Starting a security business.

[Bazza]

Im new here so ill start off by saying hey, how is everyone?

Ok, now to the subject. I currently work for a security firm, who is contracted to supply security guards to building sites mainly. I've been working for this company for a while now, and latley i have been flirting with the idea of starting up my own security company. However, having no previous business experience, i have been trawling through the internet to no avail trying to find information on starting this particular kind of business. Im looking for information on licensing, legal information, training.....basically every aspect of starting this business. I'm posting here in the hope of finding someone that is involved in this type of business, or can direct me to some detailed online information. Thanks in advance!

[mumper]

Hi Bazza and welcome. There is a forum member that runs a security company and I think his user name is Faithful Guy. Try searching for him and you can then PM him.

Good luck.

[Bazza]

Thanks for the info, ill get right on it:)

[Jayne]

Hi Bizza,

Welcome to the forum :D

Jayne

[UK2004]

Have you got an SIA license? You want just manned guarding or dog handling as well? I know a lot of people involved with security dogs, police dogs etc who have set up businesses covering regions of UK, can put you in touch with some people if you want, if you are getting the work in yourself rates of pay are good. With chagning climate in security you will need an SIA license and also will need insurance, thena case of getting advertising about your services possibly hiring your own employees, many peopel do freelance work so you hire and pay per job.

[afa]

Aside from those points - a security business is not easy to run initially and the industry is brutally cutthroat.

Ive heard of contracts changing hands that are worth only £7 per hour to the company. Take out of that expenses and at least the minimum wage of the employee and you'd be lucky to not go bankrupt.

Small security businesses pop up and fall away all the time, you have to be exceptionally lucky or have substantial investment/funds available in order to get established.

To be brutally honest, working in security for a while will not have equipped you with the knowledge and intricacies you need to know to run a security business and survive.

Do you know how to conduct PROPER threat & risk assessment?
Do you know how to get the information to research those?

There are many aspects of law relating to business you can get off of the appropriate people/organisations - but there is much specialist knowledge to be known in order to make the business work.

Additionally, next year in order to carry out thread & risk assessment you will need a Security Consultancy license - a process I have been involved with with the SIA. Beleive me, it will not be a four day training course to get this license.

Though on the other hand, given the ineptitude of the SIA and its love for the educational awarding bodies - it might well do.

They totally screwed up the Close Protection sector licensing, theres no reason to suggest they will not mess up the rest also...

[easyasit]

i used to work in security myself.
Speaking to one of the inspectors, i understand you are invited to tender for the role and submit the amount u are able to do it for.

Another problem is finding the staff who will work 12 hour shifts for miminum wage, and be reliable as well as trustworthy.

Training these ppl costs money, then there insurance etc.

saying that i know of some who have done well out of it

Al
I think its a minefield by the sounds of it

[Antonia @limeone.com]

Have a look also at www.guildofsecurity.co.uk. We advise on there and they are all secrurity managers and those working in security. There are some resources on the Health and Safety, SIA, Lone workers and also lots of information on the state of the industry.

From our own experience in advising security guards on employment matters there is a lot of unrest in the industry and this is due to long hours and poor wages.

The contracting side is one way in but you will need deep pockets to bank roll before you get paid, under most of them that go out to tender, they seek long credit terms, and this eats into the profitability of the contract which is low, very low.

[afa]

Hey yeah the Guild is a good place to go. Lot of experience on there. There is also the UK Security Forum to have a look at www.uksecurityforum.co.uk/forum (http://www.uksecurityforum.co.uk/forum)

[sammie]

Hi Bazza,
Before you toy with winning new business for your new firm, i think you need to identify , what type of contracts, sub contracts you are initially aiming for.
Also what type of figures, as you might be aware once you go over £154,000 you will be looking at a different set of rules.
However if you are initially hoping to sub contract and keep costs low.
investment in your business also will remain low

I hope this helps

Sammie

[Joyous]

Hi Sammie

What's the significance of the £154k threshold?

Regards

Joy

[ZARMarketing]

I know how difficult it is making a security business profitable. I would advise you to think about the type of work you want to get involved in insurance companies etc pay extremely poorly. Private clients on the other hand may be the way to go.

My father had a security business after extensive expereince in the police, he got fed up of chasing solicitors and insurance companies who were always slow in paying invoices!

It isalso worth you becomong a memeber of the relevant association.

