Hiring Private Investigators to Trace Debtors

June 12, 2021 - Reading time: 6 minutes

If someone owes you money and you don’t know where they are, then we would suggest taking steps to remedy the situation as soon as possible by tracking them down and requesting what you are owed. If the debtor refuses to pay, you may then choose to pursue further action through the courts, or instruct lawyer or collections agency to try and make good on the debt.

We are regularly asked to assist our clients with tracing debtors in the UK; and we can often do so on a ‘no find no fee’ basis, depending on the nature and complexity of the case. We are also able to assist with tracing debtors in other countries around the globe. 

If someone owes you money, then you should take comfort in knowing that the United Kingdom has long established processes for remedying the situation. If you are owed under £10,000, for example, then you may file a claim in the small claims court using the Money Claims Online service; the process is relatively easy and straightforward. 

Once you have secured a judgement in your favour, you may then take steps to recover the debt by instructing a county court bailiff, or by applying to the high court and instructing high court enforcement officers to visit the subject and seize their assets in lieu of payment.

Your debtor might succeed in forgetting about the money which they owe you until they are looking at a letter before action, court paperwork, or a bailiff physically removing items from their property. 

When it comes to recovering money which is owed to you, don’t allow for time to pass and for the debtor to forget about their obligations. Tracking people down is often more difficult as more time passes, and whilst no efforts to recover money will be 100% guaranteed to succeed, we believe that if you don’t try then you have already failed.

If your debtor has disappeared and you aren’t in possession of their current address, then hiring a private investigator would be a good step in locating them as quickly as possible. You may then proceed to request payment from the debtor and ultimately take steps to recover the money should they decide not to pay up. 

Benefits of hiring a private investigator to trace a debtor include:

• Our experience allows us to trace debtors as quickly as possible
• Accurate results, even in difficult cases
• A professional and cost-effective service for locating debtors
• If a private investigator can’t find them, no-one can

Tracing a tenant's new address

If a tenant has left your property after accruing unpaid rent, or has damaged your property during their tenancy, then you have every right to track them down and demand payment.

Rouge tenants will often drag out the eviction and courts process in order to live in the property for as long as possible without paying rent; in some cases, tenants will deliberately damage properties before vacating. Either situation creates untold stress and financial hardship for landlords across the UK.

Some landlords that are unfortunate enough to deal with so-called rouge tenants may find themselves out of pocket, and feel personally victimised by the experience of leasing their property.

If you need to track down a tenant’s new address, then we would recommend starting a trace sooner rather than later; as the more time that passes, the more difficult it might be to track down your ex-tenants.

Choosing to trace your debtors

Too many people that are owed money will not pursue recovery efforts if the debtor disappears and tracking them down them is perceived to be difficult. We would urge anyone that is legitimately owed money to reach out to us and see whether we are able to help in locating their debtors. Making a claim to recover money after the debtor has been located is not usually a difficult process and proves to be a worthwhile endeavour in many cases.

If you need to recover money and cannot locate your debtor, then choosing to hire a private investigator is a sure-fire way to get the ball rolling on tracing them and ultimately being reunited with your cash. 

When it comes to tracing and recovering money from people, it is almost always best to pursue action as soon as possible, as the more time that passes, the more difficult it can be to trace people.

At PrivateInvestigators-UK, we operate an extensive network of private investigators across all areas of the United Kingdom. With decades of experience in tracing people, we aim to provide the best and most cost-effective tracing service available.

We can trace debtors located all over the UK, and even abroad in some cases.

Rest assured that we will aim to reach a swift and successful conclusion in your case. All contact with us is strictly private and confidential.

Getting help to trace debtors

If you need help to trace a debtor, then feel free to reach out to one of our experienced team members for a free, no pressure quote. In order to locate the subject, we will need as many details from you as possible, such as their full name, current address (or any previous addresses), their date of birth (where known), and any other details that you are able to provide us.