey-ho.
We, agents, have obligations to make sure we cross "t"s and dot "i"s.
We are just covering ourselves.

The fact you have done business before, unfortunately, is no answer.

As previously suggested, you can be cheeky and ask the agency for proof of business, too!

Pleas understand its legal requirements, or just processes, rather than any nefariousness on the part of agents.

We have better things to do, believe me.

[dominicf]

Waste of time

Asking for an electronic copy of a bank statement is a waste of your time and theirs. What does it prove? It proves that the honest people with an honest bank account can send unaltered digital data. A dishonest business can create any proof they like and send it electronically - this is the MODERN age!

All that the agencies are doing is creating a smoke screen of compliance without understanding/caring about "sensible requests". They could spend some of their own money and do a full credit cheque and get company accounts, but instead they choose to create longer paper trails in the hope that they might be able to claim that they had done all that they can to prevent crime!

My recommendation to the lunatic agencies that really want to ensure that I am genuine? Post cheques to my Ltd company address.

[Project Monkey]

Never been asked before. You could give them your Bank name and account number to confirm them self from the bank..!

Probably a good idea to do this anyway if you want to get paid.

[RasputinDude]

What PM said.

How do you expect to be paid if they don't know what your bank details are?

[TheFaQQer]

They could spend some of their own money and do a full credit cheque and get company accounts

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