The topic of so many Private Investigator related topics, articles and debates. Just how much does (or should) a Private Investigator in the UK cost?

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The cost of hiring a private investigator in the UK can vary based on several factors, including the complexity of the case, the location, the experience of the investigator, and the services required. It is impossible to give an absolute and concise figure, however, I will try to give an outline of the costing involved for the most common enquiries, what may be expected, and why. The below is very much an industry standard and may vary slightly depending on the company.

The first and most important one....

Hourly Rates: Private investigators often charge on an hourly basis. Rates can range from £40 to £140 per hour, depending on the complexity and nature of the investigation. More complex cases, such as background checks or corporate investigations, tend to be charged at a fixed rate. Surveillance however can vary from the bare minimum of £40 per hour to as much as £140 per hour if a large team is needed. Some may be VAT registered, some may not be.

So, what does one get for £40 per hour?

This would usually be the cost for static surveillance and observations, where only one operative is needed to monitor a fixed location over the course of several hours. This may be to monitor a residential address, or a workplace or specific area or place of interest.

The operative will remain static from within their vehicle or observation post throughout, obtaining footage as per the requirement of the client.

That same operative will then usually go home and download their footage, making sure the video and photographic evidence is compiled into a professional and legally binding report with time and date stamp to go with. It is vitally important that all surveillance reports are compiled in such a way that they can be used for legal proceedings in a court of law if needs.

This all falls within the operatives £40 per hour. So let's assume the operative has been booked for 8 hours. That then equates to £320. The operative will often drive 1-2 hours to the job, and then 1-2 hours home. So, now that job has become a 12 hour day. Once home, and as mentioned above the operative now has to download their footage and write the surveillance report for the days observations. This can often vary, depending on how much footage is taken, but more often than not may take up to two hours. So, now that day has become a 14 hour day. Broken down into an hourly rate, that now equates to £22 per hour. Then take into account the likelihood that that the operative may have had to fuel his or her car up, and has decided to grab a meal deal or two on route too, further putting a dent into their initial £320 for the day.

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So what does one get for £50 per an hour or more?

Now we're talking about mobile surveillance. Mobile surveillance is firstly more labour intensive. It can often involve following an individual throughout long periods and distances. Sometimes on and off public transport, into shopping areas, restaurants and so on. This takes a bit more skill, patience and hard work, and therefore naturally comes at a higher cost. It's also worth noting that any mobile surveillance job should require two operatives as a minimum. This is to allow the operatives to work in a safe and professional manner, minimising any risk of exposure and allowing them to work in a more efficient and professional manner. There are certain tactics that are utilised by having two operatives on a job. These tactics simply don't work alone. Deploying just one operative on a mobile surveillance job is often asking for trouble. Have you ever tried to follow anyone alone throughout the course of a day, remaining with eyes on at all times and having them under full control? If not, give it a try, see how you get on.....Then try it with two of you. How much easier and safer is it now.....

So that standard £50 per hour now becomes £100 per hour, or in some cases £90 depending on the company. For much more complex and larger cases, the rate may increase by £40 or £50 per hour, per extra operative needed. Bare in mind that each operative has to go through the exact same process of commuting to the job and back, along with fuelling up and the old meal deal, or two - for those of us that simply don't have time to meal prep because we were up until the early hours finishing yesterdays report!

Day rates: For those job's that require a full 10-12 hours surveillance, a day rate may be offered. A day rate is usually charged at £450-£500 per day, per operative. If the full twelve hours is needed, then this would always be the way to go as it works out slightly cheaper than the hourly rate throughout the course of the 12 hours. For the much larger, corporate job's, that may require several operatives, for several weeks, then this day rate can sometimes be brought down slightly.

On the Job expenses:

So the hourly rate has been agreed. We are now able to start talking about job specifics and expected expenses. All of a sudden the client has said that the subject will likely be getting a train down to Central London. The subject will park on the train station car park and usually travels first class as he likes to work while on the move. The client then goes on to mention that the subject has booked a room at the Dorchester Hotel where he will stay for the night, before returning back the following day. So, who covers this? Does that come out of the operatives hourly rate, or does the client cover this? Of course, it's down to the client!

