Peace For A Pound: Home Page

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is peaceforapound?

Peaceforapound is a computerised database of owners of business and domestic premises and their personal property. It allows the police to find owners or nominated contacts when they need direction because the premises or personal property has been involved in a criminal incident or is otherwise at risk. The police search the database and contact the owner or one of their named contacts by telephone or email to advise them of the incident. If action is needed, the police can respond to the owner's direction and contact a repairer, motoring club or other help desk as required.

How much is peaceforapound?

Peaceforapound costs just £12 per year, including VAT. You can pay by credit card for immediate coverage or else by cheque.

Why is it called peaceforapound?

Peaceforapound costs £1 a month - an annual registration fee of £12. Registration with peaceforapound helps you feel confident that the police can make contact with you if they need to, whether you are on holiday, at work or just out of the house for a short period of time. For people on holiday it is often the only thought spoiling their holiday wondering if everything is well at home. Modern communications means the police can contact members wherever they are if the member so wishes.

When Can I register on it?

When you register, at the very least, you should provide the following pieces of information:
- Your name and address and, if the property you wish to protect is at another location, the address of that location.
- Your contact details (Phone and, if possible, Mobile and E-Mail)
- Contact details of at least one other person, in case you are not available. This can be your alarm company, a repair company or a friend or relative, who can give instructions to the police if they are called to your property and cannot contact you. You should make sure that they are willing to be nominated as part of the scheme and that they know what to do if they do get called by the Police in relation to this scheme. You can enter up to three other contacts and we will call them in the order you determine in order to get instructions.

You can also enter:
- Information about things you have at the property - for example, what kind of alarm you have and, if you are a business, whether you have a CCTV system. The police also like to know if you have any hazardous chemicals on the premises.
- Details of your motor vehicles (including registration number, make, model and motoring organisation membership details) - this will help the police respond if your car or motor bike is at risk.
- Details of any boat you might have, its make and registration details, as well as information about where it is moored and contact details there.
- Any number of pets and any serial number they might have (for example, if you dog has a chip implant as part of the pet passport scheme)
- Details of valuables (e.g. jewellery, paintings etc) and electronic items (e.g. TV, Video and Computers and their serial numbers) at the premises.

The police cannot promise that they will check any found valuables or electronic items against these details but they represent further help for them if they cannot trace owners. For improved and more obvious security on these items, we strongly recommend that you mark them with your peaceforapound number (using a marker or UV pen), just as you might have marked some items with your postcode, which will help the police identify you as the rightful owner and arrange its return.

Does peaceforapound registration mean the police will take special care of my house or property?

The police have a legal duty to take reasonable care of all premises and personal property. "Reasonable" is defined as that which can be achieved given the resources available to the Chief Constable to deploy. Being a member of peaceforapound.com does not give you any special rights but it does ensure that the police know who owns premises or goods and, whom they can contact to obtain directions in the case of an emergency.

Is joining peaceforapound like buying your own police force?

No, it's more like giving your police force an opportunity to work more efficiently and effectively. Finding the owners of premises and property can quickly save officer hours. Information can be accurately and speedily passed by mobile phones and email and this adds an important link to the communication network operating between the police and the community. Officers in police control rooms and on the beat can react quickly when they need to contact property owners and so move on to other pressing duties.

So what will the police do?

If the police are called to your property for any reason and need to contact you or someone who can represent you, they will call their central control room. Officers here will have access to the information through the peaceforapound call centre. Every call the police make to the peaceforapound call centre to request details is logged by an incident number and the identity of the police officer making the request. We will try to contact the people you have nominated to get instructions as to what to do next. This might be you on your mobile first of all. Otherwise, they may be keyholders who can attend the property and supervise the situation. They may be a repairer or tradesman you might know, whom you would prefer to carry out any repairs (for example, boarding or glazing following a break-in) on your behalf (you would then settle his bill directly afterwards). Or it could be your alarm company, whom you already pay to monitor your property and who have all the contact details required. The police will wait for 30 minutes for you or for your preferred contact to attend or to provide information. If nothing has happened in 30 minutes and your property is unsafe, the Police have an obligation to make your property secure and they will then turn to any one of a number of approved Emergency Boarding or Repair companies, who will be called out to do what is required. You will be liable for the costs of this repair as well. This is a normal liability and nothing directly to do with this scheme: indeed, this scheme has the advantage of allowing you to nominate your preferred contractor for this work: if you are not a member of the scheme and the police have to secure your property they will do so, at your cost, using their approved suppliers.

Back

Availability and joining

Can I join peaceforapound today?

Peaceforapound is brought to you by your local Police force in partnership with GRG PRL, a subsidiary of the Grass Roots Group plc. It was first launched on March 31st 2001 by Humberside Police, covering the area of Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire as well as North and North-East Lincolnshire. We hope that peaceforapound will be available in other Police Force areas in due course. To see if you are covered, you can check your Postcode on this website. Even if your area is not yet covered, please do leave us your name, address and e-mail details so that we can contact you as soon as it is available in your area.

