Private Investigators UK
25 Years Experience With Male & Female Private Detectives Available
At Private Investigators UK we are a collection private detectives and private investigators who operate in the UK and we are here to help you. Each private investigator is highly trained and vastly experienced. Whatever your situation we can provide the information you need to help you move on in your life. We have been in the private detective industry for over 25 years and have huge experience in many different areas of private detection and investigation. We can offer the most highly skilled and dedicated private investigators UK can provide, offering both the services of male and female private detectives.

We understand that it can be difficult making the phone call into our agency but please be assured you will be greeted by one of our understanding and professional private detectives and investigators in the strictest of confidence and in complete privacy. For our team of trusted private investigators to conduct a free private and confidential consultation please give us a call.
FREE Professional Expert Advice Call 020 3633 2458
Private Investigator Services in the United Kingdom
Private Investigators in the UK
During the consultation we will talk about your situation and offer you solutions to fulfil your expectations. We may suggest a private investigation, provide you with surveillance and vehicle tracking or if you are looking for a missing person we can help you locate them.
Whatever the solution we provide, your own case manager will be with you throughout to give you help and support you might need. Whatever your situation we can help you gain peace of mind so contact us at Private Investigators UK, we are waiting for your call.
Private Investigators UK are also able to help clients with international private investigator services through Utec Private Investigators in Denmark.
Private Investigator FAQs
Private investigators first known agency, Le Bureau de Renseignements Universels pour le commerce et l’Industrie, was founded in 1833 by French soldiers Eugene Francois Vidocq Who was also a criminal and privateer. This private investigator agency hired ex-convicts who carried out investigations and other private detective duties but were frowned upon by the official law enforcement who tried to shut down the operation on many occasions. On one occasion in 1842, after solving a case of embezzlement, Vidocq was arrested by police for suspicion of unlawful imprisonment and taking money on false pretences.
He was sentenced to five years imprisonment and fined 3,000 francs; he was later released by the Court Of Appeals. At the time Vidocq was doubtful of the conviction and felt that he had been set up. Despite his negative past his attributes include introducing record keeping, criminology and ballistics into criminal investigations.
Along with making the first plaster cast of a shoe and he created a form of anthropometry that is still used by the French police force today and through his own printing company, he invented indelible ink and unchangeable bond paper. Through the private detective company that Vidocq set up in France the private investigator industry was born.
Most of the early private investigators acted as police in cases where the client thought that police officers were not interested or prepared to do.
Many of the roles undertaken by these modern private detectives included helping businesses with labour disputes and in many cases they were employed as armed security guards.
Later in 1852,Charles Frederick Field, a private investigator in London, started an enquiry office when he retired from the Metropolitan Police.
Field was a friend of the writer Charles Dickens who would often accompany police officers on their nightly rounds and in 1851 Dickens wrote a short essay “On Duty with Inspector Field” and it is suggested that he based his “Bleak House” character Inspector Bucket on Field.
Over the pond in the United States, Allan Pinkerton set up the Pinkerton National Detective Agency in 1850 and became famous when he uncovered and hindered an assassination attempt on the then President-elect Abraham Lincoln in 1861. Services provided by Pinkerton National Detective Agency included undercover investigations, crime detection and supplying security guards who were often armed. Among the many private investigators that formed the workforce of Pinkerton National Detective Agency in 1856 Pinkerton hired the first female private detective in America, Kate Warne.
It is understood that in the United States in the late 19th century during the union unrest Pinkerton private detectives were made available for hire as armed security guards for companies to protect them. After the Homestead Riots of 1892 several states brought in “Anti Pinkerton” laws restricting the use of imported security guards during union strikes. The federal Anti Pinkerton Act of 1893 prohibits an “individual employed by the Pinkerton Detective Agency or similar organisation” from being employed. Pinkerton agents were hired to track down outlaws like Jesse James, the Reno brothers, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
The term “Private Eye” comes from the Pinkerton logo of an eye adorned with the words “We Never Sleep”.
