.....you are right to be at the very least wary of what you might find. There are no specific controls on our profession yet and it is fair to say that there are all types of characters out there.

This may soon change: licensing is on its way. Licensing will, we hope, at least keep out those with a criminal record, and ensure some basic minimum in terms of competence, but until then, you need to be cautious. Do not part with any cash until you feel you can trust the person you are giving it to. Talk to several agencies and get a feel for what they can and cannot offer, and the differences in levels of coverage, expertise and price, before committing yourself. You could be amazed at the range of prices you might be quoted even for a simple trace.

Be prepared to give each agency enough of the information about your case to enable them to advise you properly. On the one hand, you might not want to part with confidential information until you are ready to trust one particular agency, but on the other hand none of us can advise properly until we know all the facts. For example, even the name of a person to be traced can have a significant bearing on the probability of success and the cost. Think through in advance how much information from your circumstances you are prepared to divulge in the process of getting quotes.

Don't be afraid to ask pertinent questions. Ask about professional indemnity insurance - we have it. Ask about membership of trade organisations - John Talbot belongs to the Institute of Professional Investigators, not just a trading club but an academic organisation, with teeth to enforce their code of ethics.

The laws of our land have recently gone some way to make our work in helping our clients more difficult, with the introduction of privacy laws, particularly Data Protection. Regrettably, some in our profession have shut their eyes to this aspect, and will still happily get you, totally illegally, certain confidential information. Our view is that if they will break the law on your behalf, what is to stop them doing so against you….