Here in the good ol' US of A, I can go to a website, do a name search and find out if someone has a criminal record.

I've tried to find a website to do the same in the UK, but with no success. I'm very interested to find if a certain former :mad: tenant who left my property today owing two months rent etc has any sort of a criminal record.

On the flip side - anyone want to rent a lovely, old, modernised cottage conveniently located very close to Edinburgh with easy access to motorways, airport and railway station. Plonk in the middle of a field with sheep and cows for neighbours :ok: Available immediately.

Size? ie number of rooms . . .

Criminal record??? Anything by the Spice Girls or Snoopdedog (or whatever the feck he's called)

Should imagine that the low level stuff's private.

The cops use the "police national computer," but I seem to remember that searches ae now logged. (Since some enterprising officers used the system for their own gains!)

I think the CRB people would have something to say about Gary Glitter applying for a job as a babysitter, but the system is far from perfect.

Try the "archive" section of the local press web-sites.

fernytickles,

I am sorry about your problem having been through it myself.

ps It might help your sales pitch if you posted a picture of the sheep.:E

This being the socialist UK, the criminals have more rights than you as an upstanding citizen, so I suspect there is no chance of getting any information about them :ugh:

G-CPTN

I've pm-ed you with the link - its already posted online by the agents.

If anyone is seriously interested, let me know. I don't want to abuse pprune for advertising. Especially JB :}

Meantime, e-ticket, I don't want to disappoint you by posting a photo of the wrong kind of sheep. I know you are particular about your breeds.... :ok:

The short answer is no, you can't check to see if this person has a criminal record.

Access to the Police National Computer (PNC) is strictly controlled and monitored and Police Officers are entitled only to search for an individual's Police record it if they have a valid Police reason for doing so, e.g. where someone has been arrested or there is other evidence relating to a suspect in a criminal investigation.

They are not entitled to use the PNC speculatively or for their own purposes, for example if an officer used the PNC to run the kind of check you are talking about they would risk prosecution for Misconduct in Public Office.

A CRB check is available "where an employer is entitled to ask exempted questions under the Exceptions Order to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974." e.g. where they are applying for a job working with children.

Ferny,

I know you are particular about your breeds....Yup. Very particular. They must taste great with Roast Potatoes and all the trimmings. I wouldn't want you pulling the wool over my eyes.

Wedge,

Thank you for that informative reply. Do you know if that is the same whether in England or Scotland?

E-ticket.... what can I say? Mint sauce? Rowan jelly?

Serious one this time in case you don't know about it.

In/after January if you rent out a property in Scotland you may well have to supply an Energy Proficiency Certificate (EPC) to prospective tenants of the property. England has had this since October. I do not know about the practicalities of the situation in Scotland but presumably, if you haven't heard about this waste of time and money, then the people marketing / managing your property could tell you.

January 2009?

fernytickles
Altho' in practice it's fairly difficult to get sight of someone's Criminal Record [there are 'ways'] it is easier to access County Court Judgments [CCJs] in England+Wales - I think they're called Decrees in Scotland.You would need to contact one of the three Credit Reference Agencies who specialise in this - for a fee. I say this just in case you are minded to sue said ex-tenant in the County or Sheriff's Small Claims Court. Chances are tho' he's what's called a "man of straw" and may have no job/assets on which you could enforce any judgment.
My last tenant did a runner and I hesitated, then decided not to bother ...but after he'd gone there were numerous letters/summonses from all sorts of people/companies demanding money from him. I was glad I didn't throw good money after bad and was pleased my total loss was two month's rent.

What about Scotland?
EPCs for dwellings will be implemented in Scotland as follows:
Construction from May 2007
Points of sale December 2008
Rental by January 2009 I know nothing about the actual Scottish situation so an online search or a talk to your agent should clarify the situation. It might even depend on the number of rooms etc.

I am going to have to get one done for an English property as the current tenant is moving out in December and therefore I have to have one to show prospective new tenants.

Presumably if you can get someone installed before the actual deadline then you won't need to get an EPC until after they move out. Don't quote me though.

I wonder if, the sheep being wrapped up in warm, woollie outfits, they could be bribed to sign an EPC as they live near and around the cottage... ;)