Yes - our regulatory and financial crime investigations lawyers report that the SFC's powers to conduct dawn raids (i.e. an unannounced inspection of premises by the SFC) enable the SFC to gain entry to company premises and to conduct a search irrespective of whether or not the company is SFC licensed. Indeed, such a search could take place at a person’s residential premises.
Notwithstanding the surprise nature of a dawn raid, companies can take steps to be better prepared for a dawn raid should it occur, including devising a response protocol which identifies those persons in the firm with specific roles should a dawn raid ever occur.