Getting Search Permission

[TheBigFundamental]

Hello everyone,

There are a few private residences and schools that I am interested in detecting but I was wondering about the permission procedure. Is there a sales pitch that any of you have had particular success with?

Who do you guys contact when it comes to private schools and churches? What do you ask them? What offers do you make? What assurances do you give?

Thanks for everything.

TBF

[del]

hey TBF , i think being as honest and as professional as well as friendly is the best bet for obtaining permission . also a few references could'nt hurt either , some of us have bussiness type cards made up with some personal information listed as this sometimes puts the owner a little more at ease. bringing your own liability or waiver to sign might get those ones on the fence to say yes as this is probably the no.1 reason people say no (their affraid of sue happy people comming onto their property) . your gonna get alot of no's regardless but you will get some yes's.

good luck

Dan

[Carver]

Hey TBF,

I live in the country, small community,so , most everyone knows everyone else. For private residences, I knock on their door,,,introduce myself,(if they don't know me),,I tell them I like to metal detect when I can and like to hunt these older house yards to see if I can find an old coin or two. I'd say 19 out of 20 times I will gain permission. When I do,, I tell them that if I find that jar full of coins that I will split it with them,,,always gets a good laugh but on the other hand they get to thinking if I do find it,,,they are in for a cut!!
I have found that cold calling people for permission only works about half the time,,if that. I rarely do that.
As far as schools and churches,,,I like to contact the priest. They always give me permission. But that's in this area,,,yours may be different.

Good luck!!!!
Dan

[RobW]

bringing your own liability or waiver to sign might get those ones on the fence to say yes as this is probably the no.1 reason people say no (their affraid of sue happy people comming onto their property) .


I've been thinking about drafting one of these to post for everyone's use...I'll only charge my normal hourly fee...I think I remember George saying he'd pay for it for the forum rofl.....I just need the free time...and of course I'd post it for all for free :yes:

[aloldstuff]

Really - - need the free time:huh:thinkingabout:

[RobW]

Really - - need the free time:huh:thinkingabout:


Well....if I have the free time, I'm out with you detecting...guess I just need it to rain....oh wait, that's what my wife is waiting for for me to finish painting the bedroom rofl

[aloldstuff]

you seem to be in great demand

[del]

I've been thinking about drafting one of these to post for everyone's use...I'll only charge my normal hourly fee...I think I remember George saying he'd pay for it for the forum rofl.....I just need the free time...and of course I'd post it for all for free :yes:


well that would be a great and official looking waiver form Rob , a very generous offer :clapping: :clapping: . now if we could get your wife to hide your detetector we would have it in no time . lol lol lol and that sure is nice of George to pay for your time in silver and coppers . he sure can be a sweetheart :smitten: sometimes . ;)

[nachotreasure]

When I ask for permission, I talk to those people as if I was talking to my mother. I treat them with respect and I am always polite, even if they say NO, I thank them for their time and wish them well. I was a salesman in prior jobs and one thing I learned is that paperwork scares people. If you just talk to them like they are ordinary people it seems to put them at ease. One last note...don't bore them with a big long story, just introduce yourself and your intentions and ask for permission. 80% of the time that gets me where I want to go. Just my two cents...do with it what you will ! Good luck! Happy hunting! Be safe! Jeff

[danhughes]

.... paperwork scares people.


Especially legal paperwork! If you approach a total stranger and ask him to sign a legal document, what do you think his reaction would be? I know what mine woud be!

And your form is probably bogus, anyway, because if you are seriously hurt your insurance company, not you, will go after them.

I'm not a lawyer and I am not dispensing legal advice, but it is my understanding that if you are hurt, your insurance company will pay your medical bills, then go after the property owner. If you refuse to allow the insurance company to recover its losses, your insurance will be void.

Listen to my podcast on getting permission to hunt private property. It's show #046 at http://thetreasurecorner.com.