All the best with your venture.

Zoe

[Thompson 12]

Hello everyone,
I have a security company in Ireland. I was struggling to get all paperwork insurance etc. for my company. And then i have hired security consultants to help me out and i was in business in no time. Maybe you should do the same? They where bit expensive but i have never regretted hiring them, as they where worth every penny.. as they say you get what you pay for.

So anyways i have used this people www ravaconsulting com
but i am sure there are number of others available to help you in start up! Good luck to all of you i am posting this message in number of forums,because me myself was struggling to start searching the world wide web for information and spend hundreds of euros on "how-to" books that generally where useless.

good luck on your hard way towards success..

[dune]

as an owner of a security firm i wouldnt go there, look for an alternative

[Erika111]

Hello friends,


If you want to find out more details on the security industry and in particular door supervision I can suggest circle training as they have probably the cheapest and best run courses around. You can find their details on the SIA Training provider web site get-licensed.co.uk you can get SIA LICENCE TRAINING Courses in London, Milton Keynes, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Portsmouth, Norwich, Cardiff, Bristol and many more locations near you.

[the daddy]

Money is the bigest requirement and the cash flow of doing it with out contracts in place and needing to spend on ACS, ISO, SIA, IPSA, SITO, Vans, Uniform, Etc to even get the contracts to make it work means that there is a barrier to entry and the only way round is to throw cash at it and hope you land a big contract early on.

[Kaz2010]

I am thinking of starting up a security company and although i have a few other business interests i dnt have the appropriate information to start this kind of business. It would be soo helpful if you could be of any assistance.

Thanks in advance

[dune]

my advise would be do something else 08452768186 if u want any info

[vvaannmmaann]

Try these people for help and advice.
http://www.nsi.org.uk/

[downsouth]

my advise would be do something else 08452768186 if u want any info

any particular reasons???

[doclimited]

Have you thought of any different methods to get your company off the ground. How about sub contracting security staff from another company. Or, getting 30% of the profits every month for each contract and for as long as the contracts continue.


Want to know more PM me, i've been running my security company for 6 years. And have a 5 other companies, so I'm well experienced in starting up business's.


Deraz

[topqualityretailer]

Hi,
I am very much intrested to start my own security company.I have SIA badge,First Aid training course.
Can anybody pls guide me set by set where to start from.
I donot how to set up.

I would apprecite your kind help
topquality_retailer at yahoo dot com
Thanks a lot
Fas

[topqualityretailer]

Have you thought of any different methods to get your company off the ground. How about sub contracting security staff from another company. Or, getting 30% of the profits every month for each contract and for as long as the contracts continue.


Want to know more PM me, i've been running my security company for 6 years. And have a 5 other companies, so I'm well experienced in starting up business's.


Deraz

Dear bro,
Can you pls guide me step by step how to start up own security company.I have worked in security company and currently holding SIA badge,First Aid.
But i donot where to start from.
Pls help me i would be grateful.
Thanks

[mccartney1]

hallo i am wanting to start my own private function security copmany but i dont know if my idea is alot of rubish or what, can enyone tell me if private security would be a waste of time. It would be well appritiated cheers!
:)

[Young blood]

hi bazza i seen ur e mail on uk bussiness forums and jst wonderd if u got any help with starting ur own firm ? wot part of the england do u live in ?

[pankhabhai]

I currently work for a security firm, who is contracted to supply security guards to building sites mainly. I've been working for this company for a while now, and latley i have been flirting with the idea of starting up my own security company. However, having no previous business experience, i have been trawling through the internet to no avail trying to find information on starting this particular kind of business. Im looking for information on licensing, legal information, training.....basically every aspect of starting this business. I'm posting here in the hope of finding someone that is involved in this type of business, or can direct me to some detailed online information. Thanks

[vvaannmmaann]

You all need to start by looking at the SIA website.
http://www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/Pages/home.aspx

[oldeagleeye]

VVVVVVVVVVV. this thread started over 2 years ago.

Rob

[skdtamper]

Well done for starting up the business and good luck. We specialise in security tape and evidence bags. If you have any questions about the industry in security then please don't hesitate to ask. We may be useful to eachother. visit skdtamper.com to find out more about us :)

[vvaannmmaann]

Update re SIA
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11393581

[chacha289]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum..please someone inform me where do I get info on setting up a care home business??

