What is the job of a private investigator?

A private investigator handles a varied workload, with many specialising in areas such as infidelity or finding people. UK Private Investigators offers a wide range of services including discreet surveillance, background checks, fraud identification, due diligence investigations, and tracing missing people. Our investigators use specialised tools and techniques to find information quickly and lawfully.

Is it legal to hire a private investigator in the UK?

Yes, hiring a private investigator in the UK is entirely legal, provided the investigator operates within the law. Private investigators must comply with legal frameworks including the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. UK Private Investigators is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and operates fully within UK law, including GDPR.

Do private investigators need a licence in the UK?

Legally, private investigators in the UK do not currently require a licence or formal qualifications. However, professional training and experience in surveillance and investigation methods is highly beneficial. UK Private Investigators employs operatives with backgrounds in senior police, military, and specialist roles.

What can a private investigator legally do in the UK?

In the UK, a private investigator can legally carry out background checks using publicly available records, conduct interviews with relevant individuals, perform surveillance in public places, interact directly or indirectly with subjects, search licence plate numbers within legal limits, and gather information from public social media profiles. All evidence must be collected lawfully to be admissible.

What can a private investigator NOT do in the UK?

Private investigators in the UK cannot trespass on private property, make arrests, track someone with GPS without consent, hack phones, laptops, email, or social media accounts, retrieve private phone records, or access medical or personal credit records. UK Private Investigators operates strictly within these legal boundaries at all times.

Can private investigators conduct background checks?

Yes, private investigators can conduct background checks using publicly available records and specialist databases. This makes them an ideal resource if you want to verify someone you have met online, check a potential business partner, or carry out pre-marital due diligence.

Is private investigation confidential?

Yes. Confidentiality is central to everything UK Private Investigators does. Investigators use encrypted communication, secure data storage, and professional methods to ensure all findings are handled discreetly. Your information is never shared with anyone other than you.

Can private investigators testify in court?

Yes, private investigators can testify in court and the evidence they gather is generally admissible, provided it was collected lawfully. Their testimony can be a significant factor in the outcome of legal proceedings.

How long does a private investigation usually take?

The duration of a private investigation varies depending on the nature and complexity of the case. Some investigations can be completed within a few days, while others may take several weeks or even months. UK Private Investigators will discuss realistic timescales with you during your free consultation before any work begins.

How much does a private investigator cost in the UK?

The cost of hiring a private investigator depends on the type of investigation, its complexity, travel requirements, and the time and resources involved. Some services are available at a fixed price, while more complex work such as surveillance is charged based on time. UK Private Investigators provides free consultations and explains all costs clearly before any work begins, with no unexpected charges.

We Find Anyone.
Anywhere in the UK.

When the electoral roll fails and DIY searches hit a dead end, our licensed investigators access non-public sources to find current addresses, typically within 24 hours.

0% Success Rate

0+ Years Experience

24hr Avg Result Time

From enquiry to address, typically within 24 hours

Tell Us What You Have

Name, approximate age, last known address. Even minimal details. We work with what you have.
We Access Non-Public Sources

Licensed databases unavailable to the public, cross-referenced instantly using multiple data points.
We Verify the Result

Current address confirmed with date of birth, mobile numbers, email addresses, and co-residents.
Full Report Delivered

A clean, court-ready report with all verified details, usable in legal proceedings immediately.

Submit Your Trace Request

The electoral roll looks useful. It is not.

People can opt out of the public register with a single tick box. Most do. Here is what you are left with.

Doing it yourself

Only the open register is accessible. Most people have opted out of it.

No way to verify whether the address is current or years out of date.

Cannot cross-reference with date of birth, mobile numbers, or email.

Risk of writing to the wrong address, causing legal complications.

Court summons to wrong address means wasted court fees and delays.

Most people exhaust public sources and come to us anyway.

Global Private Investigators

Full non-public register plus multiple licensed commercial databases.

Current address verified and dated. Confirmed live, not historical.

Full cross-reference: name, date of birth, mobile, email, and co-residents.

29 years of knowing exactly which combination of data points to run.

Results typically available within 24 hours of instruction.

Court-ready report. Legally admissible and evidence-grade.

Minutes to result

"We were instructed by a large London law firm with minimal information. Only a name and a prior address confirmed on the electoral roll. No forwarding address existed. Within 20 minutes of accessing our non-public sources, we had the current address, full date of birth, mobile numbers, email addresses, and every co-resident at that address. The client issued proceedings and recovered a substantial debt." Tim Burchell, Lead Investigator

29 years. We have heard it all.

People need to find addresses for a wide variety of reasons. All are handled with complete discretion.

Select a case type to see how we help.

They owe you money. You cannot find them.

You need a verified current address before any legal action can proceed. Without it, any court summons fails and the clock keeps ticking. We trace debtors fast, verify the address, and provide a report usable directly in court proceedings.

Start Trace Request

Illustrative image of a distressed person seeking help with debt recovery

Solicitors, executors, and beneficiaries.

We work extensively with law firms across the UK who need to locate executors or beneficiaries for probate matters, or to serve documents on an individual. Our reports are structured to meet the requirements of civil court proceedings.

Legal Enquiry

Illustrative image representing legal and probate tracing services

Finding old friends, family, or former partners.

Not all searches are adversarial. Some of our most rewarding cases involve helping people reconnect with someone lost: an old school friend, an estranged family member, or someone simply lost over the years. Handled with particular care.