[RobW]

When I ask for permission, I talk to those people as if I was talking to my mother. I treat them with respect and I am always polite, even if they say NO, I thank them for their time and wish them well. I was a salesman in prior jobs and one thing I learned is that paperwork scares people. If you just talk to them like they are ordinary people it seems to put them at ease. One last note...don't bore them with a big long story, just introduce yourself and your intentions and ask for permission. 80% of the time that gets me where I want to go. Just my two cents...do with it what you will ! Good luck! Happy hunting! Be safe! Jeff


I agree this is always the first approach. However, there are times where some people are just afraid of being sued, and the chances of something happening to you is slim. There is a document that can be tailored to the need, it's called a Hold Harmless Agreement aka Liability Waiver. We all sign these types of documents all the time. And sometimes it maybe the difference in getting to a great place.

They are enforcable and act as a defense for the owner to any claims, with the exception of gross negligence on behalf of the owner, like they come out and shoot you, or their dog bites you...unprevoked.

And I am a lawyer, and do give legal advise. I have 4 offices and 3 attorneys working for me.

[danhughes]

I agree this is always the first approach. However, there are times where some people are just afraid of being sued, and the chances of something happening to you is slim. There is a document that can be tailored to the need, it's called a Hold Harmless Agreement aka Liability Waiver. We all sign these types of documents all the time. And sometimes it maybe the difference in getting to a great place.

They are enforcable and act as a defense for the owner to any claims, with the exception of gross negligence on behalf of the owner, like they come out and shoot you, or their dog bites you...unprevoked.

And I am a lawyer, and do give legal advise. I have 4 offices and 3 attorneys working for me.


Thanks, Rob. So please tell me - what happens if you sign a hold harmless, you step in a hole and break your ankle, and your insurance company finds you have signed a waiver. Who pays your medical bills?

[russellt]

i would tell my insurance co that i broke my ankle digging a latrine . its absolutely none of their concern how i injured myself. i got permission to hunt an old homeplace today . i introduced myself with my full name and told them where i live. then i just simply asked if i could bring over my metal detector and hunt around the old homeplace. he asked what are you looking for . i said its just a hobby and im looking for anything but mostly old coins ... it went good from there . all you have to do is be respectfull and polite..

[danhughes]

Russell, you advocate lying to your insurance company?

It is absolutely their business as to what happened, because they are paying the medical bills and they have every right to use the courts to attempt to get that money back if they feel your injury was due to the negligence of a third party.

[RobW]

Dan,

you just said it yourself...if it was due to the negligence of a third party...which is what I said, but if you step in a whole and sprain your ankle...that's your own fault and your agreeing to hold the homeowner harmless....

I've never had anyone ask me specifics when I sprain an ankle or whatever...yep steped on it wrong...and that's it

Dan you must work for an insurance company...they screw us enough and your worried about them?

If the world operated the way your saying Dan, then you'd never be allowed to go anywhere or do anything. The law just doesn't operate that way...not even here in MA where it's all messed up.

Bottom line is Liability Waivers work, there's a reason they are prolific

Hell I'm not on here to have a legal debate or be verbally attacked...for free...I'd work if I wanted to do that. I was just trying to be helpful to the cummunity members who are appreciative and offer my resources for free,as we are a pretty generous community with each other.

[del]

Dan , who said to make the property owner's sign anything . i agree that will make them alittle nervous the form that i would provide they wouldn't need to :dontknow: the waiver is just a little reassurance to put the property owner at ease like Rob said , personally if i tripped over a hole in the ground and sprained my ankle its my own fault plain and simple . no one forced a gun to my head to go onto the property in the first place and well if the bills came out of my own pocket then so be it , thats just how i roll . i guess i'm one of the few who's not out to scam and make a quick buck by taking advantage of common people .

Dan

[danhughes]

Hell I'm not on here to have a legal debate or be verbally attacked...for free...I'd work if I wanted to do that. I was just trying to be helpful to the cummunity members who are appreciative and offer my resources for free,as we are a pretty generous community with each other.


Never worked for an insurance company, Rob! Just trying to figure out what their reaction would be to such a situation. Didn't mean to attack anybody, just don't want anybody getting into trouble by flashing legal documents and taking the law into their own hands without knowing what they are getting into.

My advice is, if the homeowner asks you about liability, you tell him he may be right, you thank him for his time, and you move on to the next house.