PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR

Yes, hiring a private investigator in the UK is legal, as long as the private investigator abides by the law. Private investigators must operate within legal frameworks such as the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Legally, private investigators don’t need a licence or qualifications. However, it is beneficial to have some training or experience in surveillance.

In the UK, a private investigator can legally do a range of things during their investigation, including:

• Access records – PIs are legally within the jurisdiction to carry out a background check on the person they are investigating. However, this is restricted to publicly available records like criminal records, court documents, and other public information.
• Interviews – private investigators in the UK can find out information on a person through family and friends or word of mouth.
• Surveillance – private investigators have a legal right to follow or track a person on foot or in a vehicle. This provides them with information regarding their case.
• Direct and indirect interaction – this can involve directly interacting with the individual in question by going undercover.
• Search licence plate numbers – PIs are able to search licence plate numbers for specific investigations, but there is a limit on how far this can be used.

Yes, private investigators can conduct background checks, making them an ideal solution if, for example, you want to find out more about the person you’re dating online.

Yes, PIs can use an individual’s social media accounts to gather information, however this information must be publicly available, they must not hack into a person’s social media account.

Private investigators are incredibly discreet due to the nature of their job. Using technology to their advantage, they may use encrypted communication, secure cloud storage, and digital tools to track subjects under the radar. With professional training, inconspicuous vehicles, and disguises, PIs are as discreet as they come.

Although PIs have a lot of flexibility in their investigations, there are some things that are illegal for private investigators in the UK:

• Trespass – private investigators cannot step foot onto private properties without the owner’s permission. It’s illegal for a PI to break into a house for data.
• Make arrests – private investigators aren’t usually allowed to make arrests.
• Track someone with GPS – some conditions allow PIs to use GPS to monitor a person, for example if the owner of the car authorises the PI to use GPS tracking on it, however it is illegal without consent.
• Retrieve phone records – private investigators cannot hack any type of technology such as phones, laptops, email, or social media.
• Acquire medical records – other peoples medical records are not accessible to PIs.
• Obtain credit information – PIs cannot access a person’s personal credit information, if they do, they will be breaking the law.

Yes, private investigators can testify in court, and the evidence gathered is usually admissible. Their testimony can be a significant factor in the outcome of a trial by strengthening a case or raining reasonable doubt.

A private investigation can range from a few days to a weeks or even months. This all depends on the nature of the investigation and the information required.

Private investigators can legally acquire:

• Photos and videos from public places
• Witness statements
• Publicly available information such as from databases and social media

All evidence must be collected lawfully.