[oldeagleeye]

If your already in the industry you should know. If not your wasting your time even thinking about it.

If that advice don't put you off - get a job in a care home as a trainee care assistant and any spare time you get off forget about sleep - study the enormous amount of rules and regulations. That will definately put an end to any notion of running a care home.

Rob

[vvaannmmaann]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum..please someone inform me where do I get info on setting up a care home business??

I'm sure some care homes are tough,but do they need security guards?

[chacha289]

I have noticed something among 'successful' property developers:
in their portfolio all seem to own a care home business..

why is this??

This is just not my observation but a fact!!

[oldeagleeye]

Having spent over 20 years as a master mortgage/finance broker I never once cam across a property developer investing in a nursing or care home and I specialised in this type of property although a couple of guys I know would buy a suitable property to refurbish and sell on.

These guys were real time served professionals however and they knew how to sqeeze every possible grant out of local authorities otherwise there would not have been a quick profit in it for them. There are no opportunities in that area for amateurs - especially those that plan to run the business.

As far as running a care home as a business concerned. Again it is not in the capability of an amateur. It is a highly comtetive market with a fine line between profit and losss and even many experienced owners find it hard to manage a balance between providing good customer care and manageing costs which could lead to the care home into neglecting residents and bad publicity.

This is why the industry is fast becoming dominated by 3 - 4 big companies. Those that have a proven business model built on years of experience. They can afford to emply top quality managers. Afford to invest in training staff.

The cost of the property itself then can be just a modest consideration for a big company. For a private owner however it can be phobitive and this is where you really couldn't compete.

With no experience and no real knowledge of the industry you would need a huge deposit. Then you would have to pay a pretty high commercial interest rate.

Compare that to the modest deposit and 2% base I recently got for a Consultant ENT specialist that I recently got the funding for even though I have been out of the business for some years.

Now the only way I wa able to do that was to get the chap to put together a consortium of other consultants with the funding virtually guaranteed as they are buying the property to provide for an extra pension fund with considerable tax saving advanatages. That in turn means that they will continue with ongoing investment and any surplus on operating cost will also be re-invested.

The bottom line is that to ensure the succcess of the venture these 4 guys have a combined income of nearlly £600K a year. They can afford to invest in improvements and staff training and most important of all - they are already in the health care businesswith over 60 yearsexperience between them.

What could you out on the table OP. Forget it.

[Jafri]

Hi!I am new here in this forum so i am gonna say Hello to every one.
I am thinking to start a security company business and i am not in this business even never had employment in this proffession so can any one tell me how to set up a security company?How to start and how to run it?Actually i am looking for every sort of information,legal process,insurance,training etc
Regards

[daniel.benson]

Update re SIA
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11393581

I run a security company, and the SIA being axed is the best news we've heard in a long time. It just means that a new authority is going to be set to issue licences etc. I just hope it will be better run than the SIA.

[Jafri]

Can you please guide me the whole procedure of setting up and running the company? Licencing,insurance,training etc.
What is the best work whether try to take contracts directly or sub contracting?
Regards

[daniel.benson]

Can you please guide me the whole procedure of setting up and running the company? Licencing,insurance,training etc.
What is the best work whether try to take contracts directly or sub contracting?
Regards

I would't even waste your time setting a security company up at this moment in time unless your going to just sub-contract work from other companies. There is way to many companies in the industry all undercutting each other,

When I started out doing security work for pubs clubs you could get £17.50 per hour all day long these days you'll be luck to get £11.00. You pay your staff £10.00 of that no profit.

If your going to do it legally you've got a lot of outgoings.

[steve23]

Yes, unless you have a particular reason for starting a security company, do something else !

Is there any particular reason that you wanted to start this, other than thinking it is easy money ?

All the best

Steve

[daniel.benson]

Is there any particular reason that you wanted to start this, other than thinking it is easy money ?

I think alot of people who set up security companies think its easy money...

[steve23]

Oh, and Daniel...

I must admit, the SIA were terrible, and dealing with them was a nightmare, but I've got to say, they seem to have improved.

Indeed, when I rang them yesterday my call was answered immediately, and I sent an email at 17.00 and got a reply back that evening with a good, comprehensive answer to my question.

I have also found licensing to be a lot quicker - many of my collegues get it back within 2 weeks, certainly 30 days.

And sites that I know have had SIA visits have told me that it was all very good and well conducted.

