Regulation of UK Private Detectives For Private Investigators Enfield in Greater London
2013 saw a declaration of intent by the Home Secretary of the government’s plans to have regulatory measures for private investigations (this includes Private Investigators Enfield of Greater London) through the SIA or Security Industry Authority. The Home Office, in December 2014 announced that the government would enforce the law requiring private investigation services to be licensed in the course of the upcoming Parliamentary session which was to open in May of 2015. As of now, private investigation services licensing has not commenced.
Collaborations between the Home Office which is saddled with the task of introducing the private investigation sector regulation and the SIA will be upheld. The “Get licensed” criteria will be updated before the date for the regulation, through their collaboration with the security industry, while they will also disseminate further information about the plan to regulate private investigations. Immediately the SIA arrives at a conclusion with the Home Office about possible timings, this would be revealed too.
Who will need a licence? (https://privateinvestigators-enfield.co.uk)
Private Investigators Enfield https://privateinvestigators-enfield.co.uk warn private investigator without a license will be in trouble once the licensing comes into force and the activities of private investigations that could be licensed are explained by the Private Security Industry Act 2001. For the list to remain updated, the Home Office will review the description as laid out in the act. It is the Home Office that can clarify if some other particular activities will receive licensing in the coming years.
Private investigators that will be required to get an SIA license the Act states are those who carry out shadowing, questionings or searching to.
- gather the necessary details about an individual or the individual’s way about
- gather the details about the conditions upon which properties were lost or damaged A license will be needed by any person who carries out private investigation services under contract
- These persons will include staff, supervisors, managers, owners, partners and directors of companies involved in private investigations
Whether we would be allowed by the Home Office to also regulate the private investigations that happen “in house” is still in doubt.
For the purposes of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, the term “director” refers to the executive, and non-executive directors, parent company directors, shadow directors and corporate entities holding a directorship.
The Act provides that a license will not be needed for these activities.
- activities that have the sole intention to serve for market research
- activities particularly concerned with a credit check
- professional activities of practicing barristers and solicitors
- professional activities of practicing accountants
- professional activities of broadcasters and journalists, and activities particularly relating to collecting information for broadcasters and journalists
- activities particularly relating to reference to registers which are open to the public; records or registers at which a person has a right of access; and published works
- undertakings conducted with prior consent and knowledge of the activity being gained and communicated to the subject
Penalties
If one is caught offering private investigation services without a license they will be charged as follows.
- A fine of £5,000 or a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment is given when the person is convicted by a Sheriff Court, District Court or a Magistrates Court
Sanctions for providing for unlicensed personnel will be.
- having been convicted at a District Court, Sherriff’s Court or a Magistrate’s Court, the maximum penalty will be imprisonment for 6 months and / or fine not exceeding 5000 pounds.
- A fine of unlimited degree or a five years imprisonment will be given when the person is convicted upon indictment at a Sheriff and jury trial, High Court of Justiciary or a Crown Court
License ready Private Investigators Enfield we are happy to declare that we have taken all the recommended training and have passed all the standards and tests and are now available for the license. This is not only a great news for all our existing customers but for the prospective ones too, as the transformation will be with business operations carried out as usual.
Please, contact us on 020 3292 0343 if you wish to have more information about Private Investigators Enfield that are operating in Enfield and other local areas – Ingatetstone, Crews Hill, Hailey and the remaining Greater London locations included. Yu can also visit our website at https://privateinvestigators-enfield.co.uk for more details on our services and a good read on what our customers say about their experience with us.
