Security Watchdog Reference Check

[CD36]

I've just started some temporary work and have been advised I will have to go through their process. Looking at it, it seems very intrusive. My specific point is around CCJs. I had two which were cleared from Trust Online in 2010. If I don't declare them is there any other way they can be traced?

[bluebottle]

Re: Security Watchdog Reference Check

Bumping for an Employment Law specialist, please.

[CD36]

Re: Security Watchdog Reference Check

Apparently they use a public database rather credit check, so I'm assuming Trust Online? Please advise if there are others

[ploddertom]

Re: Security Watchdog Reference Check

Did the CCJ's just drop off after their 6 years were up, did you satisfy them?

[CD36]

Re: Security Watchdog Reference Check

I satisfied one (after it dropped off) the other dropped off

[Eloise01]

Re: Security Watchdog Reference Check

Sorry, didn't notice this at all before - not a section I routinely read.

Many of these agencies hold information from a wide variety of public sources, and not just current ones. So depending on the level of check that the employer is asking for, yes, it is entirely possible that they would disclose old CCJ's and even old criminal convictions that are "spent". There are different levels of security checks carried out - some employers want to know your favourite breakfast cereals and what you were doing skipping class in 1979. In other words, some of these checks are a lot more than intrusive. Whether that is the kind of check being carried out, nobody here can tell you. It depends on what the employer is prepared to pay for in the end.

[CD36]

Re: Security Watchdog Reference Check

This is what their info says:
Financial probity (3 years)
Financial Probity (or international financial probity check if applicable and available):
Financial Probity checks (consumer database checks only) are undertaken to identify any County Court
Judgements (CCJs) or bankruptcies held. A Financial Probity check does not constitute a credit check. It is a
check of publically available information. Any anomalies are reviewed on a case by case basis.

Not sure how they would just check against 3 years? If they are consumer database checks I would assume I would have access to them, if I knew what they were. Any suggestions? I know the electronic court records are not deleted, but I'm guessing they would have to have my permission to process my data to a 3rd party?

[CD36]

Re: Security Watchdog Reference Check

A definition of a 3 financial probity check would be helpful, if anyone knows? Does it mean they check if something was issued within that period or they check my records for the previous three years? One of my CCJs dropped off in 09 and the other late in '10. This was paid off via a DCA, but I don't believe they would have changed the status as it had already dropped off. So in this instance it may still show.

[Eloise01]

Re: Security Watchdog Reference Check

Unfortunately, it means what they say it means. There is no legal definition.

[bluebottle]

Re: Security Watchdog Reference Check

If it is the Security Industry Authority (SIA) carrying out the checks, they tend to dig deep when vetting someone for a licence. Before the SIA came into being, a number of individuals with convictions for dishonesty, sexual offences and violence were working as security officers, nightclub doorman (bouncers) and CCTV operators. One of the trade bodies, the Professional Security Industry Association (PSIA), were one of the organisations who pressed the government of the day to clean up the security industry's act as there were some very dodgy operators about who were undercutting reputable operators and giving the industry a bad name. The phrase "Mud sticks" comes to mind. There were also a number of Rent-A-Thug outfits in circulation who were responsible for seriously-injuring members of the public.

Having said this, there are still some individuals in the security industry who, really and truly, should never have been granted an SIA licence. It is up to the SIA to ensure these individuals are removed from the industry and to ensure others like them are kept out of the industry.

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Security Watchdog Reference Check

I've just read this, despite their rather onerous name, 'Security Watchdog' don't necessarily carry out checks for the Security Industry, in fact, they most often carry out checks for people working in the financial sector, which would explain their interest in 'financial probity'.

I know someone who applied for a job and had checks carried out by these 'Security Watchdog' guys, they were so busy checking out the dates that they missed a crucial bit of information: the person in question had resigned and started ET action for constructive dismissal against the SAME COMPANY he was being hired by, less than 3 years earlier. The Watchdog's checks were so 'thorough', he got the job! msl: msl: msl:

In case you are wondering how this could happen, the company in question is a large outsourcing outfit with sites scattered all over the place, where the left hand has no idea what the right hand does. :grin:

:focus: From what I can see on post 7, they will not be conducting a credit check with a credit reference agency, merely searching the public records. Anyone can search for CCJs on this site: http://www.trustonline.org.uk/search-others/ If your CCJs have already dropped off, they won't show up on the register.

By the sounds of it, they seem interested only in the last 3 years, in which case you should be fine if your CCJs are that old! :grin:

[FlamingParrot]

Re: Security Watchdog Reference Check

This is what their info says:
Financial probity (3 years)
Financial Probity (or international financial probity check if applicable and available):
Financial Probity checks (consumer database checks only) are undertaken to identify any County Court
Judgements (CCJs) or bankruptcies held. A Financial Probity check does not constitute a credit check. It is a
check of publically available information. Any anomalies are reviewed on a case by case basis.

Not sure how they would just check against 3 years? If they are consumer database checks I would assume I would have access to them, if I knew what they were. Any suggestions? I know the electronic court records are not deleted, but I'm guessing they would have to have my permission to process my data to a 3rd party?

See my post above, you can also search yourself on the CCJ record: http://www.trustonline.org.uk/search-yourself

As this is a public record, they don't need your permission to process your data or disclose it to a 3rd party.

Both CCJs and insolvency (IVAs and bankruptcy) are in the public record for a certain amount of time, during which information about them can be found by anyone. CRAs work in a different way, in that they usually only share data by reciprocal agreement, i.e. creditors feed data to them so they can also get data from them, but not everyone can search your credit files in the same way as they can search the public records.

A definition of a 3 financial probity check would be helpful, if anyone knows? Does it mean they check if something was issued within that period or they check my records for the previous three years? One of my CCJs dropped off in 09 and the other late in '10. This was paid off via a DCA, but I don't believe they would have changed the status as it had already dropped off. So in this instance it may still show.

There is a difference between CCJs that have been settled and those that have dropped off. They always drop off 6 years after they were recorded, regardless of whether they've been settled or not, whether it was done through a DCA or the OC is irrelevant.