Licensed private investigators handling surveillance, tracing and background checks across London and the whole of the UK. Discreet, court-ready findings from a professional team, with one dedicated investigator on every matter.
Fully Accredited
IAAR, UK-PSA and SoFI members, working to recognised professional standards.
Digital Forensics
ISO 27001 compliant lab for court-admissible digital findings.
Dedicated Investigator
One contact who manages your investigation from start to finish.
Fast Response
Most investigations start immediately after your first conversation.
A private investigator is a licensed professional who gathers facts, findings and intelligence on behalf of individuals, businesses and legal firms. People often ask whether a detective and an investigator are different roles. They are not.
The two titles describe the same job, and our team use them interchangeably. Whether you use one title or the other, you are looking for the same accredited professional. British investigators work under the same laws whichever label they use.
Our private investigators handle a wide range of situations.
An investigator can carry out covert surveillance, trace a missing relative, verify someone's background before a contract, document infidelity for a matrimonial matter, or investigate corporate fraud inside a company.
Every matter is built around findings that stand up to scrutiny, gathered lawfully and recorded properly. That is the standard our clients expect and the standard our team deliver on each assignment.
Most people who contact our team are dealing with something sensitive. It might be a marriage in trouble, a relative who has disappeared, or a claim that looks dishonest. In every one of those situations, absolute discretion is not a nice extra. It is the whole point.
Your first conversation is protected, your details are never shared, and our professional team works so the subject of an enquiry stays unaware that anything is taking place.
That confidence is what allows the proof to be genuine rather than staged for the camera.
Confidentiality runs through the way we are set up as a company. We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office, we store case material securely, and we limit access to your file to the investigators actually working on it.
Many private investigator clients are reassured that we can act for solicitors under legal privilege.
The investigation sector is not as tightly regulated as people assume, and standards vary widely between firms.
Before you instruct any investigator, it is worth asking a few simple questions about confidence, accreditation and method.
Are they registered with the ICO for data protection? Do they hold recognised professional memberships? Will they give you a written quote and a clear scope before any fieldwork starts? A reputable private investigation agency will answer all of them without hesitation.
Anyone who is vague, or who talks about accessing private bank records or medical records they could not lawfully obtain, should be avoided. The right investigators protect both you and the proof, because work carried out improperly can be ruled inadmissible.
Our Services
Our private investigators handle personal investigations for individuals and commercial investigations for a business. Each of these investigation services is delivered by an investigator with direct experience, and every one of our services is tailored to your matter.
Covert surveillance is one of the most requested surveillance services, and these surveillance services suit legal, corporate and private matters. Our team record movements, meetings and activity using discreet photography and video, then present a clear timeline. Operatives run surveillance operations in teams when a matter needs continuous coverage.
Explore surveillanceWhen you need to locate someone, our team trace a current address, confirm an identity or reconnect families. Tracing an asset confirms whether a debtor has anything worth recovering before you spend money pursuing them.
Explore tracingBefore you trust someone, our team confirm the facts. Our background checks verify identity, employment history and address history, and our employment vetting reduces hiring risk.
Explore vettingRelationship matters are handled with care. Our team gather the proof you need, including discreet infidelity investigations, online dating verification and child custody investigations that document the truth.
Explore relationship casesBusinesses instruct our corporate investigation services to protect their interests. Our team handle corporate espionage, intellectual property theft and due diligence, and present findings suitable for board review or legal action.
Explore corporate workA private investigator is often the first step in proving fraud. Our financial investigations document insurance fraud and false claims, and we protect businesses from fraud by combining surveillance, background analysis and forensic analysis.
Explore fraud workFree, confidential and no obligation on any of our investigation services. Our team aims to respond to every enquiry within 4 hours.
Our Standards
Choosing a private investigator is a decision built on trust. You are sharing sensitive information and a private matter, and relying on our team to handle it lawfully and discreetly. Our investigation services are built around that trust, and here is what you get from our services when you instruct us.