Across the rest of the world many private investigators are required to be licensed. Depending on local laws many private investigators can be armed. Some private investigators are former police officers while others are former spies, have worked for the military or are former bodyguards or security guards. In many countries private detectives do not have the same authority as their police force and are often limited to the power of a citizen’s arrest. The main role of a private detective is to keep detailed notes and photographic evidence and be prepared to testify in court what they have seen on their client’s behalf. The private investigator needs to ensure they are up to date with the laws and regulations that are in place in the area they are working in as an investigator can face criminal charges if they break the law.
If you wish to choose a career working in the security industry and you are looking for private investigator jobs you will need certain traits and they include a sound analytical mind, good observation skills and a keen interest in problem-solving. Private investigator jobs are varied and cover a wide range of topics from divorce investigation cases through to fraud investigation. In many cases private investigator jobs involve a lot of routine work and a private detective needs to possess a lot of patience and exhibit perseverance to carry out the work. Investigators deal with client’s who may be stressed or emotional so the role requires empathy and tact. Many private detectives work on a self-employed basis and are hired to work on particular investigator jobs by private investigator companies like Private Investigators UK based in London. Private investigator work experience and education related to a private detective job is not necessary; however, a background in police jobs or employment the security industry can be of great benefit. For more information about private detective and investigator jobs please call 020 3633 2458.
If you have a suspicion that your spouse is cheating then, Greenwich located, Private Investigators UK can investigate to see if your suspicions of cheating are correct.
During your private call to us our infidelity private investigator will discuss your situation and during the consultation may ask if any of the six most common signs of cheating are among your suspicions. These signs of cheating include a change in intimacy, suspicious phone habits, change in style of dress or personal grooming, secretive internet use, changes of work hours or more overtime and if they shower as soon as they return home. Our experienced private investigators can help provide evidence of a cheating spouse through infidelity surveillance investigations. Hiring a private investigator to investigate your suspicions of a cheating husband or wife is a quick and easy method of investigation that can get the answers you need to stop the pain of this situation. Through an infidelity investigation we can help you deal with this emotional time by providing fast professional results. Give our friendly team a call now on 020 3633 2458 or message us at cheating spouse@www.private-investigators-uk.com.
You may have thought about becoming a private investigator as you are looking for a new career or you could be interested in starting your own business. Private Investigators UK in Islington have put together some answers to questions you may have about investigation training, qualifications or even prospects in the industry. Private investigator training is available for those looking to become a private detective but have no background in the industry, those who have a police background, have had experience working in HM Forces, HM Customs or even for your local authority. Private investigative training will give you training for employment within the private investigation industry. A good CV that has all your achievements noted down, this includes not only your academic qualifications but also any experiences that you have had is a must, but remember not to get too carried away as your prospective employer has the ability to check up on you! The role of a private investigator is vast and encompasses a wide range of investigative duties. Many companies require a good investigator from credit reference agencies to banks and from insurance companies to charities. There are great opportunities around and you may already have the skills to step into your new job with only a small amount of extra training from a private investigation course. Give us a call today on 020 3633 2458 or drop us a line on how to become@london-private investigators.co.uk
Looking for a cheap private investigator who is value for money can be difficult but at Manchester based Private Investigators UK you will always get the best detective services. Our cheap private detective services are based on the information provided by our customers. To enable us to give you the best but cheap private detective services we need a clear picture of your situation. Taking the time to give us the whole story will give you the best investigator fees and ensure high standards and a timely service. Our private investigator fees are transparent as we believe in being open about our services so that you know exactly what you need to pay and exactly what you are getting for your money.
We are a caring private investigator company and enjoy building a friendly and professional relationship with our customers. Getting to know you means getting to know more about your needs and requirements and how we can best fulfil them. From the very first time you speak with us at Private Investigators UK on 020 3633 2458 you will understand that although we offer cheap private detective services we are by no means a quick fix, one solution suits all type of private detectives. Our costs do vary from case to case but, after all, everyone is different and so are their situations. If you would like to discuss your situation via email please send us a message to cheap@www.private-investigators-uk.com or chat with us online.
