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How Much a Private Investigator Costs: Common Cases + What to Pay

Private Investigator Cost

Most people often have questions about Private Investigators' services. Those questions relate to an Investigator's role in gathering evidence or uncovering hidden information in many instances. However, one question gets asked more than any other: How much does a Private Investigator Cost? After all, investigations take time and resources, which cost money. If you need an inquiry and are wondering about the cost of a Private Investigator, this article is for you.

How much is Private Investigators?

Like most services, the cost of hiring Reading, ( Berkshire ) Private Investigators is determined by various factors. Below, we examine some of the many variables that can determine what Private Investigators cost. Keep in mind that there may be any number of other factors involved in determining the actual price for private investigation services in your area. Always do your due diligence to understand the total costs involved in any private investigation before you commit to hiring an Investigator.

Private Investigators are specialized professionals trained and licensed to conduct surveillance, collect evidence, and use specialized databases to look into cheating, child custody cases, missing people, and pre-employment checks. In short, if you need to get to the bottom of something, a Private Investigator can help you.

Private Investigators are specialized professionals trained and licensed to conduct surveillance, collect evidence, and use specialized databases to look into matters such as cheating, child custody cases, missing people, and pre-employment checks. In short, if you need to get to the bottom of something, a Private Investigator can help you.

This post examines four different payment structures Private Investigators use and how much it costs to hire a Private Investigator to investigate six popular case types.

How Much Does a Private
Investigator Cost?

Across all cases, the cost of hiring a Private Investigator in the U.K. ranges from £40 - 200£ per hour. Trustworthy, Affordable, Reliable Private Detective And Investigation Services, the largest national network of licensed Private Investigators, charges between £69/hour and £79/hour.

Retainers for most agencies range from £500-£2800, depending on the type of case. Trustworthy, Affordable, Reliable Private Detective And Investigation Services' average case cost is 7 hours at £79/hour, or £553.00 with no retainer (we don't charge one). Surveillance cases will run higher, while research cases will run lower, depending on the circumstances.

How much a Private Investigator cost depends on the work you want done and the case's location. If you wish to hire a private detective to find records or property, follow someone, investigate infidelity, or find a lost relative, you'll need to know how Investigators charge and for your case.

Common Causes and Their Costs

We've handled many cases with Trustworthy, Affordable, Reliable Private Detective And Investigation Services. To help you understand how much you can expect to pay for a Private Investigator's services in handling common cases, we've compiled some typical case costs based on our hourly rate of £79-£99 (we charge hourly, with a small setup fee - we do not charge a retainer). We've also included some general notes on different cases and a rough guide to prices from other agencies to help you compare our methods to the rest of the industry.

Locating Someone

Typical case length: 4-8 hours

Typical cost: £316 - £632

Finding someone can include processing serving, a skip trace for a court matter, locating a runaway child, or just seeing an old friend.

A locate case can vary significantly in cost. Often 4-8 hours or more of work is expected for this case, and this will fluctuate depending on how much information you have on the person you're searching for and other factors affecting the difficulty of the case.

Most Reading, ( Berkshire ) Investigators will use the hourly rate payment structure to locate someone and may charge you for expenses. (like 

Learn more about this service.

Surveillance, Infidelity, and Following People

Typical case length: 4-18 hours

Typical cost: £316 - £1242

Each case is different. Surveillance cases can be unpredictable, but generally speaking, the more information about the person of interest's (P.O.I.'s) habits and personal life that the Investigator has, the faster they can investigate.

Most agencies will charge a retainer for cases like this that tend to range anywhere from £1,000 - £5,000, with an hourly rate charged against that retainer. We charge an hourly rate at Trustworthy, Affordable, Reliable Private Detective And Investigation Services (discount for more prolonged cases). Our whole post breaks down what you can expect to be billed to have someone followed.

Learn more about this service.

Locating Birth Parents or Adopted Children

Typical case length: 2-10 hours

Typical cost: £158 - £790

The cost of a case of this nature depends on several critical factors: how long it has been since the last contact and the availability of essential records (like birth certificates). A quick digital investigation can locate someone in an hour or so if the case is recent. On the other hand, if the person you're looking for was born some time ago and you have little information, the case can run a little longer.

