AML Compliance

Anti-money laundering compliance

From 1 July 2026, all real estate agencies across Australia will be required to conduct anti-money laundering checks on buyers and sellers of property, long-term leases, and anyone else who receives ‘designated services’ in order to identify the ownership behind clients. This includes companies, individuals, trusts, etc. Agencies are required by law (AML/CTF Act 2006) to conduct identity verification on all relevant individuals.

What is AML/CTF?

Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) laws are designed to prevent criminals from using legitimate businesses and transactions, including real estate, to conceal illicit funds or support terrorism. Certain real estate services in Australia are subject to AUSTRAC regulation, meaning real estate businesses providing those services must comply with AML/CTF obligations.

Why is Ray White requesting this information?

Like other real estate businesses across Australia, Ray White must comply with AML/CTF obligations when providing regulated services. Ray White implements clear processes, supports customers through the requirements process, and aims to lead the industry through strong compliance, transparency, and effective customer communication.

Ray White Mildura have partnered with AMLHUB as our ALM compliance provider
AMLHUB will contact our clients directly for remote ID verification and additional information where required, conduct AML checks and compliance processes and manage ongoing verification requirements .

What is customer due diligence?

If you are purchasing or selling your home, your real estate agent is required to complete the Customer Due Diligence (CDD) process. This process involves verifying a customer’s identity before providing a regulated service. This may include confirming identity, understanding who owns or controls the person or entity involved in the transaction, and taking additional steps where a customer or transaction presents a higher level of risk.

What information may be requested?

Depending on the ownership structure and the nature of the transaction, your Ray White representative, or the AML provider, may request information or evidence relating to the following:

• Your full name, date of birth, occupation, and residential address
• Details from an identification document to prove identity (such as a driver’s licence or passport)
• Ownership or control information for a legal entity (evidence of beneficial ownership)
• Information that helps us understand the nature and purpose of the transaction and, where required, the source of funds/wealth

How will this information be used?

This information is collected so Ray White can meet its legal obligations, verify identity, assess risk, and help ensure the transaction is legitimate. It may also be used to maintain required compliance records and, where required by law, support reporting obligations to AUSTRAC.

How will Ray White handle your personal information?

Ray White will collect only the personal information reasonably necessary to meet its AML/CTF and related legal obligations. OAIC guidance also states that businesses should not retain copies of full identification documents for AML/CTF record-keeping purposes unless another law requires them to do so. Refer to our franchisee privacy policy for more information.

What happens if the requested information is not provided?

If the requested information is not provided, Ray White are unable to provide the regulated service or proceed until the required information is received. This is because completing customer due diligence is a legal requirement before certain real estate services can be provided.

AMLHUB  – Frequently asked questions from clients

Who is AMLHUB?
AMLHUB was founded in 2012 by compliance experts who helped shape New Zealand’s AML laws –
and we’ve been at the forefront of AML in real estate ever since.
Products and professional services are localised to comply with Australian AML/CTF legislation, and support
thousands of real estate businesses to prevent illegal activity, protect their reputations and build trust.
www.amlhub.com.au

Why are you asking for my personal information?
Under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing Laws of Australia, all real
estate agencies are required to verify the identities of clients before we can do business with
them, from 1 July 2026. Verifying your identity means we must collect your name, date of birth,
(or) residential address.

Why do you need information about my company / trust / charity / partnership…etc?
Your company / trust / charity / partnership is our customer, and we are required to understand
its nature and purpose with us, as well as who the beneficial owners / effective controllers are.
To help, we need to collect some information about it.

Is all this information mandatory or are parts of it optional?
This information is required under the AML/CTF Act as of 1 July 2026, if we are to provide you
with our designated services to buy/sell/long-term lease property.

Is this under your agency’s internal policy, or the AML/CTF Act?
This is under the AML/CTF Act which applies to all real estate agencies across Australia, as well
as sectors like law and accounting who provide ‘designated services’.

What will you do with this information?
This information will only be used for the purposes of the AML/CTF Act, i.e. to verify your identity.

Where will it be stored?
Your information will be securely stored in the AMLHUB platform, which is ISO/IEC 27001:2022
certified and built specifically for managing real estate AML/CTF checks. Visit
amlhub.com.au/privacy-policy for more information.

How long will you hold on to my information?
The AML/CTF Act requires us to retain your information for seven years.

What happens if I don’t give you this information?
If you do not want to provide your information then unfortunately we cannot onboard you and
provide our services. All real estate agencies are required to ask for this information.

You’ve worked with me before – surely you know I’m not a money launderer?
These checks are a requirement of the AML/CTF Act for all real estate, and we have to conduct
them on all our clients before we can do business with them – even clients we’ve worked with
before. As a current client, we may simply need to update the information we have on file.