We can't now expect the operatives out on the job (who's hourly rate of £50 per hour, but is now actually more like £20 per hour once all working hours and daily expenses are taken into account) to cover this. Imagine having to cover a car park payment for the day, then train tickets to and from London, then taxi fares, London underground tickets and 'refreshments' at the Dorchester to finish up the evening - and anything else that happens in-between. Can you imagine...The poor old operatives on the ground would actually be out of pocket. It wouldn't be worth them getting out of bed! While this is more towards the extremes of what may happen on a job, it is not uncommon, and both the client and company should be able to agree a fair and reasonable costing for any on the job expenses. Some may require an allowance upfront, some may be happy with invoicing the exact amount once the job has finished. If it is only a few pounds here and there then most companies would be happy to cover that. Anything more, the client should cover!

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People Traces And Background Checks: Again, these can often vary, depending on the information the client has and the circumstances surrounding the trace or background check required. Standard people traces generally start at around £200, and can be as much as £300. Background Checks start at £500 and can be as much as £800 or £900. In some instances, they can be even higher and run into the thousands if we are carrying out a family tree type of check that involves many family members scattered across several different continents and where birth, marriage and death certificates may be required.

If it is just a very basic people trace to establish where a long lost friend is currently residing, for example, then it should be relatively simple and straightforward to carry out, given that we have some specific identifiers to work off - full name, date of birth, last known address or area from or last known. If, however, it is a bit more complex, and we only have a phone number, email or social media account to work off, it may require more time and resources, and therefore adds a little bit more cost to the trace.

The same with background checks. If you have lot's of information on the person in question and are just looking to confirm their backstory, it may not take as much time and resources as let's say, a typical catfishing case, where you may only have very limited data and details, that may also be fictitious and require us carrying out a more in-depth analysis to initially try and identify the person of interest first. This can often add a full day or two to the whole process.

Any legitimate Private Investigator should talk you through what they can do with the information you have, and therefore be able to also give you a breakdown of cost and timeframe involved. It is worth noting that most Private Investigator companies also work to strict timeframes. People traces are generally turned around within 2-3 days and background checks within a week. If you are chasing a company for results after many weeks and still nothing, you've more than likely been lead down the garden path, lied to and ripped off!

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Type of Investigation: The type of investigation needed affects the cost. Common services include surveillance, background checks, infidelity investigations, and fraud investigations. Surveillance, often required for cheating spouse cases or insurance fraud, tends to be on the higher end of the cost spectrum due to the time and resources involved, as mentioned above.

Location: The cost can also vary based on the location of the investigation. Larger cities or areas with higher living costs generally have higher private investigator fees. The cost of travelling around London for the day is higher than following someone to the cinema in Stoke on Trent for the evening.

Experience and Expertise: Experienced private investigators with a proven track record often charge higher rates. They bring a level of expertise and professionalism that may justify the higher cost. If someone is offering you their services for an unrealistically low price, how and why are they offering that? Has any of the above been taken into account? Are the even going to carry out the investigation? Or are they going to go at it alone armed with the latest I-phone and hope for the best. I'd say the latter is more likely and the client will end up with absolutely de-narda!

Legal and Regulatory Considerations: Private investigators need to adhere to legal and regulatory standards. Compliance with these standards may impact the overall cost, as it may require additional resources or specialized expertise.

Consultation Fees: Some private investigators charge a consultation fee for the initial meeting to discuss the case and assess its complexity. This fee is typically deducted from the total cost if you decide to hire them. We personally don't but having spoke to those who do, the idea is it get's rid of the time wasters, and those have no real intention of hiring a Private Investigator but are happy to take up several hours texting back and forth or on the end of the phone.

Customized Packages: Private investigators may offer customized packages based on the specific needs of the case. These packages can be bundle services and provide a more cost-effective solution for clients. We generally don't offer a package as such for surveillance, but may do so for block bookings of background checks and people traces. It's essential to communicate openly with us about your budget and expectations to ensure you receive the services you need within a reasonable cost framework. Always request a clear breakdown of fees and any potential additional costs that may arise during the investigation. It's important that you have a full understanding.

Remember, hiring a private investigator is an investment, and it's crucial to balance cost considerations with the need for reliable and accurate information. We understand that many want "just a picture" or piece of information, but to get that "just a picture" there is a whole process we must go through to get to that point. It involves time, planning, resources, people, skill, patience, equipment, and often plenty of caffeine!

As is always the case, ring around, do your research, check the company out on Google and Companies House, dig into their social media and reviews, get a feel for who you are talking to. Do your due-diligence. Don't be afraid to ask questions, and don't hand over you hard earned money and savings to the first person you came across via a paid ad, who then pushes you for your credit card details within minutes of being on the phone! In-fact, with those those types, run a mile!

As always, if you have any questions or queries and feel you may need some form of assistance or advice from a Private Investigator, don't hesitate to get in touch. We are always on hand and happy to at least advise!



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