Can the Costs of Hiring a Private Investigator Outweigh the Benefits?
Can the Costs of Hiring a Private Investigator Outweigh the Benefits?

Private investigators don’t offer a free of charge service. Hiring a private investigator can become a fairly costly experience, depending on the demands of an investigation and how much of an investigator’s time is required by the client. Yet, in a vast majority of cases, clients feel that their investment has paid off as an investigation draws to a close.

Either they’ve got the evidence that they hoped for or they have answers to their questions – they’ve found a missing person, have found out that their partner isn’t cheating or have discovered that their employee isn’t actually moonlighting for a competitor.

But are there times when hiring a private investigator proves too expensive? When it’s just not worth doing?

How to Manage Your Costs

In most cases, it’s important not to hire a private investigator just on a whim. If you have a feeling that something is wrong, take time to evaluate where that feeling is coming from – are there small signs that you’re noticing, or things that you’re picking up on? Some seemingly irrational feelings are brought about by the smallest of clues, barely noticeable, that are subconsciously being detected. Try to recognise these clues, because hiring a private investigator based solely on a gut feeling can become needlessly expensive if there really isn’t anything to investigate.

Recuperating Your Expenses

If you’re expecting your investigation to have a high chance of success then consider the possibility that you might be able to recoup your expenses a little further down the line. If you’re hiring a private investigator to gather evidence for use in a court case, then it’s possible that the costs can be added to the fines that the defendant has to pay.

Recently, for example, actor Tom Selleck agreed to repay $22,000 of PI fees in California after the investigator was hired to catch Selleck in the act of stealing water from a hydrant. Sometimes, it’s worth investing in the knowledge that your costs may be covered at a later date. Most of the time, it’s simply worth investing for a resolution.

The costs of investigations vary greatly, but you can call Preston private investigators at EJM investigations for a clearer view of the financial side of things. To get started, phone 01772 334 700.