How do I join?

There are two ways to register for peaceforapound. The easiest and quickest way is on this website, where you can enter all your details online. Pay by credit card for immediate coverage. You can call our registration hotline on 0906 214 0400 and one of our agents will be delighted to take your details over the phone or send you and application form.

I do not have access to the internet. How can I register or change my details?

You can get access to the Internet in cyber cafes, on the high street (for example, at public Internet kiosks) and some libraries and citizen advice centres. There may be shops banks or travel agents in your area which are offering internet facilities for peaceforapound so keep you eye on the press for these events. No information entered over the internet is stored on the local computer so you can safely use any machine connected (such as in a public library or even at a friend's house) and not leave any personal details behind when you leave! You can also change your details on the Membership Phone Line (0906 214 0400)

I want to give a registration to my Mother / Friend as a present. Can I enter their details?

Yes, you are welcome to do so but you may need to find out from the other person some details that you do not have. You could complete the basic registration by telephone or by logging onto the peaceforapound.com website and then add other details when you have given the present.

Where can I see all the terms and conditions? I'm sure there are a lot of them!

It is important that you read our Terms and Conditions before you register. You can find these on this website: just click on the icon on the main screen which says Terms and Conditions. You can also order a copy of our Terms and Conditions by phone. We can send these to you by post, e-mail or fax. Call the general information line on 0870 873 0656, select Option 3 and follow the instructions.

I have more than one business or home in the area covered: can I register them all for £12

One peaceforapound.com registration, at £12 per year, is required for each separate address. The police need as much data as possible on each location and you will see from the internet web site (www.peaceforapound.com) that a lot of information can be held on every address entered. So its £12 for every premises that you wish to register.

Can I list all my peronal property details with this scheme?

You can enter the serial numbers of any special items you want to record but the simplest method of identifying and recording your goods is to number them with your personal peaceforapound number with an ultra violet pen. You'll be given this unique number when you register. The Police prefer you to use a permanent UV marker pen, as this cannot be erased very easily. The police carry equipment to search for this type of marking on all items suspected of being stolen. In this way we hope that wherever your goods turn up the police can reunite you with them. In addition, if you move house, your peaceforapound registration number will move with you, meaning you do not need to re-write new details on your property with each move!

I already have marked all my property with my postcode and house number? Do I have to change this to my peaceforapound membership number? Will the police no longer use the postcode?

The police will continue to use the postcode system to identify property, however this will only give them the location of the house where the property belongs. With peaceforapound, the Police will have access to your contact details and so can get in touch with you far more quickly, wherever you are, to let you know that your property has been found. Also, when you move, as long as you move to another area covered by peaceforapound and the local Police Force, you will keep your same membership number, meaning you don't need to change all your markings. This can be especially difficult if, for example, you have etched or stamped them onto a metal item (e.g. a bicycle frame).

How can I identify my pet as mine on the system?

There are several methods available to pet owners to identify their pets. Micro-chips can be inserted under the skin, freezer marking or tagging are all possibilities. You should enter the serial number in your pet registration section or add the "p4p" number to the pet's tag. If choosing a new serial number for your pet, why not use your peaceforapound registration number?

I want the police to know about a special item at my premises. Can I register this information?

Peaceforapound is specially designed to hold such detail. We have listed on the website things you might wish to add like CCTV and hazardous chemicals but anything else that might be useful to you and/or the police just add it to your registration details when on the website or by ringing us.

What is the Peaceforapound registration number and how will someone finding my property recognise it?

The peaceforapound registration number is a seven-digit number preceded by "P4P". Police forces in the area covered will recognise this number code and be able to use it to access your name, address and contact details from the peaceforapound system to return it to you.

What happens if the police access my details but I do not want to be contacted at the moment?

That depends on what you have entered on the database. The police can only know what you choose to register. You can register up to three contact points, and each of these will be tried in succession. For example, if you have given a mobile number as your first choice and it is turned off or you are otherwise out of contact, your second nominee will be contacted. Remember that you can change your registration at any time and only current data is available to the police. So, for example, if you are going on holiday and do not want to be bothered, update your contact list so that someone else (for example, a neighbour, relative or friend) is top of your contact list. If you put yourself as third contact on the list, you will only be telephoned if the other two are unavailable.

I am going on holiday OR want to change my details. What should I do?

Log on to peaceforapound.com or telephone us and amend the details for the holiday period. You could, for example, give your contact phone number abroad and the police will contact you there. Alternately you can leave a UK contact for the period or your preferred repairer's name. Remember to contact us again when you get back home to change your details back.

I am already on the register but am moving house / police force area. Can I change my details?

Yes but only if the area you are moving to is covered by the peaceforapound scheme. If your new address is not covered by the scheme we can hold your details on the system and let you know when your area joins the scheme.

Back

Security Questions

Why should I give you all my personal detials?

All data entered on the system by you belongs to your local Police force and only they can decide what to do with it. GRG PRL manages the system on behalf of your Police force.

