Skip to content
English - United Kingdom
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

How Do I Verify an Overseas Landlord?

How do I verify an overseas landlord?

When a landlord is based overseas, Griffin performs enhanced verification checks to comply with anti-money laundering (AML) requirements. This applies to both individual and company landlords and carries an additional fee.

Note: verifying an overseas landlord relates to their identity checks only - it doesn't enable international payments. The Calmony Client Bank Account cannot send or receive international payments; payments to overseas payees can only be made to a UK bank account, a Wise.com EMI account, or a building society account. 

Which countries are supported?

You can currently onboard individuals resident in the following countries and regions outside of the UK:

  • European Union
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Hong Kong
  • Australia
  • Singapore
  • United States of America (requires Social Security Number - see end of guide) 
  • Malaysia

How to add an overseas landlord

  1. Add the landlord as you normally would in Calmony, using their full legal name and personal home address, which is overseas (how to add/verify a landlord). Confirm these details directly with the landlord and check for typos - incorrect details are the main cause of declined applications. 
  2. The system will detect the overseas address and flag the landlord for enhanced verification
  3. A warning will confirm that additional fees apply
  4. Submit - Griffin will process the enhanced verification

Fees:

  • Initial verification: £52.50 (one-off)
  • Annual re-verification: £27.50

Annual re-verification applies if the payee is active - defined as having received or paid funds within the last six months.

Important: If you add an overseas landlord by mistake, or with incorrect details, you will still be charged once verification is submitted. If the application is declined due to incorrect details, resubmitting will incur another £52.50 fee. Check the landlord's details carefully before proceeding. 

Adding a tax identification number (if non-UK tax resident)

Depending on the landlord's country of tax residency, a specific tax identification number must be added to the Unique Tax Reference (UTR) field before verification can be completed. This applies to individuals and company directors/PSCs alike.

  • European Union - varies by member state (e.g. France's numéro fiscal)
  • United Arab Emirates - Tax Registration Number (TRN), if registered for VAT; not all individuals will have one 
  • Hong Kong - HKID number
  • Australia - Tax File Number
  • Singapore - NRIC/FIN number
  • United States of America - Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Malaysia - Income Tax Number (Nombor Cukai Pendapatan)

To add this: when entering the landlord's details in the system, head to the Calmony Verify tab, enter the relevant number under Unique Tax Reference (UTR), and - if the landlord is a US citizen - select 'Yes' under the 'US Citizen' toggle. Once all details are added, click Save and start the verification process.