This particular question is difficult to answer without understanding exactly what our client needs. In order for us to find out the best solution and cost we need to fully understand their situation. For example, if a client’s situation is such that a surveillance investigation is required, our professional private detectives and investigators would organise the assignment according to their requirements. The private investigator costs and fees will be calculated by the amount of hours to be booked, how many agents are required and the planning of the assignment. The costs will include travel to and from the surveillance start location, the number of vehicles, recording equipment, report preparation and all communication with the client. A set fee usually starts from £55.00 per hour but this rate can vary due to the particulars of the operation and any extra expenses.
We accept payment for services through the following forms:
- Debit / Credit Cards including VISA, MASTERCARD and MAESTRO
- Cheque
- Electronic Bank Transfer
- Cash into our Bank
- PayPal
For more information and a free quote of costs and fees please call our professional team on 020 3633 2458 or email us at quote@www.private-investigators-uk.com.
Taking a private investigator training course is one approach to becoming a private detective, especially if you have no background in investigation work. Private Investigators UK based in London take an interest in individuals undertaking City and Guilds investigative training qualifications. Private investigation courses for training can be carried out through distance learning online or through your local college. We can provide you with more help and advice on where to find the appropriate investigation courses by calling 020 3633 2458 or by emailing courses@www.private-investigators-uk.com. Private Investigation License Private Investigators UK, based in Manchester, understand that the Government, through the SIA (Security Industry Authority) have implemented licensing of the private security industry sectors including manned guards, Door Supervisors and Close Protection Officers. However, there is no licensing for private investigators at present, but many private investigators have SIA licenses for security.
To enable the SIA to ensure that their objectives of these private security industry sectors and that of the Private Investigator sector of delivering services of high standards to their customers, be a model of good practice and continue to develop in order to continue with looking into implementing licensing for Private investigators is to become a Government priority. In order to apply and receive an SIA licence, which costs £220.00 for 3 years, the individual must have the right to work in the UK and will be required to pass the “Fit and Proper Person” test and a “Test of Competency”. The British Standard for the Provision of Investigative Services recommends that the competence needed to complete relevant tasks has already been shown by the individual through conducting investigations, interviews, surveillance techniques, searching and recording of information and knowledge and understanding of the law. If you, a private investigator, would like more information about how to gain a security licensing, please give us a call on 020 3633 2458 or send us a message on licensed@www.private-investigators-uk.com.
If you are looking into becoming a private investigator in London you will be interested in the average salary that can be earned. Depending on your experience, knowledge of the law and training as a private detective salaries vary. As a trainee private detective at Private Investigators UK in Birmingham you will get a lower salary and can expect an income of around £16,000 per year. More experienced private investigators should expect an increased salary of £25,000 per year and the highest salaries in the industry are in the region of £50,000 to £100,000 per year and for this you would be required to have extensive training, knowledge and legal expertise to be awarded this. If you would like to find out more please call 020 3633 2458 or send an email to info@www.private-investigators-uk.com.
Seeking employment working as a private detective or private investigator in the UK does not require a private investigator license in the UK.
However, the SIA (Security Industry Authority) has been requested by the British Government to extend their monitoring of the UK security industry services, through licensing, to the private investigator sector of the industry. Licensing by the Government for private investigators is subject to Ministerial approval but training centers around the UK are urging practicing private investigators to undertake the necessary training now so they can continue to work in the industry without any inconvenient gaps in services to their clients.
Employment opportunities in the private investigator sector are vast, as are the opportunities to train to become a private investigator and private detective courses.
Many private detective or private investigator roles such as undercover investigators, criminal investigators and polygraph examiners will require full training but other roles can be undertaken through trainee positions within a private investigator agency and if you have experience in law enforcement or in HR Forces private detective course will provide short courses to bring you up to speed.
