I would be interested to hear views on buying from a seller who sells under a specific power of attorney. I am currently having a discussion with a seller’s solicitor who I asked to confirm that she had verified the ID of both the attorney and the donor. She is adamant that only the attorney’s ID should be checked.
This seems altogether too lax, as how could she otherwise check that the power has been signed by the actual owner and not just a fraudster who has signed the same name as someone who owns the property with a witness in cahoots, with absolutely no requirement to show any ID to anyone?
Angela Neale, partner, Comptons Solicitors, London NW1
