Compulsory DBS checks

MarieNoelle

You may have received an email from AAT stating that to comply with new AML legislation licensed members will need to hold a basic DBS check.

It seems that some accountancy bodies like ICAEW and ACCA have taken the view that it should be a risk based assessment and will not make it compulsory to their members.
It's not clear at this stage whether this fee will be an annual fee, which would be added eventually to the licensed membership fee.
I also checked the gov website and the fee charged for a basic DBS check is £25. The third party provider chosen by AAT will charge £46.50.
I wonder what other licensed members views are on this and whether the AAT will give us the option 1/ to self certify and 2/ to go with the cheaper fee offered by the gov website.
Maybe @AAT_Team could give us some answers?
Thank you

AAT_Team

Hi @MarieNoelle we've checked internally and apparently, HM Treasury has stated that self-certification is not a suitable interpretation of the regulations. We were also under the impression that ICAEW had also used DDC.

Thanks

MarieNoelle

Thanks for your reply @AAT_Team
Do we have the option to do it ourselves though, as the third party provider is almost twice the cost of the gov website, and will it be something to be done annually and paid with the membership fees?

Enterprise_Warrior

Likely will only be allowed to use the company AAT have teamed with and will be annually. I sense a backhander to the AAT from this company.

badhombre

@MarieNoelle apparently an individual cannot request a standard nor an enhanced DBS check on their own behalf, this needs to be requested by a 3rd party.

@AAT_Team in the Interest of planning ahead for the ever increasing compliance costs, how frequently will these checks will be carried out? Industry practice and my personal experience refers to a 3 yearly cycle.
Lastly and again in the interest of transparency - is the AAT given a "commission" by the DDC?
If so could they not have secured a better deal considering the handling fee is not far off the cost of the actual certificate?
In all my previous experience of having had to obtain said certificate I've never had to pay for it myself, this cost has always been covered by the requestor.

badhombre

@MarieNoelle as an update i see that the literature i received last night relating to the check does in fact refer to a Basic DBS check - which an individual CAN request on their own behalf.....

AAT_Team

@MarieNoelle @badhombre

- This is a one-off under the 2017 regulations, not an annual requirement.

- With relation to engaging a third party in this process, AAT considered a series of options that would allow members to achieve compliance and for AAT to ensure supervisory obligations, in the very tight timescales available. The short time available was due to prolonged discussions between the supervisory bodies and HM Treasury on interpretation of the regulations and therefore exactly what the bodies would be expected to do.

- One of the options considered was whether it would be possible for AAT to receive and process the certificates directly from members, thereby allowing members to use the cheaper option of a direct application to DBS. I’m afraid it became quite clear that AAT did not have sufficient available staffing levels to process the nearly 4500 members involved. The only realistic other option, we felt, was to partner with a third party. We looked at several appropriate companies, received references, and considered what was offered for the administrative fee that each charged. We believe that DDC offered the best value for money.

- AAT is receiving no payments or commissions. The charges by DDC are solely the cost of the DBS check and their administrative fee.

badhombre

@AAT_Team thank you for clarifying

MarieNoelle

Thank you for taking the time to answer @AAT_Team

burg

Are we meant to complete this prior to 25th May for GDPR does anyone know?

I've received the email telling to expect contact soon but that is it. No email to actually get on with it and get it processed.

badhombre

Nah i think the end date was late June, apparently they were sending out the log in details (to the DDC) website in alphabetical order so as my surname starts with A i received the email c 2 weeks ago. I've had confirmation that my personal documents have been sent back to me and that the certificate was generated on Monday PM so they are moving quite quickly at the moment. Also my documents were processed last Saturday by DDC so they are obv working weekends to speed this up. Whislt a bit of grudge purchase so far can't complain about the speed or efficacy of AAT, DDC etc

Enterprise_Warrior

Noticed that not only do we have to pay double the usual price of a DBS, we also have to pay for the recorded postage for original records. I wonder how many passports and driving licences will go missing.

badhombre

yeah suppose DDC have a "captive audience" - please God my passport doesn't go missing

MarieNoelle

Received the email this week so need to act quickly. I need my passport back before the holidays!