We hold membership of the IAAR, UK-PSA and SoFI. These recognised standards bodies set conduct and competence benchmarks, which means our team answer to published codes rather than working unchecked.
Digital material is fragile and easy to challenge if handled carelessly. Our forensic analysis lab follows ISO 27001 certified standards, so messages, files and device data stay court-admissible.
You are assigned one expert investigator who knows your case in detail and stays with you from the first call to the final report. You never explain your situation twice.
Timing often decides whether a matter succeeds. Most investigations begin immediately after your first conversation, so our team can act while the proof is still there.
Every operative works under SIA licensing where the law requires it, and the company is ICO registered for full data protection compliance and your confidence.
We ask only for a deposit to begin, with no large upfront payment beyond that, and you receive a fixed quote before any of our services start.
Clients want to know what actually happens when they hire an investigator. The process below is the same across all our services, the one our team follow on every matter, refined over decades of experience, from a single surveillance shift to a long corporate enquiry.
Your first call with an investigator is confidential and carries no obligation. We listen, ask what you need and explain honestly whether our team can help.
Our team assess the facts, identify the legal boundaries and recommend the approach most likely to get a result.
Your investigator becomes your single point of contact and coordinates everyone working on your matter.
Before any fieldwork starts, you receive a clear written scope with a fixed quote, so there are no surprises.
Most investigations begin straight away. Our team deploy quickly, because waiting can mean losing the proof.
All findings are collected lawfully and to court-admissible standards, with digital material processed in our ISO 27001 compliant lab.
You receive a structured report, usually within 7 days of the work being completed, with the findings set out clearly.
Legal boundaries. A private investigator can observe people in public, photograph activity that is openly visible, trace addresses from lawful sources and document findings. Our team cannot hack accounts, intercept private communications, trespass, impersonate police or obtain protected data unlawfully.
Anyone promising those methods is not operating as a legitimate private investigator. Legitimate criminal investigations remain a matter for the police, and our team work alongside the law rather than around it.
You are kept informed throughout, with direct access to your investigator, at a level that suits you.
Some clients want a short update at the end of each day, while others would rather wait for the final report. Both are fine, and we agree the right approach with you at the start.
When the matter closes, the final report is written in plain language rather than jargon. It sets out what was done, what was found and what the findings support each conclusion, structured so that a solicitor or a court can follow it.
If your matter later goes to court, our team can provide statements and attend to give evidence. In one recent case study, careful reporting on a single case turned months of uncertainty into a clear result.
UK Data
Demand for expert professional investigators is rising as a business and private clients face more fraud, cybercrime and disputes. The figures below show where the work of private investigators today is growing.
Our investigators have worked private cases since 1997, and that experience shows in the quality of the findings and the value each business or client receives on their case. Costs depend on the type of work and how long it takes, so our investigators price each matter on its scope rather than quoting a single flat figure. The guide rates below reflect our standard investigation services.
There are no hidden fees and no hourly rates that quietly run up while you wait. You receive a fixed quote before any work begins, and the free consultation carries no obligation.
Our investigators ask for a deposit to secure your investigation, with the balance due on completion.
For a full breakdown across every service, see our full private investigator costs and pricing guide.
Client Reviews
Comments from clients our team has helped.
Professional, discreet and thorough. The report our investigator provided was exactly what my solicitor needed. I would recommend this agency without hesitation.
They traced someone I had been trying to locate for years. Within a week I had a confirmed address. Brilliant service and very reasonably priced.
Our business used these investigators for a sensitive internal matter. They were methodical, lawful, and the evidence they gathered was court-admissible. First class.
I was nervous about hiring a private investigator but the team put me at ease straight away. The whole process was handled with care, privacy and respect.
Our investigators are headquartered in London at 124 City Road, London EC1V 2NX, and we provide services nationwide. London is our busiest region, and our London investigators cover every borough, but our reach does not stop at the capital.
We have investigators based around the country, so a private investigator can respond locally wherever your matter sits. From London out to the surrounding counties and up through the major cities, you get the same accredited services and the same court-ready standards.
