How to Choose a Security Company: A Buyer’s Due Diligence Guide

Before going to market, record:

• The risks: theft, criminal damage, trespass, anti-social behaviour, arson, staff safety, unauthorised access, or a combination.
• The assets and areas: buildings, yards, plant, stock, reception, car parks, loading bays.
• The hours: 24/7, nights and weekends only, or business hours, plus any seasonal peaks.
• The duties: access control, patrols, CCTV observation, lock and unlock, visitor management, alarm response.
• Existing measures: fencing, lighting, alarms, CCTV, access control systems.
• Reporting expectations: what you want to know, how often and in what format.

Our guide to what to include in a security tender covers specification writing in more detail.

Companies House

Search the company on the Companies House register. Confirm the legal name matches the one on the proposal, check that the company is active, look at how long it has been trading, review who its directors are and whether its accounts and confirmation statements are filed on time. Look for any insolvency history or outstanding charges.

SIA Register of Approved Contractors

The SIA Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) is voluntary, so not every lawful provider is approved. Where a supplier claims approval, check it on the SIA’s Register of Approved Contractors and confirm that the approval covers the specific activity you are buying: approval is granted per licensable activity, so a company approved for security guarding is not automatically approved for key holding or CCTV. Our article on the SIA Approved Contractor Scheme explains what approval does and does not mean.

Individual SIA licences

The SIA licenses individuals, not companies. Officers carrying out licensable activity on a contract must hold the correct SIA front-line licence, and front-line licence holders must display it while working. You can check any licence on the SIA’s public Register of Licence Holders using the 16-digit licence number. Ask the supplier to provide licence numbers for the officers assigned to your site and spot-check them. See SIA licensing explained for the licence types.

This matters legally as well as operationally: under section 5 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, it is an offence to provide security services through an unlicensed operative, subject to defences such as having taken all reasonable steps to prevent it.

That is not automatically a problem, but you should know about it. Ask:

• Will the officers on my site be directly employed by you? If not, who employs them?
• Are officers employees rather than self-employed? (Presenting officers as self-employed can be a way of avoiding employment costs.)
• Is any subcontractor also SIA-licensed and, where you rely on ACS status, approved? The SIA states that approved contractors may only subcontract to other approved contractors unless the SIA has given permission.
• Where is the contract managed from, and who is my named contact?

Mobilisation

Ask how the supplier will mobilise your contract: site survey, risk assessment, assignment instructions, officer selection, site induction and handover. A credible supplier can describe each step and who owns it. If you are changing provider, ask how they will manage the transfer of any existing officers; the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) may apply.

Supervision and welfare

Ask how often supervisors will visit, how lone workers are monitored, what happens if an officer does not check in, and how sickness and holidays are covered so the post is never left empty.

Reporting and evidence

Ask for a sample of the reports you will receive: daily occurrence logs, incident reports, patrol records and any digital proof of patrol. Reports should state what happened, when, where, what action was taken and who was informed. See security incident reporting explained.

Escalation and out-of-hours support

Ask what happens at 03:00 when an officer needs help or an alarm activates. Who answers, how is the incident escalated and how quickly will you be told?

Geographic reach

For multi-site portfolios, ask how the supplier covers each location and whether it uses its own officers or partners in each region. Our guide to choosing a nationwide security provider covers this.

Ask for current certificates for employers’ liability and public liability, and confirm the policy covers the activities you are buying (for example, dog handling or keyholding). Ask also for health and safety, data protection, safeguarding and equality policies where relevant, and for the supplier’s approach to CCTV and personal data if officers will operate cameras.

A compliant charge rate must also cover employer National Insurance, holiday pay, pension contributions, licensing, supervision, insurance and overheads. A rate close to the minimum wage itself cannot cover those costs. Our guide to how much a security guard costs explains the components and a simple method for testing viability.

• Claims of ACS approval that you cannot find on the register, or that cover a different activity.
• Reluctance to provide officer licence numbers.
• Rates that cannot cover statutory employment costs.
• Vague answers about who employs the officers.
• Response times or performance statistics that are promised without explaining how they are measured.
• Client logos shown without any reference you can follow up.

If you are reviewing providers for security guarding or related services, we will answer each of the questions above in writing. Request a quote to begin.