So they may be getting better.

The actual criteria for the license etc may be a bit off in places, but the SIA as a body has impressed me.

All the best

Steve

[daniel.benson]

Hi Steve I must agree about the times they answer calls and processing times have improved alot. I waited for 9 months for a my badge when they first started out.

But I think its a little to late. Personally Id like to see it go back to local councils with a view to work nationally with your licence like the personal licence for alcohol.

[peterbirganza]

There is the solution of every problem BAAZA. So don`t get confuse. If still you didn`t find the solution than i send you a PM. should i?

Peter:)

[wevet]

Im new here so ill start off by saying hey, how is everyone?

Ok, now to the subject. I currently work for a security firm, who is contracted to supply security guards to building sites mainly. I've been working for this company for a while now, and latley i have been flirting with the idea of starting up my own security company. However, having no previous business experience, i have been trawling through the internet to no avail trying to find information on starting this particular kind of business. Im looking for information on licensing, legal information, training.....basically every aspect of starting this business. I'm posting here in the hope of finding someone that is involved in this type of business, or can direct me to some detailed online information. Thanks in advance!

SIA licensing is a must. However, when you come to working out yourr business plan make sure you allow for at least 3-4 months before your invoices get paid.
Friend of mine has been in the manned security business and getting paid is horrendous. They rely on factoring which is expensive but it is the only way they can ensure steady cashflow. (They do about £110 millon t/o a year by the way.)
The smaller you are and the more dependant you are on a small number of clients the more likely you are to get screwed down on price and trading terms.

[Stretchy]

Hey guys,
I found this site,
www.doorman-security.com (http://www.doorman-security.com/)
Check it out, they have several services for the security industry, including a jobs board, forum, security shop, cv services and a blog.
looks good

Your site by any chance mate?

I wondered what your 15 th post would be when I noticed you quickly building up your posts.;)

[daniel.benson]

Your site by any chance mate?

I wondered what your 15 th post would be when I noticed you quickly building up your posts.;)

Haha I thought the same.

[steve23]

Yes, the user name 'Doorman' kind of gives it away !

If I was looking to do this kind of self promotion, me thinks I would be a little bit more subtle - but then again, handy that people are not, so the spam sticks out.

All the best

Steve

[mr_chauhdry]

Hi,
I am working in security industry for more than 3 years and i am interested to setup my own company and just come to know about your messege so can you please guide me how to setup and get contracts as i have manpower who can come along with me.
Looking forward from you.
Regards

[ebaypowerguru]

Hey Bazza!

Welcome to the forums :)

[internetspaceships]

The guy made 2 posts 6 years ago.

[gordano]

As some have suggested it would be helpful if you also joined a forum specialising in this sector, there are several if you search online.

Apart from the generic business administration on which there are many experts in this forum you will also need to familiarise yourself with security sector regulations such as BS7858:2006 which covers aspects of employing people ... you can purchase a copy from BSi.

[internetspaceships]

Another chap who missed that 6 year old original post date I see?

[daniel.benson]

Don't bother you wont make any money out of it unless you have loads of ongoing work. There are way to may fly by night security companies that are operating in the industry and they do more harm than good.

Another issue is this year the SIA are beginning to wrap things up and change to a new licencing regime, all business will be required to be approve contractors which cost from what I've been told around 10, 15 grand but cannot confrim this figiure.

My advice is just work for large security company and work your way up the management tree your gaurnteed work and money, working for yourself in security your gaurnteed nothing as a very small return.

You will get better advice from working the doors or close protection website.

[SGI marketing]

In all honesty forget starting up in the UK security Industry. I have been in the industry at every level worked my way up from guard to Director and ran my own Sec business. With net profits lower than 5% and large companies buying contracts to get market share there are better and more profitable businesses out there to start up. Starting from ground zero with no contracts you will find it hard to win new business without client references and case studies therefore you should consider finding funds to aquire a small guarding company with a T/O of no less than £2m that has SIA ACS Accreditation. Good luck - hope this helps you out.

Cheeky sales pitch now for Security Vacancies (http://www.securityjobsuk.co.uk) and a UK Design Company (http://www.sgimarketing.co.uk)

[internetspaceships]

The guy made 2 posts 6 years ago.


As above...........

[James Greg]

Welcome to the forum. I appreciate you for starting a security business. You need to confirm your local and GOV requirements.