Because these cases can be lengthy and complex, most agencies charge a retainer, usually from £5,000-£10,000, and then charge hourly against this sum.

Again, at Trustworthy, Affordable, Reliable Private Detective And Investigation Services , we will charge our hourly rate, discounted for more prolonged cases. To help get your case started, you can also look at our online investigative guide.

Learn more about this service.

In-Depth Background Checks and Research

Typical case length: 4-8 hours

Typical cost: £316 - £632

The cost of a proper, in-depth background check from a Private Investigator depends primarily on what you're looking for and what you have to do. If you're looking for things like phone records, court records, or other detailed information, these will affect the final price of the case. The more detail you seek and the less information you have to get started, the more likely your case will cost.

You may wonder why this price is higher than the online search services you found online. A background check by a Private Investigator costs more because, rather than quickly combing over public records and outdated databases, you'll have an experienced human with information that an average civilian can't access working on your case. Of course, there are better ways to perform a free background check, but if the background check is essential, you should use a Private Investigator.

Learn more about this service.

Getting Phone Records or Tracing Cell Phones

Typical case length: -

Typical cost: -

Cell phone records used to be available until 2006 for a nominal sum by licensed Investigators - but the law changed, and now different methods are required.

These days, Investigators can use tools, guesswork, and human intelligence to determine what carrier a phone number is on and to whom it is registered. They can also use other surveillance and investigation methods to investigate who someone might be contacting (the preferred method). 

Learn more about this service.

Tracking a Cell Phone

Typical case length: -

Typical cost: -

It's illegal for a Private Investigator to track someone's phone without the owner's permission. If you need to track someone's phone, we have an article covering surveillance instead. Generally speaking, management is on manageable legal grounds like cell phone tracking, and pictures make much better evidence that can be used in court if taken correctly.

Learn more about this service.

How to Hire a Private Investigator

Ready to Hire a Private Investigator? Here are a few things you should know, whether you hire a Private Investigator through Trustworthy, Affordable, Reliable Private Detective And Investigation Services or not.

1. Check Their Reviews or Get a Recommendation. There are unscrupulous Investigators out there - and even fake ones! (You can check Trustworthy, Affordable, Reliable Private Detective And Investigation Services'reviews on Trustpilot.)
2. Check their license. Some research cases do not require a licensed Investigator - but if the issue is on location or requires experience and specialized database access, you should make sure they are approved they will be operating throughout the case. Here's a handy guide on licensing information for each city. 
3. Ask about confidentiality and security. Make sure you are comfortable with their procedures, including how they plan to communicate with you throughout the case, how they intend to send you their final report, and what their skills are with undercover work if they will be insensitive, covert situations.
4. Ask about their experience and training. Private Investigators that operate illegally or unethically can get you in trouble or harm your case. Ask them about using G.P.S. (Global Positioning System, an accurate worldwide navigational and surveying facility based on the reception of signals from an array of orbiting satellites.), trackers, hacking intocell phones, and techniques. These three techniques are all legally restricted and prohibited in most circumstances. 
5. Ask about insurance. Many cities have insurance requirements for licensed Investigators. Insurance is optional for some cases, but if it is, you should ask about it and ensure they have the required coverage.
6. A good Private Investigator will discuss your expectations before money changes hands. Sometimes, it is impossible to achieve all your goals, and you should be aware of what's possible before the case begins.

Typical Private Investigator Fees

Private Investigators will typically charge for their work using a combination of one of these four common pricing structures. For example, it's not uncommon to have a retainer combined with an hourly rate or expenses included in an hourly rate - be sure to confirm this with your Investigator before you begin your case.

Note: Trustworthy, Affordable, Reliable Private Detective And Investigation Services charge from £69-£79 an hour for our Private Investigator's services, excluding expenses, with no retainer. This fee includes dedicated case support and extensively vetted Investigators to help you get what you need.

Hourly Rates

Generally, hourly rates for Private Investigators range between £40-£200 nationwide. However, hourly rates change depending on your location, the Investigator or agency you hire, the difficulty of the case, whether you'll have more than one Investigator on the subject, and even the time of year.