This is nationwide coverage with local expertise, and our services reach every region. The investigator on your matter understands the area as well as the assignment, whether that is a discreet surveillance job in London or a trace on the other side of the country.
Being London based keeps our investigators close to the courts, law firms and the legal professionals we regularly support. Our private detective services and private surveillance investigators operate to the same standard in every region.
People come to a private investigator when they need facts they cannot safely or lawfully get themselves. Some are a private individual facing a personal crisis, others are businesses protecting their position.
Many are solicitors and legal teams building a matter on behalf of a client.
The scenarios below are the most common reasons clients ask our investigators for information and help.
If you recognise your own situation in that list, a short and confidential call with one of our investigators is the quickest way to understand your options.
Tell us a little about your situation and how our services can help, and a private investigator will be in touch. The first conversation is free, completely confidential and carries no obligation.
Prefer to talk now? Call 0800 043 1754, lines open 24/7.
The accreditations behind our investigators are not decoration. They tell you who holds us accountable and how your evidence and your privacy are protected.
Industry memberships. We are members of the IAAR, the UK-PSA and SoFI. These professional associations set ethical and competence standards across the sector, alongside other industry bodies.
That means our investigators answer to recognised bodies rather than working alone and unchecked.
Technical standards. Our forensic analysis work is carried out in an ISO 27001 compliant lab, so digital evidence processing meets recognised international standards. All operatives hold SIA licences where required by law.
Leadership. The company was founded in 1997 by Tim Burchell and has operated as a professional investigation agency and private detective agency ever since, and our detective agency services are trusted across the UK. The company is ICO registered for full compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018. If you ever want to verify our standing, our investigators are happy to share membership information and registration details on request.
There is no single flat fee, because a private investigator prices each matter on its scope. As a guide, surveillance starts from £295 per operative per day, tracing from £120 per trace, and background checks from £195 per check.nnYou receive a fixed quote with no hidden fees before any work begins, and the first conversation is free. For a full breakdown, see our detailed pricing guide.
Yes. Hiring a private investigator is completely legal in the UK. Our investigators comply with the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR, and operate strictly within the law.nnOur investigators are SIA licensed where required, ICO registered, and hold IAAR, UK-PSA and SoFI accreditation. Work must be carried out lawfully for the evidence to be admissible.
The most common name is a private investigator. The two terms mean the same thing and are used interchangeably, and you may also hear the informal term private eye.nnWhatever the label, the role is the same: a licensed professional who gathers evidence and information lawfully for individuals, businesses and legal clients.
A private investigator in the UK typically earns between £25,000 and £45,000 a year, with experienced investigators and those running an agency earning more. Earnings depend on specialism, location and caseload.nnSurveillance and corporate work tend to command higher rates than general enquiries, and self-employed investigators set their own fees.
Yes. Evidence gathered by our investigators is admissible in court when it is collected lawfully, which is central to how our team work. We supply photographic evidence, video evidence, witness statements, background reports and documented timelines, with digital material processed in our ISO 27001 compliant forensics lab.nnFindings can be used in court proceedings, including family court, employment tribunals and civil matters.
Yes, complete confidentiality and privacy are guaranteed. All information is protected under data protection laws, and your dedicated investigator maintains strict confidence throughout.nnWe never disclose client details or investigation activities to third parties, and we can act for solicitors under legal privilege where required.
It depends on the scope of the matter. Many investigations begin immediately after your consultation and agreement on scope, and our team do not impose lengthy waiting periods.nnA simple trace can conclude within days, while extended matters may run over several weeks until the evidence is secured and the findings are ready.
Talk to a private investigator today about your situation. Our expert services cover the whole of the UK, the first conversation is free and it carries no obligation. Every matter is handled in strict confidence, a dedicated investigator is assigned from the start, and most investigations begin immediately. Our investigators aim to respond to every enquiry within 4 hours.
Lines open 24/7. Discreet, professional and accredited.
Working as accredited private investigators since 1997, founded by Tim Burchell. More about our team.
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