Verifying Overseas and complex ownership Landlords - Calmony

When a landlord resides overseas, or when the landlord is a limited company, there are additional checks and requirements in place for compliance and banking regulations. Below are the key points to be aware of when setting up these landlords in Calmony. These checks are full AML (Anti-Money Laundering) and OFSI (Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation) checks, and are required by law.

Current Status

We are currently unable to verify overseas landlords or limited company landlords. This is being worked on with Griffin Bank, with an estimated release of Q1 2026. We will update all clients as soon as this feature is released.

What counts as an overseas landlord?

An overseas landlord is anyone who resides outside the United Kingdom.

What is a complex ownership company?

A complex ownership company is any company that has a Director or Person with Significant Control (PSC) who either:

• Resides overseas, or
• Is another company (rather than an individual)

Why can't these landlords be verified?

These checks are full Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) checks required by law and banking regulations. The complexity of verifying overseas individuals and corporate structures requires additional processes that are still being developed with our banking partner, Griffin Bank.

Restricted Countries

Due to Griffin Bank's risk assessment policies, there are certain countries where we cannot verify or hold funds for individuals, even when the overseas verification feature becomes available. If a landlord resides in one of these prohibited countries, Calmony will be unable to complete verification or hold rent money on their behalf.

For a full list of restricted countries, please contact [e-mail].

Verification Costs (When Available)

Important: This pricing applies to when overseas and company verification becomes available (expected Q1 2026). These landlords cannot currently be verified in Calmony.

UK-based individual landlord verification costs

For standard UK-based individual landlords:

• Per check: £4.50

This is the standard AML-OFSI check for individual landlords residing in the UK.

Overseas landlord verification costs

For landlords based outside the UK (excluding prohibited countries), verification will carry:

• First check: £50
• Annual check: £25

These checks are performed by https://fintrail.com/ on behalf of Griffin Bank. The higher fee compared to UK individual landlords is due to the use of overseas credit checking agencies and databases, which are full AML-OFSI checks required by law.

Limited company and complex ownership verification costs

For any limited company landlord or complex ownership company (defined as any UK company that has a Director or PSC who is another company, or an overseas individual), the cost is:

• First check: £200
• Annual check: £100

The significantly higher cost reflects the extensive verification required for corporate structures and company ownership checks.

Processing Times & Documentation

Overseas verification can take longer than UK checks. Landlords will not be asked to complete anything extra compared to UK-based individuals, but verification would be much simpler and quicker if they can provide supporting documents such as:

• Proof of address document (dated within the last 3 months) - either an original PDF or a photograph of a physical document showing all four corners with no information hidden or obscured

Alternative Options

Whilst overseas and company verification is not yet available in Calmony (expected Q1 2026), there are alternative solutions that allow you to manage these properties.

Option 1: Act as the landlord yourself

You (the agent) can nominate yourself to act as the landlord within Calmony.

How this works:

• Rent payments are received by you (the client/agent)
• You then pay the overseas landlord or company separately, outside of Calmony
• You complete the verification process as the landlord in agentOS

This option works well if you have an existing arrangement to handle funds on behalf of the landlord.

Option 2: Nominate a UK-based individual representative

The landlord or company can nominate a friend, family member, or trusted contact based in the UK to act on their behalf.

How this works:

• The nominated UK-based individual undergoes the verification process in Calmony
• Rent payments are received by the nominated person
• The nominated person is responsible for passing funds to the actual landlord or company

Important: The nominated person must be willing to undergo UK verification checks and have rent payments processed through their details.

For limited companies and complex ownership structures

If you have a limited company landlord or a complex ownership company (where a Director or PSC is another company or overseas individual), you can nominate one Director or PSC to be verified as an individual instead, provided they:

• Are an individual (not a company)
• Are UK-based

Which option should I choose?

Consider:

• Your existing relationship with the landlord or company
• Whether you already handle funds on their behalf
• The landlord's preference and comfort level
• Whether a suitable UK-based individual representative is available

Need Help?

If you have questions about verification costs, alternative arrangements, or anything else related to overseas or company landlords, please contact [e-mail]