When does it make sense, what does it cost and what should you check? Everything you need to know before hiring a private detective.
Hiring a private detective means instructing an independent, licensed investigator to establish facts. Not suspicions, not second-hand accounts, but objective observations with date, time, location and identification.
That is the difference with investigating on your own: what you gather yourself is often legally worthless or, worse, unlawfully obtained. You remain the client throughout. You decide what is investigated, you receive a written agreement in advance, and afterwards you get a report you are free to use. Everything the detective learns about you and your case falls under statutory professional privilege.
In short
The first conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing. If it turns out an investigation is not the best solution in your situation, we will say so honestly.
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Call 0495 20 10 10Most people only hire a detective after months of doubt. Yet there is one clear rule: as soon as a suspicion could affect your relationship, your children, your money or your business, and you cannot confirm or dispel it yourself, the moment has come. The longer you wait, the more traces disappear.
You want certainty before acting on your relationship or divorce. Established discreetly and lawfully.
Your ex gives an incomplete picture of income or living arrangements. We establish the actual situation.
You are being followed or harassed. We document the pattern for the police and the courts.
The arrangement is not being honoured, or you doubt the home environment. Mapped out objectively.
An internal suspicion needs hard evidence before a dismissal or writ follows.
A former employee is taking your clients. We supply the evidence for injunctive relief.
A damage claim or long-term sick leave that does not add up. Established with visual evidence.
A relative, witness or debtor cannot be found. We trace people, internationally as well.
Yes. The profession is legally recognised and strictly regulated in Belgium, originally by the Act of 19 July 1991 and today by the Act of 18 May 2024. A detective may only work with an individual licence from the Federal Public Service Home Affairs. A detective agency additionally requires an agency licence.
Before the investigation starts, you sign a written assignment agreement setting out exactly what will be investigated. That is not a formality but a statutory obligation. From that moment professional privilege applies to your case: we never disclose to third parties who our clients are or what an assignment involves.
Anyone hiring an unlicensed «detective» runs a double risk: the material gathered is usually unusable in proceedings, and you can be held partly liable for the way it was obtained. So always ask for the licence number, both of the agency and of the detective handling your case.
Licence 14.1397.07
Federal Public Service Home Affairs
Licence POB1331
Investigations throughout the Netherlands
Licence SE00031
Investigations throughout France
Thousands of completed cases
Free testimony in court
Not every agency delivers the same thing. Before you sign, it is worth checking these eight points.
Ask for the licence number of the agency and of the detective handling your case. No number means no assignment. You can have the licence confirmed before signing anything.
The law requires a written assignment agreement stating what will be investigated. An agency that skips this to «start quickly» is not working correctly and puts your case at risk.
You should know in advance what the hourly rate is, which costs are added and how many hours are realistically needed. A quote without an estimate of hours is not a quote.
Ask whether the final report is drawn up in a form usable by a court, the police or an insurer. A folder of loose photos without context is not.
Ask whether the detective is willing to testify and whether that carries a charge. Many agencies bill this separately. At Atlas Detectives testimony is free.
Professional privilege is enshrined in law. Ask how your file is stored, who has access to it and what happens to it afterwards.
Does the agency use its own staff or subcontractors? With us your case stays in-house, with one fixed contact you reach directly.
A good agency will also tell you when an investigation makes no sense. We do that, even if it means not getting the assignment. Promises of a guaranteed outcome are a red flag.
Step by step
You call or email and tell us what is going on. We listen, ask targeted questions and say honestly whether an investigation makes sense in your situation. Free of charge and without obligation.
We draw up a concrete plan: which findings are needed, how much time that realistically takes and what the total budget will be. In writing, before anything is set in motion.
If you agree, you sign the legally required agreement. It states exactly what we investigate and under which conditions. From then on professional privilege applies.
Carried out discreetly using lawful methods: observation, surveillance, findings on site, verification through legal channels. You are kept informed as we go.
A detailed report with date, time, location and visual material, drawn up to be used with your lawyer, the police or the court. We testify free of charge.
Ready to start?
Tell us what is going on. We give honest advice, even when an investigation is not the best solution. 7 days a week by appointment.
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Call us nowThe price depends on the type of investigation, its complexity, the number of findings required and the duration. A single evening of observation obviously does not cost the same as a fraud investigation spanning several weeks. These are the factors that determine the figure.
Verifying data through legal channels is less labour-intensive than observation in the field. The type sets the baseline of your quote.
Adultery or custody cases often require several occasions to establish a pattern. A single observation rarely convinces a judge.
Surveillance in heavy traffic or urban areas sometimes needs two people to stay unnoticed. That weighs on the price but raises the chance of success.
The distance to the investigation area plays a part. We are spread geographically across Belgium, which keeps travel costs limited for most cases.
Producing a legally usable report is part of the price, as is any testimony in court. We do not charge extra for either.
The introductory conversation is always free, including when it turns out an investigation is not the best solution for you. You pay only after a signed agreement.
We work with transparent rates and give you a written quote in advance, so you are never faced with surprises. One thing worth knowing: you pay for the investigation, not for a guaranteed outcome. An honest agency never promises you a particular result in advance. What we do guarantee is that you know where you stand before you sign.
The powers are clearly delimited. A detective is not a police officer and has no investigative authority. That distinction is precisely what keeps your evidence usable.
That distinction is no formality: evidence obtained unlawfully can be struck from the file by a judge. Which is exactly why it is worth hiring a licensed detective rather than going after someone yourself.
The cost depends on the type of investigation, its complexity and the number of hours required. At Atlas Detectives you receive a written quote in advance with a clear hourly rate and a realistic estimate of the time needed. The first consultation is always free and we do not charge extra for testimony in court.
Yes, provided it was gathered lawfully by a licensed detective. Our report contains objective findings with date, time, location and visual material, and is usable before Belgian, Dutch and French courts. Unlawfully obtained material can be struck from the file by a judge, which is precisely why amateur work is a poor idea.
Some cases are wrapped up after a single targeted observation, others run for several weeks. We give you a realistic estimate during the intake conversation. If it becomes clear during the investigation that continuing will yield nothing further, we say so and stop, rather than keep billing hours.
Yes. A private detective's professional privilege is enshrined in law. We never disclose to third parties who our clients are or what an assignment involves. Investigations are carried out unnoticed and the person concerned is not informed.
Certainly. Many people simply call first to put their situation to us. That conversation is free, without obligation and confidential. You then decide for yourself whether to hire a private detective.
Yes. Companies engage us on suspicions of fraud, theft, time theft, breach of a non-compete clause or abuse of sick leave. We deliver a substantiated file your lawyer or HR manager can use for dismissal for urgent cause or a damage claim.
That is entirely normal. Describe your situation and we will determine together which approach fits, or tell you honestly that a detective is not the right solution here. Have a look at our method to see how a case actually unfolds.
Atlas Detectives works throughout Belgium, with staff spread geographically so we are quickly on site. We do not use subcontractors: your case stays with our team. We are also deployable in the Netherlands, France, Luxembourg and the German border region.
The first conversation is free and without obligation. You tell us your situation, we tell you honestly what is possible. 7 days a week by appointment.
Exitus B.V. · Hoornstraat 4, 8730 Beernem · Licence 14.1397.07