The Gold Standard Code of Practice

Â A Voluntary Code of Conduct for the Purchase of Second Hand Precious Metal and Jewellery

1. Legal Requirements 1.1. All applicable legal requirements governing the type of Class II weighing instrument that can be used and the manner in which the transaction process may take place will be complied with. Local Authority Trading Standards departments can advise on the legal requirements of your business. 2. Verification Protocols 2.1. We will obtain a name and address from every customer. 2.2. We will verify the customerâ€™s identity and where possible this will be via photographic ID. 2.3. We will only purchase from customers over the age of 18. 2.4. We will make a formal record of every transaction and wherever possible we will photocopy or photograph the item(s) that we purchase and maintain our records accordingly. 2.5. Where available we will use every endeavour to ensure the transaction has been captured on CCTV and where the system is capable we shall retain the data for a minimum of 31 days. 2.6. We will keep transaction, customer and photographic records in accordance with the Data Protection Act for a minimum of 3 months and we will produce these (if requested) to a Police Officer. 2.7. We will take every reasonable precaution to ensure the property being purchased is not stolen. We will use a UV light to check for forensic property marking. 2.8. We will require every customer to sign a disclaimer to say they are the owner or have the permission of the owner to sell the property being offered for purchase, and that they consent to their personal details being stored on file for a minimum period of 3 months. 2.9. In the event of any suspicion that the goods being offered for sale are not legitimate, we will not continue with the transaction. We will make every endeavour to obtain as many details as possible and inform the Police. 3. Good Practice Protocols 3.1. We will weigh and evaluate the customerâ€™s jewellery whilst the customer is in attendance. We shall consult with the customer in the evaluation process so they understand and agree with the evaluation before making a decision to sell. 3.2. The customer will be given a signed receipt or written statement, which includes a description of the article being sold, its weight, the price paid and an explanation of any visible hallmarks. 3.3. We will inform the customer before the transaction has been completed and confirmed, there is a possibility that their item(s) may go to be recycled immediately. 3.4. We will strive to improve upon these recommendations and initiate a workable protocol that all staff will abide by.