Mobile investigator: surveillance and evidence

Law firms, insurance companies and claims handlers, employers and private clients in family or civil disputes.

Hourly or daily rate for surveillance, plus mileage and expenses. Longer cases bring more hours but need careful planning.

• Patience and observation
• Safe, legal driving and route planning
• Good photo and video evidence skills

• Check the current licensing position, as private investigators are not currently licensed by the SIA but this may change
• Privacy, harassment and data protection law: filming and following people has legal limits, so get proper training and advice
• Check whether you need to pay the ICO data protection fee
• Public liability and professional indemnity insurance, and business use on your vehicle policy
• Irregular hours, long waits and safety risks, so plan how you will stay safe

Startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £7,000, depending on training, camera and video equipment, insurance and vehicle costs. These are estimates, so get quotes and prioritise the kit and cover you need first.

Monthly revenue is typically around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on the cases you take, how long each one runs and your clients. That is an estimate of revenue, not profit, and hours can be irregular, starting from around 15 a week.

Check the current licensing position, as private investigators are not currently licensed by the SIA but this may change. Check privacy, harassment and data protection law, as filming and following people has legal limits. Also check the ICO fee and insurance, including business use on your vehicle policy.