Notary Public in London Guides, recently published two articles on money laundering regulations.  The first article described the process whereby criminals re-introduce the proceeds of their crime back into the fiscal system, the second Notary Public London Guide laid out an overview of the 2002 Proceeds of Crime Act and how it affects Notaries Public.

In this second article we advised fellow notaries in London and across England and Wales to contact the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) should they have suspicions regarding the integrity of any notarial transaction.

The feedback we received from fellow Notaries Public in London was that many Notaries are unsure of the correct procedure for contacting SOCA.

A Notary should contact SOCA the very moment they suspect a transaction may be unlawful and it is strongly advised that a suspicious Notary should make a report via the SOCA website at www.soca.gov.uk .  In urgent cases a Notary may contact them by telephone or fax but we are advised that a duty officer may not be trained to give legal advice.

SOCA contact details are:

Telephone – 020 7238 8282
Fax – 020 7238 8286

If SOCA are alerted prior to a Notarial transaction taking place, the Notary is not permitted to act unless they have not had a response from SOCA in 8 working days.  After this period consent can be assumed and the transaction may proceed.

If SOCA contact the Notary in question within this 8 day timeframe then the transaction may not be completed for a further 31 days.

For further information please contact MD Pryke Notary Public LLP.

On April 6^th 2010 we announced that Notary Public London, Matthew Pryke, had taken part in a charity bike ride from London to Paris for Guts in Motion, the charity that raises money and awareness for Crohn’s and Colitis in childhood.

Thirty two riders took part in the event (not all Notaries Public in London) and MD Pryke Notary Public LLP was delighted to receive an email earlier this week, detailing how the £50,000 raised was put to good use.

The email from the guys at Guts in Motion details how the £50,000 will fund, “research into whether Crohn’s sufferers have a greater amount of fat around the blood vessels that surround the bowel and whether, by reducing the fat content of their diet, they can reduce the effects of this disease.”

The money raised by the Paris to London ride will be put towards the first year of a two year study which will help to tailor crohn’s and colitis treatment and adjust the medication that individual sufferers require.

The second year of study requires a further £60,000 in funding, so your favourite Notary in London will be taking up the cause once more.  As yet, the route is unconfirmed, but at MD Pryke Notary Public LLP we’re hoping that the organisers may increase the distance to a Notary Public London to Brussels expedition, or even further afield.  This is partly to raise the further funds necessary, and partly because we enjoy seeing Matthew suffer!

For further details regarding the excellent work carried our by Guts in Motion, or for details of the forthcoming ride, please contact Notary Public London Matthew Pryke on 0207 6364422, or via the contact page on our website.

Notary Public London Guide to Power of Attorney Part 1 dealt with the concept of Power of Attorney.  This section covers some of the terms of which a Notary Public must be aware when advising clients.

Enduring Power Of Attorney

A Notary Public in London (or anywhere in England and Wales) could, prior to 2007, register their client for an Enduring POA.  It’s purpose was for someone to register a third party with the capacity to make financial and legal decisions on their behalf when the Attorney in question believed that the donor was becoming mentally unable to execute decisions in their own best interest.

Many Notaries Public in London are unaware that although these Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs) can no longer be registered, they are still valid if they came into force prior to 2007.  These EPAs have now been superseded by Lasting Power of Attorney.

Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)

As a Notary Public in London, MD Pryke Notary Public LLP is often asked to arrange an LPA.  Firstly, it is important to remember that a LPA must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian.  If the LPA is not pre-registered with the Office of the Public Guardian it will not be legally binding.  It’s purpose is to provide a named third party with the right to administer your estate should you be entering a state of mental decline.

The next Notary Public London Guide will address the role of the Office of the Public Guardian and the Court of Protection.

For further information about the Notary Public London Guides, or any aspect of Power of Attorney, please call MD Pryke Notary Public LLP on 0207 6364422 or contact us via the usual channels.

