enviroment health officers

fluffnutter

Yeah! And scare your sheeps!

Marylea

I am and Environmental Health Officer, my employer (an English Local Authority) issues me with a Warrant of Authority.

The Warrant states that I am 'authorised to carry out investigations and to enter premises for the purpose of making inspections and to carry out such enforcement as may be required blah blah blah......

So, an intrusive as it may seem, EHOs CAN enter your premises (land included) to investigate. They can not however break in (but can obtain a different warrant from a magistrates court to break in, if need be).

Diver2

Thanks Marylea

That seems reasonably authorative, but could you please post what the warrant says in full?

I suppose I just struggle with the fact that the EHO could enter land/property without at least "reasonable grounds" being required.

FWIW, I think the whole approach of the EHO described by the OP sounds very heavy handed and lacking in dimplomacy. A simple knock at the door to ask them about the tractors would (in my view) been a reasonable first step and would have established that there was no grounds for concern without the requirement to go further.

Regards

D2

vikingaero

The problem here is that the premises are a mixture of a farm and residential use. So how would an EHO be able to distinguish farm parts from residential when tractors are a very integral part of the farm scene (whether for restoration or not). Easiest way is to let them in to have a look and satisfy their minds.

cardinalbiggles

Diver2 wrote: »

Easyhost - really not convinced by the powers of entry argument, even the police need much more than a mere complaint before can be empowered to enter a property.

Just a point on the "even the police" argument.

Remember that HM Customs and Trading Standards have greater powers of seizure and entry than the police I believe. Not sure about environmental health officers however.

liana_y2kuk

Outpost wrote: »

They're not scrap they're vintage tractors.

Did you need to do that? How rude!

mo786uk

Trading Standards can enter business premises without a warrant which I believe the Police cannot.

HMRC has a shedload of powers I believe!

s_b

if i had bits of tractor scattered about and a big hole im afraid i would take this warning very seriously indeed because if environmental health do a follow up visit and decide these tractors are scrap in their opinion then you are breaking so many environment laws they will whip you im afraid bloke in lincs got a £10,000 fine for having 5 cars on his private land with a few bits off

be very careful

cardinalbiggles

mo786uk wrote: »

Trading Standards can enter business premises without a warrant which I believe the Police cannot.

HMRC has a shedload of powers I believe!

I believe you are indeed correct They also have quite nasty powers to take samples from the premises and you cant stop them!

Diver2

bloke in lincs got a £10,000 fine for having 5 cars on his private land with a few bits off

s b - can you provide any form of link for this at all please?

Kind Regards

D2