Tandridge District Council is warning residents to be on the lookout for illegal or fraudulent charity collections. Each year charities lose millions of pounds through people giving money or goods to organisations they think are charities, but which may be commercial companies collecting for profit.

All charities have to apply to Tandridge District Council for a permit to make a street or house to house collection. This means the Council vets the applicant and checks the money and/or goods collected do go to the charity. Collections generally take place from door to door and can include pubs and shops.

Some charities do not need a permit including:

§ Large charities with a special Home Office permit. These charities do not have to provide the Council with any information regarding the amounts collected.

§ Direct Debit collectors trying to sign up supporters for charities do not need a permit, as they are not collecting money. But they do need to let the Council know when they are in the area.

Details of all charitable collections taking place which have a permit, or Home Office Exempt collections the Council has been told about, are posted on www.tandridge.gov.uk/environment/licences/House_to_house_collections.htm. The website also gives details of illegal collections.

Charities are legally required to let the Council know how much was collected within one month of the collection. From 1 January 2011, the Council will publish the amount collected and the expenses deducted.

Several permits have already been revoked, as the amount given to the charity was insufficient, in comparison to the amount collected.

More information is available on www.tandridge.gov.uk/environment/licences, contact Environmental Health on 01883 732897, or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Councillor Tony Elias, Chairman of the Community Services Committee, said: “Charities are losing out to commercial companies that collect goods from people’s houses, as well as money on the street.  Please ask any collector on the street or at your door, to show you their permit. If they do not have one, it may not be a genuine collection. It is much better to take your goods or any donations straight to the charity shop, that way you know the charity benefits directly.”