Process serving is rarely, if ever, ‘easy’. There are always some hurdles to overcome, but those will always vary. Rarely is there a textbook case.
And location will play a big part in what those challenges are. Delivering legal documents in a busy urban environment presents a very different set of obstacles to serving papers in quieter suburbs or rural areas, for example.
Between basic considerations like some additional costs to bear in mind, through to high-rise blocks and front-of-house protocols, every attempt requires careful planning and a willingness to adapt on the fly. Let’s explore the key challenges that process servers are likely to face when serving in a city.
Apartment Block Issues
Many city-dwelling targets live in blocks with reception desks, concierge teams or security staff who screen every visitor. These gatekeepers are trained to protect residents’ privacy and will often refuse to accept unsolicited paperwork or reveal flat numbers.
You may arrive with a perfectly addressed envelope only to be asked to leave it in a secure bin or forwarded by email – neither of which may count as valid service. To get past reception you need formal ID, proof of your authorisation to serve documents, and a clear explanation of the process server’s role under the court rules.
And it’s not just apartment blocks, but also office blocks that have the same restrictions too.
In some cases, you may need to consider arranging an appointment, posing as a delivery driver or tradesperson, so that you can gain unescorted access to communal corridors. That extra legwork adds time to each attempt but is often the only way to reach the correct door.
Harder to Find the Target in Busier Areas
City streets at peak times can be a sea of people. Even when you know your subject’s general appearance and route, it is easy for them to slip away into a cluster of coffee shops, gyms or high-street stores.
You might spot someone who fits the description – dark coat, shoulder bag, mid-thirties – only to realise a minute later they are not the person you need.
Every misidentification burns valuable minutes and increases the risk that the true target will exit via a different door or take an unexpected detour. Professional servers often carry recent photographs and detailed physical descriptions, but even then the background noise of a busy shopping district or transport hub can hamper visual confirmation.
It pays to focus on quieter windows – early morning when footfall is lighter, or mid-afternoon after the lunch rush – to boost the chances of a successful hand-over. But even then, crowds can be an issue.
Routines Can Vary
Some individuals follow a strict daily routine – the same bus at 8.15am, the same bakery for their morning croissant, the same exit from the office block.
Others take full advantage of city distractions – popping into pop-up markets, grabbing a coffee from a new café, or attending after-work events.
If a process server is trying to intercept someone on their way to a meeting or after they leave work, that unpredictability can turn a straightforward serve into a game of hide-and-seek.
You might stake out the office entrance only to see your subject slip off in search of a quick snack, leaving you to decide whether to follow at a distance or cut your losses and wait for them to return.
A skilled process server will research common routines but also build in contingency time and alternative locations – for example watching both the front and rear exits, or combining serves with nearby lunch spots where the subject is known to frequent.
Increased Costs
This might seem like something basic, but any good private investigator will factor in even the smallest things to a plan and how they might impact budgets.
Parking in city centres rarely comes cheap. Metered bays often charge by the hour and enforcing officers patrol constantly, so a short wait can still result in a fine.
On top of that many major cities impose congestion charges and low-emission zone fees just to drive into certain areas. Say you’re stationed outside a cluster of offices for twenty minutes while you track a subject’s arrival time – you could easily spend £10 or more before you even step out of your vehicle.
If a serve drags on, or you need to circle the block because your first approach was rejected, those costs multiply. A professional process server will build realistic parking and toll estimates into their fee structure so that clients aren’t hit with surprise extras at invoice time.
Challenges Can Be Overcome
None of these hurdles are insurmountable. A good process server will factor in parking and zone charges from the outset, carry the necessary identification and court authorisation to satisfy reception teams, and gather up-to-date photographs and descriptions to speed target recognition.
They will also allow for flexible timing, staking out likely departure points and secondary locations in case the subject changes their mind mid-journey.
Even individual cities have their own quirks – and a trustworthy investigator is going to plan ahead for those.
With patience, local knowledge and a well thought-out strategy, even the busiest city setting can be navigated successfully and documents can be served quickly and within the legal requirements.
It pays for solicitors to look for a reliable process server for city work, ideally someone with experience working in that city previously.
Don’t trust a process server that will disregard the challenges of the location and offer false promises of something that’ll “definitely” go smoothly. Chances are, they’re going to fail and come calling for more budget to get the job done to your satisfaction.
If you need reliable process serving in a city environment such as Liverpool, give EJM Investigations a call on 01772 334700. We’ll work with you to plan the most efficient approach and ensure your documents reach their intended recipient without delay.