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CRC Essex Record Keeping for mail forwarding
CRC Essex carrying on a mail forwarding business and is required to keep a record of :
a) the full name, address and telephone number of all persons for whom post is received or who has requested postal packets received to be held or forwarded to them
b) the nature of the business (if any) carried out by that person
c) any instructions as to the delivery or forwarding of postal packets
d) the name and address of person(s) to whom postal packets are to be forwarded, if different from a) above
e) copies of originals of two documents of a type approved by the council for the purposes of identifying the person and verifying the address(es) required in a) above.
A client’s name and address in a) above must not be the name and address of another mail forwarding business.
The name and address to be kept in a) above must be
a) in the case of an individual, his private address
b) in the case of a body corporate or partnership (note, a body corporate includes a limited company)
1) the registered office address or the principal address of the partnership; and
2) the names and private addresses of the directors or partners or another person directly or indirectly responsible for the management of the body corporate or partnership; and
3) the address of the principal place of business of the body corporate or partnership if different from any of the addresses mentioned in 1) and 2) above.
This will mean that apart from where a client is a sole individual, a contract with a mail forwarding business will require more than one name and address to be held by a mail forwarding business.
Retention and Inspection of Records
A mail forwarding business is required to keep records of clients for at least a year after the end of an arrangement (or contract) to hold or forward on postal packets and to keep them available for inspection by the police or any authorised officer at all reasonable times.
Offences
It is a criminal offence for a person to:
• fail to comply with the provisions of section 75 or;
• furnish false information –
• in making an application for registration or notifying the Council of any alteration to the registration particulars held or
• to a mail forwarding business in relation to particulars the business is required to keep;
• make a false entry in records kept by a person carrying on a mail forwarding business.
It should be noted from the above, that a client will commit an offence if they provide required information that is false.
In relation to the investigation of an offence,Trading Standards Officers have the power to enter premises and inspect and seize goods and documents.
Penalties
The maximum penalty for committing an offence is a fine not exceeding £5000 on summary conviction.
Transition Period
The legislation allows a period of four weeks from the date of coming into force before the requirements to register and keep records apply to a business.
The legislation comes into force on 7 January 2008, therefore the requirements to register and keep records are effective from 4 February 2008.
If an application has been made for registration during the four week period then the business may lawfully continue to carry on the business and need not comply with the requirement to keep records until the Council issues a certificate of registration.
Tags: forward on postal packets, mail forwarding business, Retention and Inspection of Records