How can I be certain that my personal details are safe? And what about my Credit Card details?

This is a common worry with internet registration systems and we have taken all steps possible to make sure that your details are stored securely and that you can use the internet safe in the knowledge that it is using proven technologies to encrypt and protect data.
- GRG PRL and its parent company GRG have extensive experience in caring for confidential information for the emergency services, banks and even political parties.
- Credit Card transactions are fully encrypted (using SSL technology), the overall site is password protected and complies with all requirements of the Data Protection Act.
- All staff working for GRG PRL/GRG on peaceforapound have signed the Official Secret Act and have been submitted to the police for vetting.
- The information on the database is only available to the police unless the member has chosen to reveal it to another party.
In short we have taken every possible care to ensure the security of the data and will continue to do so.

Peaceforapound with Alarms

I have an alarm fitted to my premises: why do I need to join the scheme?

It depends on what type of alarm you have on your house or business. If your alarm is not connected to a specialist monitoring agency, it is what the police call a "noisy" alarm in that it makes a noise to alert someone to get them to ring the police. You may in the past have registered your contact details with the police or local authority but on the introduction of peaceforapound, these old police lists will no longer be available. Peaceforapound is therefore the complete solution to the security you hoped your alarm would provide. If the alarm is activated and a neighbour or the local authority rings the police, your registration details will be available and you can have the peace of mind of knowing that wherever you are you or your contacts can deal with the problem. As you may know, the local authority has statutory powers to enter premises where a noisy alarm is activated and turn it off at the owner's expense. Registration with peaceforapound will avoid this problem and ensure you or your contacts can deal with the activation. If your alarm is monitored somewhere centrally, it still makes sense to register with peaceforapound. You would nominate your alarm company as your first contact point, so that they could be contacted in the event of the police attending your premises. Of course, you will also be able to take advantage of peaceforapound's other benefits (for example, being able to mark your personal property in case of theft).

I have a direct alarm on my premises: why should I join the scheme?

Peaceforapound adds to your currant protection to give you a complete emergency communication system. Direct alarms mean the police will automatically have access to your alarm company but only if the alarm is activated. If your business is high security like a bank or chemist, we suggest you restrict your peaceforapound registration to the Alarm Company's contact point. This avoids any risk and they know all your relevant details. However if your alarm has not been activated but a fire risk or flood has occurred the police need you to register with peaceforapound so they can contact the Alarm Company and follow their instructions. Additionally your peaceforapound registration gives you a p4p number that you can put on personal property and office equipment for future identification if stolen.

Back

Why should I? The Police already provide this service.

I am already paying for this service in my business / household rates.

There are many services that we think are, or ought to be, paid for out of taxes. Unfortunately the costs of creating and running this new system represent an expense, which the public purse cannot afford to fund. The view has been taken that those who want to have this service should pay for it. The police do not have a legal duty to keep lists of property owners but peaceforapound helps them to perform their duties more efficiently and gives members a great service if they chose to join.

I am already on the Police list / the keyholder list. In any case, my local Police station knows who I am and where I am.

In choosing to offer peaceforapound in your area, your police force will typically destroy all old lists a few months after the scheme is launched. This is to avoid confusion as the old lists were typically only 14% correct and the police want to ensure they do not contact the wrong people. The new registration system is based on Internet technology and so can be kept up to date by the member as frequently as required, so that the police have the best possible chance of reaching the people they need to help. Local police stations will not be holding any other lists and the knowledge of local officers cannot assist when officers are off duty or change stations. Incidents are nowadays handled via a central control room, not at a local station, where controllers will check the peaceforapound database first of all.

Back

Details about the service providers

Who are GRG PRL and why did the Police give them this monopoly / contract / opportunity?

GRG PRL is GRG Public Resources Limited, a subsidiary of the Grass Roots Group plc. GRG PRL is a company specialising in the provision of services to the police and other emergency services. It is staffed by many retired police officers and their former civilian colleagues. The company operates a 24-hour call centre and employs hundreds of sub contractor specialists across the country to assist the emergency services in their work. As examples the company clears the highway of broken down abandoned and accident-damaged vehicles, secures premises after criminal damage has occurred and calls out police surgeons to attend police stations. The police advertised their requirement for a company to construct the peaceforapound database in the UK and Europe. Many companies tendered for the opportunity and the force selected GRG PRL for a 5-year period. At the end of the period the force will re-tender the opportunity and GRG PRL may or may not be successful. Remember, the data of registered premises belongs to the force not GRG PRL and the list will remain with your local police force whoever operates the service.

Who are the GRG plc?

The Grass Roots Group plc (GRG) is a business services company. It has been incorporated for 21 years and is an associated company of WPP, one of the top marketing companies in the world. Based in Tring in Hertfordshire with over 300 employees in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, Grass Roots operates a sixty-seat call-centre and has a client list of many of the best known corporate names in Europe.

I have a complaint. What do I do?

Please write to us at peaceforapound.com, PO Box 1805, Stafford, ST18 0QD and we will deal with your query quickly and efficiently.

Back