Once the matter is completed the file will be stored for the period required by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers. We cannot accept telephone instructions to send documents to a third party. We charge a fee of £50. plus, VAT per annum or part thereof for the storage of Pre-registration deeds not required by lenders.
We do not normally make a charge for retrieving stored papers which relate to current matters although we reserve the right to charge you for any time spent in retrieving papers relating to completed matters and for any time spent in reading the file, writing letters or doing any other work at your request.
If you require the file it will be necessary for us to retain a copy of the entire file. Our charges for copying the file, payable by you, are £0.25 per copy per page.
File Retention including storage and destruction of the original files and documents.
1. Under the Transaction Files Code, CLC practice Alfred Ledge & Sons retain the contents of files relating to all matters for a minimum of six years, except those relating to: • other conveyancing matters (other than the sale of property) for a minimum of fifteen years
2.Consideration will be given on a case-by-case basis as to the appropriate date of destructions for the contents of files relating to: • deeds of gift • gifts of land • transfers at an undervalue • right to buy where funds came from someone other than the purchasing tenant(s)
3. Files will be destroyed promptly at the end of their retention period and not needlessly retained.
Confidentiality and Identity
Proof of Identity
We must by law obtain satisfactory evidence of your identity and address. Please help us to do so by giving us the information and documentation we ask for. We are unable to proceed with your transaction and will not be able to exchange contracts until this has been provided.
Confidentiality
As lawyers, we are under a general professional and legal obligation to keep your affairs private. However, we are required, by current legislation, to make a report to the National Crime Agency (NCA) where we know or suspect that a transaction involves Money Laundering or Terrorist Financing. By instructing us to act on your behalf in accordance with these terms of engagement you give us irrevocable authority to make a disclosure to NCA if we consider it appropriate.
You agree that this authority overrides any confidentiality or entitlement to legal professional privilege. We shall be unable to tell you if we have made a report.