Overview
When your firm sends a Source of Funds request, your client receives a secure link by email. This article explains what the client sees and is asked to do at each stage of the process, so you can set expectations before sending and understand why a client might contact you with questions.
What the client receives
Your client receives an email containing a secure, personalised link to complete the Source of Funds request. They do not need a Legl account or a login. The link takes them directly to their request.
The link is specific to their request and cannot be completed by anyone else.
Step 1: Declaring the source of funds and amount
The client is shown the transaction amount your firm has set: the sum they need to account for. They are asked to:
State where their funds are coming from (for example, savings, salary, a property sale, or a gift)
Declare the amount they are contributing
If the client cannot account for the full transaction amount, they must provide a reason before they can submit. This explanation is included in the Source of Funds review for your firm to assess.
Step 2: Providing bank statement evidence
The client is asked to provide evidence of their bank account activity. They are shown two options:
Open banking: the client connects their bank account directly. This provides real-time, verified transaction data and is the richer option for your firm's review. Legl presents this option first.
Manual upload: the client uploads a PDF bank statement. If they cannot connect via open banking, or prefer not to, they can use this option instead.
ℹ️ Important
Clients who begin the manual upload flow may be shown a prompt encouraging them to try open banking instead. This is automatic. Your firm does not need to do anything. It is why some clients may ask about the option to connect their bank directly even after starting a manual upload.
Automated follow-up questions
If the client connects their bank via open banking and Legl detects unusual or high-risk transactions such as large cash deposits, non-GBP transactions, or cryptocurrency activity, the client will automatically receive follow-up questions asking them to explain those transactions.
These questions are sent by Legl on your firm's behalf. The client does not need to contact your firm to answer them. They respond through the same secure link. Their responses are included in the Source of Funds review once submitted.
ℹ️ Important
Automated follow-up questions (SoF Signals) only apply where the client has connected via open banking. Clients who upload a PDF bank statement will not receive these follow-up questions automatically.
After the client submits
Once the client has completed all steps and submitted their request, they will see a confirmation message. They do not need to take any further action unless your firm contacts them directly to request additional information.
Your firm's Source of Funds review is generated automatically once the client submits. Where AI analysis of their bank statement is successful, the results will be included in the review.
Important information
The client receives the request by email. If they have not received it, ask them to check their spam or junk folder.
The secure link is unique to each client and request. It cannot be transferred or reused.
If the client cannot account for the full transaction amount, they must provide an explanation before they can submit. They cannot skip this step.
Clients who use open banking may receive automatic follow-up questions for flagged transactions. They do not need to contact your firm to respond to these.
If a client uploads a document that is not a bank statement, AI analysis will not be possible. See What to do if a client's bank statement analysis fails.