Customer Checks & Identity Verification

Understanding our credit checks, KYC procedures, and personal guarantees

When you apply for Optua services, we conduct customer checks to verify your identity, creditworthiness, and compliance with UK regulatory requirements. This page explains what checks we perform and why.

Credit Checks

We assess your creditworthiness to manage risk and make informed decisions about your application

When We Conduct Credit Checks

▪ Before accepting your order

▪ After receiving your order but before providing services

▪ During your contract where we reasonably consider it necessary to assess your ongoing creditworthiness

What We Check

✓ Business credit file and credit score

✓ Company information and financial accounts (Companies House)

✓ County Court Judgments (CCJs), insolvency records, and bankruptcies

✓ Directors' and officers' credit files and financial standing

✓ Payment history, trade credit data, and financial performance

✓ Fraud prevention databases and sanctions lists

Credit Reference Agencies We Use

We primarily use Creditsafe Business Information Limited, but may also use:

Creditsafe Business Information Limited

📧 customersupport@creditsafe.com

📞 +44 (0)2920 886 555

🌐 www.creditsafe.com

Experian Limited

🌐 www.experian.co.uk

Equifax Limited

🌐 www.equifax.co.uk

TransUnion International UK Limited

🌐 www.transunion.co.uk

Important: For business customers, a business credit check won't affect any personal credit scores. However, we may also need to conduct checks on company directors or guarantors, which may appear on their personal credit files.

Accessing Your Credit Report

We don't automatically provide you with a copy of your credit report or credit score. If you wish to obtain a copy, contact the relevant credit reference agency directly.

You have the right to request a free statutory credit report from each credit reference agency once per year.

Know Your Customer (KYC)

Our identity verification and customer due diligence process to comply with UK regulations

What is KYC?

KYC is the process of identity verification and customer due diligence we conduct to comply with UK law and regulatory requirements. This helps us prevent fraud, money laundering, and other financial crime.

When We Conduct KYC Checks

▪ Before accepting your order

▪ After receiving your order but before providing services

▪ If a credit check cannot be obtained or is inconclusive

▪ During your contract for compliance and ongoing monitoring

What KYC Checks Include

✓ Identity document verification (passports, driving licenses, national identity cards)

✓ Proof of address verification (utility bills, bank statements, tenancy agreements)

✓ Beneficial owner and ultimate control verification

✓ Sole trader HMRC registration and trading history checks

✓ Company directors' identity and background checks

✓ Biometric verification (facial recognition and liveness checks where conducted digitally)

✓ Cross-referencing against fraud prevention databases, AML lists, and sanctions lists

✓ Ongoing monitoring throughout your contract

Your Data and Privacy

If you wish to obtain a copy of KYC information held by us (including identity documents processed), please submit a Subject Access Request under the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR to contactus@optua.co.uk.

For full details on how we process your personal data, please see our Privacy Policy.

Personal Guarantee

A legal guarantee securing your company's obligations under the contract

What is a Personal Guarantee?

A Personal Guarantee is a legal agreement where an individual (such as a director, owner, or sole trader) personally guarantees your company's obligations under the Optua contract. This means the individual is personally liable for all charges and other debts owed by your company.

When We May Require a Personal Guarantee

▪ As a condition of accepting your order

▪ Before providing services

▪ During your contract to continue receiving services

▪ Where a credit check or KYC assessment is inconclusive

Form of Personal Guarantee

Where a Personal Guarantee is required, it will:

→ Be in writing and signed by the guarantor

→ Be signed by one or more of: the sole trader, a director or owner, or other individual we reasonably require

→ Cover all amounts due under the contract, including charges and early termination charges

→ Survive termination of the contract for a period of 5 years

→ Include such other terms and conditions as we reasonably require

Important: If you provide a Personal Guarantee, understand that you are personally liable for all amounts owed by your company. We may pursue you for payment without pursuing your company first, and your liability is not affected by your company's insolvency. We recommend you seek independent legal advice before signing any Personal Guarantee.

Additional Information

Right to Refuse Service

Optua reserves the right to refuse any order or application for services. Specifically, we may refuse to provide services if:

• Adverse credit information or unsatisfactory creditworthiness is found
• There is evidence of financial instability or insolvency risk
• CCJs, insolvency proceedings, bankruptcy, or poor payment history exists
• KYC information is incomplete, unsatisfactory, or inconclusive
• Identity verification cannot be completed satisfactorily
• There are matches against fraud prevention databases or sanctions lists
• Any other factors reasonably indicate a credit or regulatory compliance risk

We are not obliged to provide reasons for refusing service, but may do so at our discretion.

Information Sharing

By submitting an order, you acknowledge and agree that:

→ We may share your information with credit reference agencies and fraud prevention agencies
→ Credit reference agencies may use the information for their own purposes
→ Your credit file may be affected by our reporting of account information and payment history
→ We may conduct periodic credit and KYC reviews during your contract

Questions?

If you have any questions about our customer checks or identity verification process, please get in touch.

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