Most Investigators and agencies (including Trustworthy, Affordable, Reliable Private Detective And Investigation Services ) will adjust their hourly rate based on factors like overall hours purchased, the price of gas, and expected risks to the Investigator's safety. Most agencies (like Trustworthy, Affordable, Reliable Private Detective And Investigation Services ) reduce hourly prices if you hire them for many hours. It is vital since investigations involving tactics like surveillance can take a significant time.

Note: Most hourly rates usually don't include any extra fees that an Investigator might incur, but Trustworthy, Affordable, Reliable Private Detective And Investigation Services will cover the average expenses a Private Investigator may charge (outlined later in this post).

Flat Fees and Rates

A Private Investigator or agency may charge a flat fee for straightforwardly complete services. A flat-rate pricing structure should also cover other expenses to complete your case in the private investigation industry. The sorts of issues that often attract a flat fee include:

• Background Checks

• G.P.S. (Global Positioning System, an accurate worldwide navigational and surveying facility based on the reception of signals from an array of orbiting satellites.) Monitoring

• License Plate Searches

•  Confirming a Cell Phone Number

•  Employment Checks

Retainers

Retainers can vary from £1,000 to over £5,000 per case, depending on the Investigator's or agency's policy and the work you need to be completed. 

Some Investigators will charge against your retainer and refund anything they don't use, while others will keep the total amount, whether or not they use all of it. If the services that the Private Investigator agreed to provide for you exceed the cost of your retainer or the investigation incurs expenses exceeding the value of the retainer, you'll most likely be charged for them.

At Trustworthy, Affordable, Reliable Private Detective And Investigation Services, we do not charge a retainer - - just a one-time £50 processing fee to get your case started, and then charge you at an hourly rate after that.

Expenses

About charges, talk to your Investigator. Some of the ordinary costs include:

• The client pays tolls.
• Air Fare - If your Investigator has to fly to your job site, you should expect to pay the plane ticket bill.
• Hotel Fees - If your job requires an Investigator to spend the evening in a hotel, you should expect to cover their room.
• Court Appearances - If your Investigator has to testify, they usually will charge for their time in court, either with a flat fee or hourly rate.
• Administrative Costs - Some Investigators will charge for things like mailing evidence, faxing, and administrative staff. Typically, this ranges from £50-£150.
• Database Fees - if your Investigator uses private databases in their search, they may also charge you for any fees they had to pay to use the database.

You must get an itemized invoice at the end of your investigation to ensure you can account for all expenses your Investigator may have changed.

This guide has given you a good idea of your case's cost. If you still need clarification, that's OK - the cost of each case tends to be determined on a sound, case-by-case basis. It is best to talk to a professional and see what they say. You can get a free case estimate right here, anytime. , anytime. 

Reading, ( Berkshire ) Private Investigator & Investigation Services

Reading, ( Berkshire ) Private Investigator, the brilliant unit of Spetsnaz Security International Limited, has opened the gateways for having the best support in getting complete private investigations developed by highly qualified and strenuously trained Investigators. They take total pressure to relieve the clients by providing the best work through innovative personal investigation services in the region. Spetsnaz Security International Limited offers the services of an expert to overcome real issues related to numerous threats multiplied in organizations through unknown ways.

• Corporate Surveillance Services
• Anti-Counterfeiting Investigations
• Trademark, Design & Patent Infringement Investigation
• IP Enforcement Actions
• Insurance Claim Investigation
• Corporate Due Diligence Investigation
• Personal Detective Services
• Corporate Investigations
• Human Resources Investigations
• Internal Investigation (undercover)
• Insurance Investigations
• Information Gathering and Data Research
• Legal Services or Process Servers
• Background & Asset Check
• Missing Persons Investigations

Reading, ( Berkshire ) Private Investigator: Restrictions for Investigations

Private investigations in Reading, ( Berkshire ) conducted under the strict compliance of governing rules and laws of the country which prohibit us from driving:

• Stalking: Our Investigators are not responsible for conducting stalking of the person or statement, which shouldn't be given to the client but can be given to governmental police personnel.
• Bugging and Tapping: This highly illegal and defamed activity is always avoided by our lawful Private Investigator in Reading, ( Berkshire ) working for Spetsnaz Security International Limited in the territory.