Business Due Diligence Questionnaire | Company Details and Structure | Financial Information and Verification Evidence | Background Searches and Register Discrepancy Check | Template for FCA Applications and Authorised Firms – FCA Authorisations and Compliance

[YOUR COMPANY NAME] DUE DILIGENCE QUESTIONNAIRE

1 Company Details

Company Name: ____________________
Company Number: ____________________
Other Trading Names: ____________________
Registered Address: ____________________
Point of Contact: ____________________
Position: ____________________
Email Address: ____________________
Direct Dial: ____________________

2 Company Structure

a. Provide a summary of your company strategy and background

____________________________________________

b. Copies of company registration documents, VAT/TAX Certificates attached?
YES/NO

c. Please indicate the formation of the company?

Sole Trader ____
Partnership ____
Public Limited Company (plc) ____
Private Limited Company (Ltd) ____
Limited Liability Company (Llp) ____
Subsidiary ____

d. Please indicate the size of the company?

Less than 10 employees ____
Between 11-50 employees ____
Between 51-100 employees ____
Between 101 – 500 employees ____
Over 501 employees ____

3 Financial/Business Information

a. Please attach copies of the below documents

A copy of the last 3 years audited accounts
A statement of turnover, P&L and cashflow for the past 2 years
A statement of the current cashflow forecast and Accountant letter on credit position

(If you are unable to provide any of these, please provide an explanation as to why)

____________________________________________

b. Please provide your current level of insurance for the below:

Public Liability Insurance: ____________________
Employer’s Liability Insurance: ____________________
Professional Indemnity Insurance: ____________________
Other (please specify): ____________________

c. Has the company or any named Partner/Director, ever entered (or are currently in) Bankruptcy, Insolvency, Compulsory Winding-Up, Receivership or are subject to any CCJ’s or legal proceedings?
YES/NO

(If yes, please provide full details)

____________________________________________

4 Company Verification Evidence

Obtain evidence of company formation, structure, trading status and financial background, including copies of the below documents/searches: –

Companies House Search
Certificate of Incorporation
Accountant Details
Latest Filed Accounts
Bankruptcy & Insolvency Register Searches
Obtain Company Credit Report

NOTE: *If the business is subject to Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), you should also carry out more advanced and in-depth searches and obtain further evidence documents (the below is a non-exhaustive list and should be customised to suit your business needs): –

Articles of association
Credit Report from 2 different sources
Transaction history
Negative media searches/research
Accountant letter/statement
Previous address/employment history for any Directors/Owners
Names and addresses of suppliers and/or business contacts
Source of Funds (if applicable)
Family and close associate details

5 Director/Owner Details

5.1 Director/Owner 1

Title: ____________________ Surname: ____________________

First Name: ____________________ Middle Name(s): ____________________

Other Name/Aliases: ____________________

Home Address: ________________________________________

Gender: M __ F __ Date of Birth: ____________________

Home Phone: ____________________ Mobile: ____________________

NI Number: ____________________ Email: ____________________

5.2 Director/Owner 2

Title: ____________________ Surname: ____________________

First Name: ____________________ Middle Name(s): ____________________

Other Name/Aliases: ____________________

Home Address: ________________________________________

Gender: M __ F __ Date of Birth: ____________________

Home Phone: ____________________ Mobile: ____________________

NI Number: ____________________ Email: ____________________

5.3 Director/Owner Identity Verification Evidence

a. Obtain 2 forms of identity verification from the below list*: –

UK Passport
UK/EU Photo Driving Licence
National Identity Card
State Pension/Benefits Book
Armed Forced ID Card

b. Obtain 2 forms of home address verification from below list* (dated within last 3 months): –

Council Tax Statement
UK/EU Photo Driving Licence (if not already used for identity)
Bank/Building Society Statement (excluding online statements)
Mortgage/Rent Statement
HMRC Tax Notification
Utilities Bill – gas, electric, water etc (excluding mobile phone)

NOTE: *If the customer is subject to Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), obtain 3 separate pieces evidence to validate both the customers identity and address.

6 Background Searches & Checks

Background checks and searches should be completed (except where simplified due diligence is valid) to aid in verifying any Director/Owner’s identity, status and address.

a. Has the Director/Owner(s) home address been verified via electoral register search?
YES/NO

b. Have you checked the Director/Owner(s) financial status (including any insolvencies, bankruptcies or relevant defaults/CCJ’s?
YES/NO

c. Have you completed a CRB check on any Director/Owner(s)?
YES/NO

d. Ensure that copies of all searches are saved/printed and retained with the completed due diligence form and note any relevant search information below: –

Detail any relevant findings from conducting background searches and checks:

____________________________________________

*For EDD, ensure that you carry out searches via 2 different credit providers (i.e. Experian and Equifax or use Check My File for listings of all four credit bureaus), to ensure a thorough background check and status is obtained.

7 Beneficial Owner(s)

Where applicable, you must ensure that you have carried out enquiries to identify any beneficial owners involved in the service/transaction.

a. Are there any beneficial owners involved in this service/transaction?
YES/NO

b. If a beneficial owner(s) has been identified, include their details below: –

Name(s)/Description of Beneficial Owner: ____________________
Address: ______________________________
DOB (if applicable): ____________________
Nationality: ____________________

Nature of Interest/Role:

____________________________________________

*if EDD, provide additional information on the beneficial owner:

____________________________________________

c. The Company has identified any beneficial owner(s) involved in this service/transaction and has taken reasonable measures to verify their identity; gain an understanding of any ownership and/or control structures of any trust or company or other arrangement and have obtained the relevant evidence to support these measures
YES/NO

8 Register Discrepancy Check

Where the business relationship being verified is one of the below: –

a company which is subject to the requirements of Part 21A of the Companies Act 2006
an unregistered company which is subject to the requirements of the Unregistered Companies Regulations 2009
a limited liability partnership which is subject to the requirements of the Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009, or
an eligible Scottish partnership which is subject to the requirements of the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017

The Company is required under the MLR17 amendment to obtain proof of registration (or an excerpt of the register) from the company/partnership.

a. The Company has obtained proof of registration (or an excerpt from the register) in relation to this entity?
YES/NO/N/A

b. If there are any discrepancies between the information obtained from the company and those detailed on the register, please list these below:

____________________________________________

c. Have any discrepancies been reported to Companies House (or relevant registration body)?
YES/NO/NA

9 Enhanced Due Diligence

Where EDD is required, ensure that the below is completed (if not already answered elsewhere in this document).

a. Provide additional information about the intended nature of the business relationship:

____________________________________________

b. Provide information on the reasons for the transaction(s):

____________________________________________

Date Completed: _______________________

Next Review Date: _______________________

Completed By: _______________________

Position: _______________________

Signed: _______________________

For EDD customers, obtain additional Senior Manager approval to continue to transaction/relationship:

Senior Manager: _______________________

Signature: _______________________