Licenced Private Investigations
The question that is often made to us at Burton Regan / Private Investigator Training UK, especially by learners who are looking to enter the profession is about licensing. The bottom line at the moment is that any person can actually call themselves a, "Private investigator" and they can then operate commercially. Generally speaking, the only, "Checks and balances", that they are subject to is that they must not transgress the law that governs us all.
To be fully clear, however, in certain areas of operation there is a need for a, "Licence". For example if you operate in the realms of Debtor Location or Debt Collection or even if you visit customers on behalf of a bank or similar institution (Status Reporting or Status Enquiries) to ask about repayment matters you are required to be licensed under the Consumer Credit Act which sets out the specific procedures and policies that you must adopt when conducting this type of work.
Under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 most businesses or individuals that provide goods and services on credit or for hire, lend money or provide debt collecting, debt counselling or debt adjusting services to consumers need to have a credit licence.
Some investigators will place on their web sites and on their letterheads that they are Licensed under the Data Protection Act or maybe by the Information Commissioners Office. As investigators in the private sector you will pay an annual levy to the ICO's office to remain on the D.P.A. register - but, technically, you are not "Licensed".
Our own training course in L3 Professional Investigations is the accredited course that was created for UK PI Licences, but, it went, "On hold", in October 2011 as the incoming government put every government department under review...thereby condemning the industry to further licensing delays. The Leveson enquiry has reopened the debate around the ethics of private investigators and the likelyhood of compulsory licensing is, currently, very likely.
In a, "Nutshell", all investigators want to reassure their clients that they are conducting their enquiries in a proportionate, lawful and efficient manner and a general Licence for Private Investigators has been long sought after.
The age old cry continues to emanate from the PI sector who want a viable and comprehensive licence structure that they can embrace. For most of us this cannot come to soon. Hopefully, the politics and indifference to the need for licensing is not ignored for very much longer.
Kevin Regan (EDI L3 Professional Investigator)