As a London Notary Public LLP we are often approached by residents of Scotland who are surprised that in England not all Solicitors are qualified notaries.  This is due to discrepancies between English and Scottish law.

A Notary Public in London, for example, must first sit an exam to qualify as a Notary, whereas in Scotland all Solicitors were automatically deemed to be a Notary Public, prior to 2007.  Since then, however, a Notary in Scotland must hold a current practising certificate issued by the Law Society of Scotland, and Notaries Public in Scotland are administered by the Council of the Law Society of Scotland.

As a result it can be easier to find a Notary Public in Edinburgh or Glasgow than it is to find a Notary Public London.  Despite such differences, a Notary in Glasgow, for example, will perform much the same role as a Notary Public London, although in Scotland Notaries can be required for certain declarations in matters of divorce.  This is a role which a Notary Public London would never be requested to perform.

Should you require any further information on the different roles performed by a Notary Public London as opposed to a Scottish Notary, please contact us on 0207 636 4422.  Alternatively, fill out a written request via our website contact form or email Matthew Pryke directly at Matthew@mdpryke-notary.com

MD Pryke Notary Public LLP is delighted to announce that the sponsored bike ride from Paris to London on behalf of Crohn’s and Colitis in Childhood raised over £50,000.

From his Notary Public office near Oxford Circus, Matthew said,

“Notaries Public aren’t renowned for being active types, so I am delighted to have helped raise over £50,000 for this worthwhile charity.  We set off from Paris hoping to raise £30k and so to have beaten that target is amazing.  But don’t be fooled by the smiles, it was pretty gruelling!”

Notaries Public were not the only legal practitioners to participate in the charity bike ride, sponsored by Hammonds and WPP.  Almost forty riders completed the event to arrive at Hampton Court.

If you would like to donate to Crohn’s and Colitis in Childhood, please visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/mattpryke or if you are a Notary Public looking to get involved in fund raising activities, please visit the charity page of our website. For any further information on the Charity bike ride please call us on 0207 636 4422.

Legalisation of Police Clearance Certificates can be a complex subject for Notaries as well as for the general public.  As a Notary Public firm working in London, MD Pryke Notary Public LLP are often asked to clarify which types of certificate require legalisation, and which can be processed without Notarial involvement.

Essentially, there are three distinct types of Police Clearance Certificate in the United Kingdom and their legalisation requirements vary.

The Subject Access Letter does not require the signature of a Notary to be legalised, as a signature from an officer of the Criminal Records Bureau will suffice.  The Foreign and Commonwealth office hold the signatures of the relevant officers on their database for future reference.

The Police Certificate for use in Immigration matters is relevant only for the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa and does not require additional legalisation or further certification of any kind, therefore a Notary will not be required.

In Scotland, however, the Criminal Records Bureau issue a document called Disclosure which must be certified by a Notary Public (or a practising Solicitor, Barrister, or certain types of Legal Executive) before they can be legalised.

Should you require further information concerning any aspect of Legalisation, Notary Services in London, or the Notarial process in general, please contact MD Pryke Notary Public LLP on 0207 6364422 or via the contact form on our website.

London Notary Public Matthew Pryke will shortly be undertaking a 191 mile Paris to London cycle ride.  This Notary Public in London is undertaking the charity ride in an effort to raise much needed funds for Crohn’s and Colitis in Childhood.  So far his London Notaries Public practice has helped to raise in excess of £30,000 which will provide fantastic support for this very important charity.  The event is kindly being sponsored by WPP and Hammonds LLP which has allowed all of the funds raised to go directly to the charity. Matthew Pryke would like to thank many of his notary clients who have been so very generous in making donations to this wonderful cause.  London Notary Public Matthew Pryke explains “Crohn’s and Colitis in Childhood is a wonderful charity and I am delighted that we have been able to assist in raising some much needed funds via our London Notary practice. Just the small matter of cycling the distance now! ”

Andy Goodman, who is organising the event on behalf of the charity explains “So far we have raised well in excess of £30,000, which is absolutely fantastic, but let’s see if we can take it a stage further.”  Matthew Pryke and a team of 33 riders will be leaving Paris on the morning of Friday 23rd July and travelling over 3 days back to London arriving in Hampton Court on Sunday afternoon.  Further articles will follow to provide progress reports on how Matthew and the rest of the team cope with this challenge.

