Accountancy practice · MLR-2017 client onboarding
Sanctions screening for accountant client onboarding
The problem
MLR-2017 is unambiguous: every new client gets a sanctions + PEP check before the engagement letter. SmartSearch's accountant module is fine but it bundles you into a wider AML stack you don't need. The smaller practice ends up paying for tooling sized for big-4.
How Stratum fits
The sanctions endpoint plugs into your practice-management software (Karbon, Senta, IRIS). One call returns sanctions + PEP + adverse-media against the named individual or corporate. Pair with the Companies House profile endpoint for the corporate due-diligence section of the file. The Stratum audit-cert is hash-verifiable — HMRC's MLR-2017 review picks up the cert and walks straight to the source data without you having to assemble screenshots.
One request
# Request
curl "https://api.stratumapis.com/v1/sanctions/screen?name=Acme+Holdings+Ltd&type=entity" -H "x-stratum-key: $KEY"
# Response
{ "matches": [], "pepMatches": [], "adverseMediaMatches": [], "listVersions": {"ofsi": "2026-05-05", "un": "2026-05-05", "eu": "2026-05-05", "pep": "2026-05-05"} }Set $KEY from your dashboard.
Frequently asked
Does this cover beneficial owners?
For corporate clients, pair the sanctions endpoint with `/v1/ch/companies/{number}/psc-tree` — that returns PSC tree + every UBO at >=25%. Screen each UBO individually.
How does this compare to SmartSearch's accountant bundle?
Same coverage; per-check pricing means small practices pay for what they use. Volume bands kick in at 100 / 1000 checks. SmartSearch's monthly subscription floor is the wrong shape for sub-50-clients-per-year practices.
Are you AAT / ICAEW / ACCA approved?
We screen against the same statutory sources their MLR guidance lists (OFSI, UN, EU, PEP). The cert format is auditor-friendly. Approval is per-firm — the cert satisfies inspection.