[paulscotney]

Only the law abiding window cleaner would apply for a licence.

As someone else said, a benefits fraudster, who can go to prison is hardly likely to give a toss about a fine for not having a w/ cleaning licence.

Armed robbers don't bother to apply for gun licences either.

It would just be a load of paperwork and an extra tax and extra revenue for the council.

[mikethechamois]

your  not wrong paul

[jouk45]

i agree there should be a review if a w/c is cought without a license, some cant get the license or want, simply because the have a past criminal record, those that are cought, without a criminal record usualy
will not apply for the license simply becouse they are declaring that they are self employed, meaning no more rent or hand outs from the dole, and most of them are doing this as it is cash in the back hib, they will undercut you, as they have no overheads, the license is a very powerful tool, no one will ever aproach you and say hey m8 your working my area, they look and see my licence that is worn at all times, this stops them in there tracks as they dont want to bring any attention to them selfs, 

[mattywig]

The dole boys have no conscience about having the tax and ni you and I have paid, transferred into their bank account and paid to their landlords..... so answer me why the hell should we have a conscience about reporting them for stealing from us??? Grass them up, grass everyone you know is signing on and bleeding the system dry it's the right thing to do.  You can do it anonimously online if you feel threatened.

I also think that licensing will make these filthy little pieces of scum easier to identify as they will have to provide proof of self employment to get a license so I am for it if only for this reason.

[mikethechamois]

we cant rely on others to sort this

we need take their regs and report them...............its our living thats under threat

[kenaltobelli]

i havent read all this as i cant be ar but you can have a card that says you have ins
a fwc member has to send ins details to get in and keep it up or else also you have to do a basic
hse day course so there you have it join the fwc and get theshow on the road the licence
may work in jock land but down here you can burgle all the houses you like
you wont end in jail unless you happen to do a judges

[paulscotney]

i agree there should be a review if a w/c is cought without a license, some cant get the license or want, simply because the have a past criminal record, those that are cought, without a criminal record usualy
will not apply for the license simply becouse they are declaring that they are self employed, meaning no more rent or hand outs from the dole, and most of them are doing this as it is cash in the back hib, they will undercut you, as they have no overheads, the license is a very powerful tool, no one will ever aproach you and say hey m8 your working my area, they look and see my licence that is worn at all times, this stops them in there tracks as they dont want to bring any attention to them selfs, 

With the greatest respect to you. I have been window cleaning in the posh part of Birmingham  for a long time and have never ever met someone who thought he owned the area. Also why would some dole window cleaner back off. The police don't even turn up to burglaries so why on earth would they turn out to a report of an unlicensed window cleaner at large. Either you are making this up or Dundee is a strange place.

[paulscotney]

Mind you having listened to some of Gordon Brown's comments, I can believe anything.

[jouk45]

paul i told you as it happened, i dont need to make things up, round here they do think they own the area they work in, and the licensed does stop any ilegal w/c , we must have the best police in the country as our police turns up in mins,  

[tonylee]

Mind you having listened to some of Gordon Brown's comments, I can believe anything.

lmao

[paulscotney]

Well they don't here. Jouk I am not knocking you but I think as a lot of people know Scotland and England are different countries,  a different legal, social, educational, moral system, we are  only united because James 6 or similar took over England.

Its like comparing France and New Zealand. The only thing Scotland and England have is,  is a similar language as long as they are not from Glasgow 

[jouk45]

i am Glaswegian, and i have both eyes 

[paulscotney]

i am Glaswegian, and i have both eyes 

 

[Neil Williams]

Should we have licensing.......one word......yes
I bet we'd lose quite a few off here if it came in.

[windowwashers]

Should we have licensing.......one word......yes
I bet we'd lose quite a few off here if it came in.

Totally agree that we should, will stop alot of players, on here on not I dont know but I know full well if they inforced it with a heavey fine, prison, then the scumbags (not all are scumbags, just some) would stop are start to do it legally, it would increase window cleaning prices and get rid of a lot of very dodgy people in this field of work, and we all have seen  a few.

[williamx]

It is already against the law to work while claiming the dole, with penaltys of fines and imprisionment, this has not stopped the dole boys from working.

At the moment the Police-Inland Revenue and DSS operate road blocks, they target vans mainly, the police check that the van is taxed-insured and the driver is licenced, the Inland Revenue check that the diesel is not red and the DSS check the driver is not claming benefits.

So we ALREADY have the right agencys in place who at times do their job by catching these crooks, so why do we want to pay for a extra tax?.

In Dougs original post, it was pointed out that the police had stopped a few unlicenced window cleaners, who then applied for licences, well these were not dole boys they just didn't have a licence.

If there are dole boys working on your patch and you feel your business is suffering, just pick up the phone and report them, if the benefit office don't follow it up then report them to your local MP to forward the complaint onto the Minster responsable.

If a licence scheme is adaopted in the uk it will be very hard to repeal it.

Also the cost will be in the hundreds of pound to have one, at the moment the average cost in Scotland is £80 per year and you have to buy 3 years in advance, but these council do not enforce them, they don't go around the streets checking every window cleaners is licenced, if they did, then the cost of the licenced will sky rocket.

So whats the point of a licence if its not enforceable?

[DASERVICES]

Also the cost will be in the hundreds of pound to have one, at the moment the average cost in Scotland is £80 per year and you have to buy 3 years in advance, but these council do not enforce them, they don't go around the streets checking every window cleaners is licenced, if they did, then the cost of the licenced will sky rocket.

So whats the point of a licence if its not enforceable?

William,

The enforcement of the license lays solely with the Police however Council have Enforcement Officers but their powers are limited. In each Police Force there is a couple of Licensing Police Officers whose remit is doing the Criminal Record Checks on applicants etc.. I think their function is soley a desk job however in areas like Falkirk, East Ayrshire, Renfrewshire the Enforcement Officer and Licensing Police Officer have been out together and prosecuted unlicensed window cleaners.

One area that seems to be targeted by unmarked Police cars is Renfrewshire where there has now been a 120% increase in licensed window cleaners and a lot refused licenses. The SLWCN liased with the Police some time back and I have to say the licensing police officer is very good at her job.

Whereas in some divisions like in all trades of work you will get people who think it is not their job but this is soon changing as we also have a few meetings lined up with Chief Of Police.

Under the remit of the Civic Act the Police are the ones that should enforce which each Police force has a division to do it. The Council's remit should be get the message accross to the public only to use licensed window cleaners. One area they should clamp down on is City Centres, Shopping Malls in making sure the shops only use licensed trades, if not they should be fined.

The system is out there it is just making people do their job in their remit which unfortunately as many of us know some employees feel it is beneath them to do these tasks.

[mikethechamois]

the question is doug

are they fining householders for employing unlicensed wcs

if not..............why not

it would be the quickest and most effective way of stopping unlicenced wcs

one well publicised case would make an awfull lot of people check that their wc is legit

[williamx]

If its the Polices job to enforce then the householders should be nicked as well.

A lot of householders know that the window cleaner is not licenced and they should be charged with helping a criminal with a crime.

Like you said, nick a few and the rest will fall into line.

[kenaltobelli]

i just dont get this thread maybe its a eng /scots thing you have it we dont but you moan on
about red tape then ask for more let evry one get on with there own thing as i have said
if your so woried join the fwc show your legit as some one else has said the tax mans there to catch doles but they cant be ars