Should you wish to make a donation please refer to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/mattpryke or alternatively if you would like further information about this London Notary Public practice or Matthew Pryke please refer to the website www.mdpryke-notary.com.

Notary Public at One Portland Place W1

Notary Public Matthew Pryke, today unveils his newly refurbished offices at One Portland Place in London’s West End.

‘A Notary Public service based in the City of London attracts some very high profile business names,’ says Matthew.

‘With clients as diverse as Toni and Guy International, A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, and The Children’s Investment Fund, it is vital that our Notary Public premises in London reflect the high quality notarial service we provide.

‘We have extensively refitted the reception area for our London Notary clients, and although we provide a same day legalisation service and endeavour to deal with all notarial and apostille work with great efficiency, we hope that our clients will find their surroundings as comfortable as possible.

‘Notary Public in London clients passing our door looking for a same day apostille service will be able to see our offices clearly marked on the new plaque that reads “MD Pryke Notary Public”’

For further details regarding Notary Public in London Services please contact us via the usual channels or call directly on 0207 6364422.

London Notary Public Practice MD Pryke Notary Public would like to inform all of its clients that on Thursday 26 November 2009, the Legalisation Offices of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will be closed.  London Notaries practice M D Pryke Notary Public will therefore provide the usual same day legalisation service from Friday 27^th November 2009.  

London Notaries practice owner Matthew Pryke explains “We understand the Legalisation Office is closed for staff training on 26^th November.  This is unfortunate and as a consequence we will not be able to process legalisation requirements for our London Notaries clients until 27^th November 2009.  However from the 27^th November 2009 and onwards my London Notaries practice will continue to provide a same day service for any Apostille and other legalisation requirements.“ 

Matthew’s London Notaries practice provides a complete range of legalisation solutions and legalisation tips for its London Notary clients for further information please refer to the recent legalisation tips article http://www.mdpryke-notary.com/2009/10/notary-public%20legalisation-tips/

For further information about the Legalisation Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and a range of options to obtain an Apostille or other legalisation certificates and stamps please contact London Notary Matthew Pryke at his London Notaries practice website http://www.mdpryke-notary.com/.

London Notary Public Matthew Pryke would like to remind all of his clients that Oxford Circus tube station, which is the closest tube station to MD Pryke Notary Public’s central London Notary offices, will be closed today (3 November 2009) from 16.00.  Transport for London has confirmed that Oxford Circus tube station will be closed due to the need to safely manage the large crowds expected to attend the switching on of Christmas Lights on Oxford Street.  Transport for London has indicated to Notary Public Matthew Pryke that the station will operate as follows:

London Notary Public Office Opening Times – 9:00 – 18:00

Notary Public Matthew Pryke suggests that all London clients attending his Notary Public offices in central London should consider using neighbouring tube stations close to the Notary Public office such as Bond Street, Regent’s Park, Great Portland Street, Warren Street and Tottenham Court Road.  M D Pryke’s central London Notary Public offices are ideally located near to many popular and easily accessible London Tube Stations.

Qualified Notary Public Matthew Pryke commenting on the closure of Oxford Circus tube station explained, “Whilst Oxford Circus tube is closed we would suggest to clients to consider alternative ways of accessing our Notary Public offices in London’s West End. As always our central London Notary Public offices will be open for Notary Public clients during this time.  For further information we suggest that Notary Public clients view the Transport for London website www.thetube.com“.

Notary Public Practice MD Pryke Notary Public is based at One Portland Place and is conveniently located in London’s West End.  Consequently should you require Notary Public services or to receive a quote for fees please contact MD Pryke Notary Public at www.mdpryke-notary.com.