Contrary to popular belief,private investigation jobs are not just finding evidence of adultery, although this is a large area of their work, there are many fields of expertise that go relatively unnoticed and include insurance investigators to look into suspicious claims,investigative due diligence for business background checks,fraud investigations for both private and business clients and those investigators who work as credit (finance) investigators responsibilities.
Many private investigators are hired to engage in a variety of tasks that are not usually associated to the security industry by the public. These jobs include those private detectives that are involved in process serving which is the personal delivery of legal documents, such as court summons, divorce papers and statutory demands. Many agencies specialise in tracing missing people and tracing debtors who have absconded.
There are private investigators who are professional witnesses and provide the court with information and evidence they have gathered for a case through observations. TSCM (Technical Surveillance Counter Measures)or bug sweeping is another area that a specialised private investigator will carry out an investigation into the location of hidden electronic devices, remove and destroy them.
This type of investigative work is carried out by those private investigators that have had previous experience inintelligence and counter-intelligence. Often these same private investigators can install eavesdropping equipment and devices as a tool in organised crime investigation. Corporate investigators specialize in corporate matters that include fraud investigation, loss prevention, and internal investigations – often into employee misconduct. The protection of a company includes information, intellectual property and trade secrets, copyright issues, due diligence investigations, malware and cyber criminal acts and finally computer forensics.
An undercover investigator,undercover detective or undercover agent is a person who conducts an undercover operation into those suspected of criminal activity. The undercover investigator will often infiltrate a suspected criminal group and disguise themselves as a person interested in goods or services with the goal of gaining information and evidence of a suspect. The tools of an undercover investigator often include a hidden camera called a body camera or recorder that they wear concealed under their clothing to record all the evidence.
Undercover operations can take months or even years so it is imperative that the true identity of the undercover investigator remains concealed as this can be a dangerous job. Undercover investigators are also used to investigate employees for bogus sick leave, abuse of fellow colleagues and espionage.
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Why Pick Private Investigators UK?
Private Investigators For Hire
It is also important to decide whether to hire a local or a non-local private investigator. If you find a local firm, make sure to ask them about their private investigators’ availability for hire, and the range of their professional services offered. If they are unavailable, you might have to hire a non-local private detective, which might involve extra costs. However, a non-local national firm can conduct a wider investigation into the matter.
Private Investigation Surveillance Availability
Surveillance is another service often requested by the UK pi’s clientele. During the process, a private investigator follows the subject, keeping tabs on them and recording them via a camera or a listening device. Surveillance can also be digital, which involves monitoring the subject’s digital activity. If your subject is not in the UK, make sure to confirm that the firm you are employing performs internationally-based surveillance, and be prepared to incur higher costs for travelling expenses.
Hiring a private investigator may seem expensive, especially if you take into account the additional expenses incurred, but it is important to remember that a seemingly cheap private detective might not perform the services as well as the one who charges their customers slightly more. A good, successful private investigator would have a lot of field experience and skills pertaining to the occupation, which is essentially what you are paying for. Also, in the private investigation business, various kinds of training are very important, because the training can help expand the clientele as new skills are acquired. If a private investigator charges more than you were hoping for, it usually means that he or she is very experienced and trained.
Costs To Employ A Private Detective
How much it costs to employ a private detective depends on the services offered by the agency, as well as the costs incurred during those services. The most popular services are background checks and surveillance. A cheap private detective would most likely do the most basic background check on a subject, so it is not a good idea to hire a cheap private investigator if you are looking for a thorough investigation. If the subject of the job is located abroad, make sure to check with the agency that they do international-based background checks, as well as national.
If you feel that you are in need of the services of a private investigator, then the cost of hiring one will be among the main factors to consider in the initial stages before hiring anyone.
Private detective costs usually vary from practice to practice depending on the experience and skills of each detective. Private investigator wages are also influenced by the nature of the case in question as well as the amount of time to be invested. Since as a customer you have no idea of the cost items included in the calculations of the cost charged by a private detective, we will look at some of the items that go on to the final bill you have to cover.
