Regulation 42 Execution of warrants

Any officer of the Regulator who is authorised to execute search warrants may execute a warrant to enter and search premises.

Entry and search under a warrant must be within three months from the date of its issue.

Entry and search under a warrant must be at a reasonable hour.

A warrant authorises entry on only one occasion.

A warrant authorises a search of premises only to the extent required for the purpose for which the warrant was issued.

When executing a warrant, an officer of the Regulator must have regard as far as possible to the relevant provisions of any code issued under section 66 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984^f1 in relation to searches of premises.

If the occupier of premises which are to be entered and searched is present when an officer of the Regulator seeks to execute a warrant to enter and search them, the officer—

If the occupier of such premises is not present when an officer of the Regulator seeks to execute a warrant, but a person who appears to the officer to be in charge of the premises is present, paragraph (7) has effect as if each reference to the occupier were a reference to that other person.

If there is no person present at the premises who appears to the officer of the Regulator to be in charge of them, the officer must leave a copy of the warrant in a prominent place on the premises.

The officer of the Regulator who executes a warrant must make an endorsement on it stating—

In the case of a warrant that authorises entry to and search of two or more sets of premises, the officer of the Regulator who executes the warrant—