Serving legal documents in the countryside brings a unique set of obstacles when you compare it to the more traditional idea of serving people in cities or towns.
Quiet lanes, unmarked properties and patchy communications all demand a different approach than urban or suburban work. But as long as you hire a reliable process server, preferably one with experience of working in less populated areas, they shouldn’t have too many issues overcoming those barriers.
Here are the main challenges that process servers can face when serving in rural areas, so that you can be ready to discuss these when you’re next in need of hiring a process server.
Addresses Can Be Harder to Find
Unlike city streets with clear house numbers and letter-boxes, rural properties often go by name alone. Farms and cottages may be signposted simply as “Manor Farm” or “Oak Cottage,” and those signs can be small, faded or hidden by foliage.
Sat-nav systems sometimes place you at the end of the wrong drive or on a neighbouring field track. That means you may need to rely on local knowledge – stopping to ask a passing resident or checking with the nearest pub or post office for directions.
Every wrong turn not only burns fuel and time but can alert locals to your presence, and if someone is trying to evade service and they’ve got friends in the community, you know word’ll get around fast.
Fewer Locations to Target
In a town you might stake out a café, newsagent or gym where your subject calls in regularly.
In the countryside, however, those routine stops are often few and far between.
That can leave you parked outside a gate for hours, hoping they’ll emerge at lunch or on their return from work.
Without multiple convenient drop-in points to approach, you need to plan your windows carefully and be prepared for long waits.
Poor Mobile Signal for Communication
Coordinating with colleagues or updating your client on developments can be critical during a serve.
In rural areas, though, mobile reception is often patchy or non-existent. If you can’t send a quick text to confirm that the subject has left the property, you may end up chasing shadows.
You might have to fall back on foot patrols to check lanes or agree on predetermined check-in times at reliable signal spots. Each workaround adds complexity and potential delay.
Questions to Ask Your Process Server
These challenges need not derail rural serves – they simply call for extra preparation and flexibility. A professional process server will verify exact property details in advance, map out probable arrival and departure times, and establish clear communication protocols before setting off.
But you need to make sure you’re discussing these potential problems with your process server in advance. If you skim over the details, then there’s a good chance a bad server will fail their task and cause delays.
Good process servers will make sure you have these conversations, so they can prep accordingly.
If you need dependable process serving in the countryside whether it be in areas such as Huddersfield for example, call EJM Investigations on 01772 334700. We’ll tailor our approach to the rural environment and make sure your documents are delivered promptly and correctly.