Private Detective Cost Per Hour
In most cases, private investigators bill their clients using an hourly rate. This rate is mostly used on assignments that require the investigator to work around the clock gathering evidence such as surveillance. This system is also used in cases where the services of more than one investigator will be needed to get the necessary evidence sought by the client. The hourly rate is usually determined by the skill level required for the investigation among others. Tracing missing persons is a great example of a case where the hourly charge is used.
Private Detective Cost Per Day
Some cases on the other hand are billed using a fixed cost. These cases usually use a per day rate. Private investigators use this rate for cases that require seemingly mundane tasks to complete. Any case that requires the investigator to sit at their computer conducting research is categorized here. Vehicle tracing, background checks and bug sweeps at home in the car or office are great examples of where a daily rate is applicable. The daily rate just as the hourly rate covered above will vary depending on the complexity of the assignment at hand.
Private Investigator Deposit
The cost to hire a private investigator UK also comprises of a fixed deposit. Before the investigator can begin working on your case or any other case for that matter, we usually demand the payment of a fixed deposit. Most investigators usually offer a free initial consultation but will need a deposit in order to proceed from this point.
Incidental Private Investigator Costs
The private investigator cost to find someone or collect evidence on a cheating spouse comes with additional costs of various expenses incurred during field work. These cases usually require the investigator to work outside the office, and therefore any cost incurred here is billed to the client. These costs include transportation and lodging fees among others.
As you can see, the cost to hire a private investigator can be a straight forward as a fixed daily charge or can come with various incidental costs. Be sure to get a detailed record of all costs before settling the bill so as to identify the different cost items listed.
Private Detective Experience
You would want to know his or her level of experience. This is important information as it would tell you how long the PI has been a successful private investigator and if they know how to carry themselves in a professional manner. Someone with loads of experience will be able to handle your case expeditiously and efficiently. There are times when you need the PI to handle sensitive information and you need to trust him or her. Experienced people will know how to behave in such scenarios.
At one point in time, you would want to hire a private detective. This is one of the times in life when we would wish that you wouldn’t want to be in this position but as life would have it you are in it. You would be looking to hire a private investigator because you are having suspicions that your spouse is having an affair, one of your children is involved in things they shouldn’t be or you would like to look at someone’s background before you hire them. In any of these scenarios, you would need the services of a PI. As you don’t know what to expect from a PI here is a couple of questions that you should ask him or her to see whether you can work together:
Private Detective Training
You should know what kind of training the PI has undertaken and what qualifies him to handle your case. Information about his education and training will let you know if the PI is a licensed professional or someone who is lying. With proper training it means that the private detective can undertake whatever you are asking of him. He has the knowledge to be able to solve your case and would be able to tell you whether he can do it or not.
Investigation Confidentiality
Those private detectives who will be working corporate jobs would require to be very discrete. They would be hired into looking at employee’s past and qualifications to see whether they can be hired to work for the company or if a crime has been committed and evidence is needed. If you are going to be hiring a private detective for this kind of role you will need to know how he or she handles these matters. This is because if the information would leak out on the PI’s activity it would be disastrous to the company.
Investigation Success Rate
Lastly, you should find out what the private investigator’s success rate is before hiring the person. This is important to know because you would like to be assured that your money is going to the right endeavour and will not be wasted. Every private detective has different success rates and naturally you would want to hire a private detective with higher success rates. This is because you would like your case to be solved. You can also choose to hire a PI who has a lower success rate because you would want to save money as these kinds of PIs are more affordable.
UK Private Investigator Qualifications
Requirements to become a private investigator can be similar to the requirements to become a chef, since both have very specific requirements. The private investigators of the United Kingdom are well known for their skills and successes. The private investigators of the UK have been awarded with certification. To reach this position, a number of requirements needs to be fulfilled. Two most important things are training to become a PI and then becoming licensed. Non-licensed private investigators are not allowed to offer any kind of security related service. So, how do you become a private investigator in the UK?
The first step would be the private investigator training. There are a number of courses and field work included in the training. One needs to complete them to become a PI.
