Inspections and other compliance visits
We monitor and support compliance in a number of ways including:
- inspections
- sampling visits
- test purchases
- advisory visits and complaint investigations
These visits will always be based on an assessment of risk – we won’t visit without a reason.
We will give businesses notice that we intend to visit unless we have a specific reason to believe that an unannounced visit is more appropriate.
When we visit our officers will:
- explain the reason and purpose of the visit
- carry their identification card at all times, and present it on request
- exercise discretion in front of customers and staff
- have regard to the businesses’ approach to compliance, and use this information to inform future interactions
- provide information, guidance and advice to support businesses in meeting their statutory obligations, if required
- provide a list of any items seized for examination or testing
- provide details of the results of any tests carried out
- where appropriate, provide details of the appeals procedure against local authority decisions.
Where we identify any failure to meet legal obligations we will respond proportionately, taking account of the circumstances, in line with our enforcement policy.