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Private Investigator Costs – Private Investigators UK
25 Years Experience With Male & Female Private Detectives Available
The hourly cost of a professional private investigator can vary greatly. The industry standard charge for a private investigator ranges from £40 – £200 per hour depending on many different factors from the type of investigation, to the level of experience of the private investigator. Most people will hire a private investigator only maybe once in their lives and it is very important to understand the differences between private investigator fees and the levels of services being offered.
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Investigation Packages Are the Best Value – We Charge Only The Equivelant of £28 per Hour for Surveillance When Taken As a package
By far the cheapest and best value way of hiring a private investigator is by agreeing a package of work. This allow you to understand exactly what you are getting for how much, without any hidden costs or extras. An example of a surveillance package offered by Private Investigators UK is:
For a mobile 2 man surveillance for 6 hours you are getting 29 hours of high quality investigation work and state of the art equipment for £795 + vat, which is less than £28 an hour. The operative hour’s breakdown as:
- Operation Planning: 1 operative x 3hours = 3 hours
- Operations Operative You Can Talk To About You Situation
Before, During And After The Surveillance: 1 operative x 10 hours = 10 hours - 2 Surveillance Operatives During
The Surveillance Operation: 2 operatives x 6 hours = 12 hours - Photograph and Video Download and Editing: 1 operative x 2 hours = 2 hours
- Report Production: 1 operative x 2 hours = 2 hours
- Operatives Extensive Experience: Priceless
- Total Of 29 Hours Of High Quality Private Investigation Work At Less Than £28 per hour
The Cheapest is Not Allows the Best
When comparing prices between private investigators it is always important to understand what each company is offering for the money. If the price of a private investigation service from one company is half the price of the other, allows ask yourself “Why?”
For example if you wish to hire a private investigation agency to conduct surveillance for you, ask the following questions so that you fully understand what you are getting for your money.
Question 1 – How many operatives are actually on the ground during surveillance?
Take two simple examples; during the surveillance your partner takes a taxi from home and it stops outside a club or restaurant, they jump out. Similarly your partner is driving their own car and they stop at a busy shopping centre in the only free parking space. Action needs to be taken now! In both examples if only one operative is used they cannot abandon their vehicle and follow your partner, so two men is the solution as one can get out and continue the follow while the other parks their vehicle. Make sure the company you hire has enough operatives to cover the most common situations, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Question 2 – How many hours are each company going to put into planning the surveillance?
Given you generally only have one shot at getting the evidence you want it is vital the surveillance is organised correctly. Remember the saying: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!”
Question 3 -. Will I be able to talk to an operative during the surveillance and when will I know what has happened?
Most of our clients want to talk to the same person during their time with us. The benefits of this are many including you will have the same friendly person to talk to who will know all about you and your surveillance, you will be kept in the loop before, during and after surveillance and as sometimes the outcome of surveillance can be traumatic having a familiar , friendly and experienced person to talk to is invaluable. Make sure that the company you choose in your hour of need offers this support.
Question 4 – What photographic or video evidence will I get?
Some private investigation companies offer cheaper prices but in order to keep their prices low they only take a few photographs and little video or may even charge extra at the end of the surveillance for the photos and footage. At Private Investigators UK we believe in taking as much photographic and video evidence as possible as part of the price. This can be many hours of footage because we understand that if the news is bad the client wants to see every possible detail. And also in some cases the client may see something in the evidence that is personal to them and their partner and we would not have been able to pick up on it. Check what photographic and video evidence is included in the price before you go ahead with a detective agency.
Question 5 – Will producing a report be extra?
Some private investigation agencies charge extra for the report to be produced, so be mindful of this when selecting your professional. Compiling a surveillance report takes a considerable amount of time and to keep their costs at reduced rate some companies, who appear to be the most cost effective, actually end up as one of the most expensive as they charge you the same again for the report. At Private Investigators UK the price quoted includes producing the report. Find out what is involved in the price before you commit to your chosen company as some agencies have hidden charges.
Factors That Change the Price of Investigation Work
It is worth understanding the factors that change the price for investigation work as it gives you an understanding of what goes into pricing a private investigation case in order to enable your private investigation team to give you the best result possible:
- Organisation Time – the more starting information such as facts, description and important information provided regarding the situation, will greatly reduce the organisation time.
- Report Creation – Compiling all the information, including photographic and video footage, gathered into a comprehensive, informative and in-depth report is time consuming, especially if you require the report to be admissible in court.
- Investigation Type – Whether the investigation is office based, static outside a building or mobile and following a target, all change the number of operatives needed to work on an investigation.
- Location of Mobile Investigation or Surveillance – An investigation or surveillance that is conducted in a building with many possible exits or following someone in a busy city where the target could easily board a taxi, bus, tram or tube increases the number of operatives needed.
- Corroboration of Information – Facts found in an investigation that need corroborating by an independent source dramatically increase the number of investigation hours.
At Private Investigators UK we are happy to give free no obligation quotes for any type of investigation, so feel free to call us to talk through your requirement and to see how we can help you.
The fees of a private investigator varies with the kind of services they are asked to provide, the extent of time they are hired for and the gadgets they might require during their service. The range of investigations private costs involved depend entirely on the requirements of a customer.
What private investigator costs are involved?
Private Investigators cost involved depend on the following;
- The equipment they will require
- The time they will be required to invest in
- The kind of evidence they are required to collect
- If they have to travel out of the city or country for the investigation
- If the investigation takes a serious turn in light of serious events like kidnapping or murder
The private investigator costs to find someone vary as a result of the time they are required to submit in the case. The average private investigator fees, range depending on the kind of task required of them. This is commonly based on the number of days the detective will be required for. Following are a few things one must consider when hiring a private investigator and comparing their charges. Go for a cheap private detective only if you believe they have the experience the client thinks is better for them.
When meeting with such a professional ensure the individuals must ensure that they know if their money is being spent on someone worthy. People in need are advised to refrain from paying a lot of money to a small business owner with little to no experience. An investigator who has been in the field for a while and considers his occupation an enterprise is the right way to go.
Once the individual meets with the investigator, the next step is to ask them the investigations costs fees. Keep in mind that these fees will alter in respect to the requirements. If it is a commercial case, the chances of the investigator demanding more money will get higher. Therefore, when meeting with a potential investigator, it is important to ask how much does private investigator fees?
If the case takes a drastic turn involving homicide, the charges might automatically increase. Hence the private investigator cost to find someone varies depending on the Private Detectives firm, agency and organization
Some detectives are hired for years. The private investigator cost cheating spouse varies depending on the extent of time they are required to invest in the task.
Prices of a private investigator also vary on an hourly basis. Sometimes an investigator might be required just for an hour to record or interrogate a meeting, the prices automatically reduce. The prices are also influenced by the kind of investigation required; this means if the investigation is at a grand scale the charges will be higher.
To break it down for their customers, private investigator cost per hour and per day is more feasible. This way if an individual wants to interrogate a single event, meeting or person, the money they pay is limited only to a certain time period making it affordable.