Is a license really necessary, as you said the councils don't enforce it.
When the councils realize that they have to do some work for the money that they are being paid, what will happen then.
You will find that the council will bring in more and more regulations, which won't be to helpful to your window cleaner but because the council is now working harder then their costs will increase and the license fee will rise also.
The police wanted the license for what reason? every burglar went around in the disguise of a window cleaner, I think not.
What about the builders-Plumbers-Roofers-Gardeners and those nice people who have a little bit of tarmac leftover and they can relay your driveway for a bargain price? why can't they be licensed as well? or are only crooks window cleaners?
On condition of being issued a license you should be of good character, and not have a criminal record, what about the people who when they were 15-16-17- or 20 broke the law and got caught.
Now 10-15-20- or even 40 years later they can't put their past behind them and move forward in their lives?
Having a license might seem a good idea but will the customer be protected from a cleaner who is rude-arrogant, misses some of their windows when he suppose to clean them, will the license stop them? I think not.
Will the license protect the cleaner from being under paid for the job, because the customers thinks that £3.00 a house is more than enough?
What happens when the council decides what a cleaner can charge?
How will they work out the right rate for the job. Will they look at someone like Turbo Terry. They can see that he can clean a front window in under 5 seconds, so a whole house should take no more than 8 minutes, and because you can clean 5 houses an hour, and the average wage in that area for someone self employed is £25.00 per hour, you should only charge £5.00 per house.
What will happen if the council decides that your equipment should undergo a MOT type test? which you have to pay for.
What happens if the councils says you have to wear a uniform? they also decide what the uniform should be. You can't wear shorts or a t-nutss in the summer?
You all might think this is far fetched, but it has happened in other industries.
Yes the public need protecting from the crooks, but licensing is not the answer.
If you phone your local council about finding a window cleaner they will recommend that they should have insurance and try to use someone who is recommended to you be a neighbour, friend or family, if you still don't know of any they say look in yellow pages.
They don't say telephone the FWC or APWA or any other association that have window cleaners on their books.
The window cleaning industry does not need more rules and regulations, its needs common sense.