Reconnection Search

The builder vanished. The job was not finished.

Rogue traders who take payment and disappear are infuriatingly common. If they have given a false address or simply moved on, we find them and provide what you need to take civil action or recover money through the courts.

Trace a Rogue Trader

Illustrative image representing rogue trader tracing

Who is this person, really?

More often than you would expect, families come to us concerned about a new partner. By verifying an address, we build a comprehensive picture: who they really are, where they have lived, and who else is registered there. Peace of mind, backed by facts.

Background Enquiry

Illustrative image representing background check services

Is it legal to use a people-finding service?

Yes, completely. But the provider you choose matters enormously. Here is what separates us from unregistered operators.

ICO Registered

We hold a full Data Protection Registration with the Information Commissioner's Office. This is the legal requirement for handling personal data in the UK. If a tracing agency is not ICO registered, do not use them.

Fully GDPR Compliant

All data we obtain is handled in strict accordance with UK GDPR. Information obtained illegally cannot be used as evidence in court, including in debt recovery. An unregistered provider can actively destroy your case.

Legitimate Purpose Required

We accept instructions only where a legitimate purpose exists: debt recovery, legal proceedings, family reconnection, or similar. This protects you, the subject, and us. All checks are carried out before any case is accepted.

What clients say about us

★★★★★

"I had spent weeks trying to trace someone myself using every free tool available. Within an hour of contacting Tim's team, I had a verified current address, phone number, and date of birth. Absolutely remarkable."

Sarah M.Debt Recovery, London
★★★★★

"We instructed UK Private Investigators for a probate matter. The report was thorough, legally sound, and delivered within 24 hours. We now use them regularly for all tracing work."

James K., SolicitorRegional Law Firm, Manchester
★★★★★

"A builder took money and vanished. Tim's team found him within the day: current address, mobile number, everything I needed for the small claims court. Cannot recommend highly enough."

David R.Rogue Contractor, Birmingham
★★★★★

"I was sceptical anyone could find her. She had deliberately made herself difficult to trace. These investigators found her within hours. Discreet, professional, and genuinely impressive."

Caroline T.Reconnection Search, Edinburgh
★★★★★

"The ICO registration and GDPR compliance mattered enormously. I needed information that would hold up in court. The report was exactly what my solicitor required. First class throughout."

Michael B.Civil Litigation, Bristol
★★★★★

"I did not realise how limited the public electoral roll was until I had wasted two weeks on it. These investigators make it look effortless. Fast, accurate, totally confidential. Worth every penny."

Rachel F.Debt Recovery, Leeds

Everything you need to know

If your question is not here, call or WhatsApp us and we will respond fast.

Why can I not find someone's address using the electoral roll?

The electoral roll has two parts: the open register and the full register. People can opt out of the open register by ticking a single box on the registration form. Most people who have moved or value their privacy have done so. Even where someone appears, the data may be years out of date with no way to verify currency or cross-reference other details.

How quickly can you find someone's current address?

In straightforward cases, we have a verified current address within 20 minutes of instruction. More complex cases may take longer, particularly where the subject has taken steps to conceal their whereabouts. We find 98 to 99 percent of all people we are asked to trace.

Is it legal to instruct a Private Investigator to find someone?

Yes. It is completely legal provided you have a legitimate reason: debt recovery, legal proceedings, reconnecting with family, or similar. We are ICO registered and fully GDPR compliant. Any provider not ICO registered is operating illegally, and information they provide cannot be used in court.

What information do you need from me to start?

We work with minimal information. A full name and approximate age or date of birth is usually sufficient. A last known address is helpful but not always necessary. The more you can provide, the faster and more precise the result.

What exactly will you find, just an address?

A typical result includes the current address, full date of birth, mobile telephone numbers, email addresses, and the names of all other people registered at the same address. All details are verified and delivered in a clean, structured report.

Can the information be used in court?

Yes. Because we are ICO registered and GDPR compliant, all data we provide is obtained lawfully. Our reports are accepted in civil proceedings, debt recovery cases, and for service of legal documents. This is precisely why registration matters: information from unregistered providers is inadmissible.

How much does a people-finding search cost?

Costs vary depending on the complexity of the case. We provide a clear quote before any work begins with no surprises. Complete our trace request form or call us with the details and we will give you a straightforward price upfront.

Will the person know they have been traced?

No. Searches are carried out using data sources, not by making enquiries that could alert the individual. The subject will have no knowledge that a trace has been conducted. Your identity as the client is never disclosed.

What if the person has deliberately tried to hide?

This is where 29 years of experience makes a real difference. We know which combination of non-public sources to run, in what order, using which data points. Even where people have taken steps to conceal themselves, our 98 to 99 percent success rate holds. If we genuinely cannot find someone, we will tell you honestly before charging.

Do you work across the whole of the UK?

Yes. We trace people anywhere in the UK: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. We also work with international clients who need to locate someone in the UK. Contact us to discuss international cases.

Tap to Start Your Trace Request

Ready to find the person you are looking for?

Complete our secure trace request form. It takes under 2 minutes. No obligation. We will tell you what we can find and give you a clear price before anything begins.

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Tim Burchell

Licensed Private Investigator & Founder, UK Private Investigators

Tim has over 20 years of experience in people tracing, surveillance and investigation across the UK. He leads a team of licensed investigators and handles cases that require discretion, speed and verifiable results.

We Find Anyone.Anywhere in the UK.

Ready to find someone? Complete our secure trace request form.