Surveillance Course
A private investigator may have to solve matrimonial surveillance cases with professionalism during his career, and not only that, handling any other surveillance case also requires prior knowledge. The surveillance course is perfect for that. This is a short course and the span of this course is usually just 7 to 11 days. This course includes photography, field work on tracing, and how to run an investigation organization.
Applied Forensics
It is the most interesting part of this training. One can pursue an advanced degree in this field. Moreover, one can choose an independent career through it. The span of this course is the longest; the minimum time period of an applied forensic course is a year. All the tasks and activities related to both the field and course are computer based.
Police Training
Police training includes how to deal with a criminal, which is also a broad field. One can make an independent career out of it. There are some physical activities included in this course as well, such as self-defense.
Fraud Training
The main objective of this course is to teach how to produce a fraud report. This course requires observing fraud issues, data analysis, and the analysis of the cognitive features of humans.
Military Background
This is totally optional. Most of the time, ex-militiamen tend to switch their careers this way.
PI Journals
PI journals are authentic and practical, as they tend to have articles based on first-hand experiences. If the training becomes expensive, one can always gather knowledge by reading.
Crime Scene Awareness
Awareness of the crimes in the UK and the ways of solving them can serve as motivation. It is very important to be highly motivated in this field, as the training is intensive.
Law Related Course
Attending these courses will spread awareness among the individuals about the laws of the UK. This is important for a PI, as this course will also shed light on how to investigate, what PIs are allowed to do, how they impact the security and crime field, the way the law works, and so on.
Professionalizing Investigation Program (PIP)
This is a training program which teaches the development of advanced investigation skills, and this is a police course that can be attended by PIs as well. This course will develop the skills of investigators to the advanced level, as well as increasing the competence in interviewing and investigation. This program is offered at NOS.
Matrimonial Investigations Specialists
Affairs are constantly being common in this century as more and more married people are being associated with it. It is not a recommendable practice as such, however as much you may think you are benefiting. There are some challenges that are bound to occur which may lead to an end of your marriage. Affairs always have bad ending especially where children are involved. In order to save their marriages, people in UK are seeking the services of our private detectives to try and ascertain of their spouses are cheating or not.
How Do Private Detectives Help In Catching A Cheating Spouse?
There are certain patterns and traits that will signal if your spouse is cheating or not. If they start coming home too late or staying out late for a ‘supposed’ drinks with the girlfriends, or rather when they start coming home with gifts (which they were not doing before), then you have to be extra careful with your spouse. These are just some of the signs that you will experience when your spouse starts cheating. Our private detectives are specialists in dealing with cases of cheating spouse. They use different techniques such as surveillance to track down the activities of your spouse.
Surveillance Techniques
As mentioned above, our private investigators use surveillance techniques to determine if your spouse is cheating or not. Some of the techniques include using GPS trackers to know the location of your spouse, checking footage from video cameras to see who they have met and also putting audio recorders in their gadgets such as computers and mobile phones. We always try to uncover all the relevant information that may be useful in determining if your spouse is actually cheating or not. Checking the spouse’s conversations in social media sites is also a technique use on pinning down a cheating spouse. Our detectives incorporate all the necessary techniques that yield good results after the investigation.
Effectiveness Of Private Detectives In Solving Divorce Cases
Divorce has always been a painful experience for both parties and much worse when children are involved. This is why our private detectives do not advise you to consider this option but if you choose to do, then it should be done over a gradually and not rapid. This is in order to make it comfortable for both parties. Our private investigators uncover all the truth about assets and other information that pertain to a divorce petition.
How Long Does It Take To Solve A Cheating Spouse Case?
This usually varies with the case in question. There are some instances where the spouse is cheating using diverse means and thus it will take more time for the private detective to solve that case. However, with the many years of experience, our private investigators always end up solving the cases within the shortest time possible.
Confidentiality
Our services are very professional and we make sure that we maintain the confidentiality of the information provided to us by our clients. No other person will be given access to the findings of the investigation as well as the identity of the client.
Always feel free to seek the services of our well experienced private investigators when in doubts of your cheating spouse.