Business Licences for Private Investigators

Governance and Administration

The Security Industry Authority / Home Office, tasked with the compulsory licensing of individuals undertaking, “Designated activities”, already has a licencing scheme and a voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme.

The SIA recently conducted a review of their Approved Contractor Scheme and the 1,500 or so UK Private Investigators have not been mandated into the future administration, design and codified governance of the sector using the Approved Contractor scheme route.

One again HM Government has fudged the licencing of Private Investigators and the sector has been denied the opportunity to demonstrate competency, fortitude and professionalism.

The public, business and commerce continue to be hindered and constricted by the rogue element who operate without constraint of any kind.

Current Governance and Administration

The regulatory and administrative framework has been set out for some time.

The trade associations and existing professional private investigators have already “Self-regulated” and have, in any case, adopted all the best practice contained in the proposed SIA Licence / ACS Scheme.

British Standard 10800 and ISO 9001 is currently favoured by the SIA / ACS as its: “Business improvement model”, but, British Standard 102000 has replaced it when modelled over to the professional private investigator sector.

Micro (1 – 10 individuals), Small (11 – 25),  Medium (26 – 250) or Large businesses and companies (250+) already obtain a form of “Self” licencing called: BS102000. The S.I.A had indicated that sole traders could choose to fulfil the criteria for business licensing by completing a test of competency – possibly an e-Learning test, more likely a SIA designed and approved qualification such as the SFJ Awards Level 3 Award For Professional Investigators

British Standard 102000 requires at least one director, partner or sole trader, to provide evidence of a relevant SIA approved qualification for Professional Investigators.

Peter Farrington of: Probe Investigations (UK) Limited receives a Certificate of Registration from Brian Nuttall of: SSAIB, confirming that Probe Investigations (UK) Limited completed the first successful pilot of BS102000 (2013) for Investigative Services.

Our graduates are available for your perusal on our jobs board. we ensure they are “fit and proper” – backed by Burton Regan limited / PITUK. We shadow and recommend only the top tier of professional private investigators

 The SFJ Level 3 Award for Professional Investigators is the mechanism by which private investigators confirm and demonstrate knowledge and professionalism. In the absence of licencing – “Self-Regulation” is the order of the day.