When looking for a private investigator in the UK, it is important that you check that they are experienced, accredited and members of a professional organisation such as The Association of British Investigators - established in 1913, the ABI stands as the premier organisation in the UK's largely unregulated investigative sector. With the largest directory of accredited professional investigators in the UK and members worldwide, meeting the rigorous membership standards, they take the lead in self-regulation and constantly advocate for greater accountability of legitimate professional investigators.
What Does A Private Investigator Actually Do?
A private investigator gathers information and intelligence that helps prove or disprove what somebody is doing. For example, businesses often employ private investigators to help uncover misconduct, company theft or fraud, or general dishonest behaviour that could cause the company financial or reputational loss, or a member of the public who suspects their partner is cheating on them.
Many internal issues are not a cause to contact the police, especially in this day and age, and can be dealt with internally; however, proving that an employee is causing issues can be difficult. Professional investigators are there to help identify the issue, who has done it, and how, whilst collating it as evidence that can be used by the company.
A private investigator can conduct surveillance, interviews, background checks, and other legal methods to gather evidence that can be used to deal with the offending employee appropriately.
There are many reasons a business or private individual may need a private investigator
Do you have suspicions that your partner is cheating on you?
Are you a business owner who suspects fraud may be taking place within your company?
Has somebody important to you run away or gone missing and the police have run out of resources?
Are you a Law Firm who needs professional help with an investigation or research?
Or an insurance company / litigator who requires professional surveillance services?
If you’re looking to hire a private investigator in the UK or a security consultant, chances are you’re dealing with at least one of these issues. Private investigators act independently from traditional law enforcement and have the skills, equipment, and technology available to deal with both domestic and professional problems.
However, with the nature that comes with private investigation, you may be wondering if it’s ok to hire a private investigator. Both legally and morally yes, it is ok to hire a private investigator to help you get to the bottom of problems you may be experiencing in your life or business. It may seem invasive or even a breach of privacy to have your partner, employee, or even child surveyed, but any information gathered during a private investigation is kept strictly confidential between the investigator and the person who hired them.
Here at Surelock, we are experts when it comes to providing private investigator and private investigation services in the UK, including surveillance, security surveys and bug sweeps, to our clients in London, all over UK and further afield if required. The company has been established since the 1990's. We strive to maintain a professional approach with each and every investigation we undertake and guarantee to conduct a thorough and unshakeable surveillance each and every time. As we are professionals in the industry with years of experience providing our services, we’re here to share with you everything a private investigator can offer you, and why it’s undoubtedly ok to hire one.
Our testimonials from our clients speak for themselves
What Can a Private Investigator Do?
Private investigators can help you with a variety of issues, whether this is to assist in criminal investigations, catch a cheating partner, or gather evidence of fraud. Our team at Surelock have come together to create a list of some of the main reasons why our clients come to us for our private investigation services.
Crime / Fraud Investigations
Both individuals and businesses can benefit from private investigation services where fraud may have occurred, being able to conduct surveillance and review documents to see whether fraud has indeed been committed. This can include credit card fraud, insurance fraud, financial fraud, romance fraud, that could be taking place personally or within your business.
For businesses, private investigators can conduct background checks on potential employees to minimise the risk of issues occurring later should they have a history of fraud and can be used to investigate embezzlement claims or theft. Some of our team served on the Fraud Squad at Scotland Yard, sadly now defunct.
People Tracing
Tracing a person could be for locating a missing person, such as a runaway child, or for finding lost relatives. This process can be difficult, even impossible without the right level of training. Most people are limited to social media or the internet whereas private investigators have the tools necessary to conduct an in-depth investigation to trace a person, all in accordance with the rules of GDPR.
There may be times when the person who is being traced does not want to get in touch with the person looking for them, but private investigation services can track them down and provide you with peace of mind that they are safe or even visit them on your behalf.
Sweeping for Bugs
Whether you own a business and you’re worried about competitors and rivals using recording devices to listen in on your conduct, or you’re worried about a person accessing your home and planting devices, a private investigator can provide you with a thorough sweep of an area to make sure that your conversations are secure.
While listening devices and bugs may seem like something that’s only found in films or fiction, we have found them in various hotel rooms, conference halls, board rooms and even homes across London and the surrounding areas. Private information can be used as blackmail or can provide business competitors with information on how you are succeeding with your business. By hiring a private investigator to conduct a bug sweep, you can guarantee that your information will remain private and can’t be used in negative ways.
Surveillance
Surveillance is a major part of our business and integral to many investigations, to prove or disprove the fears of our clients or just to gather intelligence / evidence.
Whether it be corporate, accident injury or domestic / cheating partner surveillance we can help. As a private company we are not governed by the laws of Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA), but as good practice we adhere to them.
Brand Protection
Our brand protection team is one of the most successful in the UK, being proactive, using our undercover and surveillance operatives, we have been responsible for some of the largest seizures of counterfeit goods, working together with our trusted partners, the police and trading standards.
Brand protection is essential for businesses to safeguard their reputation and prevent unauthorised use of their intellectual property.
We don’t just seize our clients’ counterfeits from the markets and retail outlets; we work hard to identify the main suppliers and where their stock is kept.
We monitor online platforms to detect and address unauthorised use of your brand.
It helps maintain trust among customers and ensures that competitors do not take advantage of their brand equity.
Unfortunately, in today’s society someone is always looking for a quick way to make money or run a scam, and this is usually at the expense of a genuine brand who have worked hard to build up their business over a number of years.
Counterfeiting is very much organised crime, the quality and quantity of the merchandise is now very good, and there is so much money to be made, so it is important for businesses to deal with this professionally. Surelock are engaged by some of the biggest brands in the world.
Background Checks
Background checks are a great way to look into suspicious activity and provide you with ease about a person in your life, whether you are a business owner conducting a background check on a potential new hire, or an individual seeking to look out for a vulnerable person in the family.
Almost everybody has an online trail that can be found through Google or social media; however, the information you may find won’t be hugely informative and most people can use social media to create an image of themselves that may not be entirely accurate. Private investigators have access to tools and equipment required to conduct a thorough search of the person you want checked, whether you want to look into fraud allegations, criminal convictions, or inconsistencies in claimed qualifications.
There are many reasons why you may consider hiring a private investigator in the UK. We could go on all day about the services you can receive and the outcomes they offer, but if you would like to know more, check out the services Surelock provide both for domestic and commercial purposes, including brand protection and security survey assessments.
Security Consultancy
A security survey conducted by experienced security consultants is an independent review with a fresh pair of eyes that can identify quickly if any aspect of Home or Business Security is lacking or could be enhanced, most times at very little cost and can give great peace of mind to the occupants of any building.
Martyn’s Law - Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025
Surelock are well versed in this important legislation and available for consultations or training - don’t leave it till the last minute; you only have until April 2027 to ensure you are compliant.
The Team
We have spent years identifying experts to provide the very best possible service to our clients. Our team, comprising former professionals from the police, fire service, military, trading standards, and both the private and public sectors, offers a wealth of diverse skills.
This includes retired senior detectives from Scotland Yard, bringing years of experience in high-level investigations, placing us in a unique position within the industry.
Looking for more information? Contact Surelock today!
If you would like to know more about what a private investigator does, what they can or cannot do, or if you’re still on the fence about the legality and morality of hiring an investigator, our team can help! Get in touch today for more information or to arrange your investigation services! We’re only a phone call away and can’t wait to hear from you, we are happy to discuss your needs and offer the best possible solutions.
C: www.surelock.org/contact-us
T: 0333 6000 300
