Private Investigator in Sheffield

Reviewed by Nathan, former police Detective Sergeant | Updated October 2026

Discreet, professional, experienced. A former police Detective Sergeant based on Saville Street East, Sheffield city centre.

Covert surveillance, tracing, background checks, bug sweeps and fraud investigation across Sheffield and South Yorkshire. We agree a fixed hourly rate and the number of hours before any work starts, so you know the total cost on day one. The first conversation is free and confidential: call 0114 438 7077, seven days a week, 8am to 9pm.

Call us

Office 0114 438 7077
Mobile, 24/7 investigation line 07538 087077

Email us

enquiries@dolosinvestigations.co.uk
Or use the confidential form below

Sheffield office

2 President Buildings, Saville Street East, Sheffield, S4 7UQ
Directions

Private investigation is unregulated in the UK. Anyone can call themselves an investigator. These are the checks we have put ourselves through instead.

Association of British Investigators (Full Member)

Endorsed by the Law Society of England & Wales

Former Police Detective Sergeant

Certificated Enforcement Agent

ICO Registered

DBS Checked

Professional Indemnity & Public Liability Insured

Rated Excellent on Google

Three Best Rated, Sheffield

Looking for a private investigator in Sheffield?

Dolos Investigations is a Sheffield private investigator and private detective agency on Saville Street East, run by a former police Detective Sergeant who carries out most instructions personally. The industry has no licence and no regulator, so the credentials of the person doing the work are the only guarantee you have. Ours are listed above and we are happy to talk you through any of them.

We carry out covert surveillance, trace people, run background checks, sweep homes and offices for listening devices and investigate fraud for employers. Everything we gather is documented to a standard that can be used in legal proceedings: a contemporaneous log, photographic stills and unedited video. At the end you receive a written report, and we talk you through it step by step.

The first conversation is free, confidential and commits you to nothing. If we take the case on, we agree a fixed hourly rate and the number of hours before anything starts. Mileage, parking and subsistence are included, and we never extend a deployment without your say-so.

Ways we can help you

Private investigation services in Sheffield

Cheating partner investigations

Covert surveillance in Sheffield when you need to know either way. You get a written report whether we find something or nothing, because nothing is also an answer.

Surveillance

Static, mobile and electronic surveillance by experienced agents. A contemporaneous log, photographic stills and unedited video, packaged for legal proceedings.

Tracing people and background checks

Locating birth parents, debtors and lost contacts, and due diligence on people and companies. Lawful data sources only, within the ABI and ICO framework.

Bug sweeps

A technical sweep (TSCM, technical surveillance counter measures) of your Sheffield home, office or vehicle for listening devices, hidden cameras and trackers, by an investigator who deploys surveillance himself and knows what to look for.

Fraud and employee investigations

Corporate investigation in Sheffield for employers: suspected theft, false absence and sickness claims, evidenced for a disciplinary hearing or tribunal without the workforce knowing.

Child custody investigations

Evidence about a child's circumstances during contact, documented for court by a former police detective, with the option of reporting directly to your solicitor.

Vehicle tracking

GPS vehicle tracking deployed as part of an evidenced surveillance operation rather than a gadget on its own. [VERIFY lawful-basis wording with client before publishing.]

Polygraph testing

Lie detector tests in Sheffield, arranged alongside the investigation rather than through a separate supplier. Results are not generally admissible in court in England and Wales.

Process serving in Sheffield

Formal service of legal documents with proof of service for the court file. If the person has moved, we trace and serve under one instruction.

Commercial enforcement

Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery (CRAR), lease forfeiture and traveller or trespasser evictions, carried out by a Certificated Enforcement Agent, not subcontracted. [VERIFY destination URL.]

Who we work with in Sheffield

Private individuals

A partner you suspect, a child's welfare during contact, a relative you have lost touch with, or the feeling you are being watched. Most of our private clients have never hired an investigator before. Your enquiry is confidential and nobody is told you have called.

Employers and business owners

Suspected fraud, theft or sickness absence that does not add up, or due diligence on a partner or hire. You get evidence that stands up at a tribunal, gathered without anyone in the workforce knowing an investigation is under way.

Commercial landlords

Rent arrears, a tenant in breach, or an encampment on your land. The principal is a Certificated Enforcement Agent, so recovery, forfeiture and eviction are handled directly and the procedure protects you from a later challenge.

Solicitors

Surveillance, tracing and process serving under one instruction, with proof of service for the court file. Full membership of the Association of British Investigators, the only body in the industry endorsed by the Law Society of England and Wales.

How a Sheffield investigation works, and what you receive

Every instruction follows the same five steps, and the cost is fixed before step four begins. Timescales are agreed with you when you instruct us; investigation hours are 24/7.

1
Free, confidential consultationBy phone or the form on this page, seven days a week. We tell you plainly whether an investigation will answer your question. Some people are told they do not need one.
2
Scope, agents and cost agreedWe agree the service, the number of agents and the number of hours, and quote a fixed hourly rate. Two agents is our recommended minimum on surveillance; if your budget only covers one, we tell you what that will realistically achieve.
3
Instructions confirmed in writingVerbal instructions are confirmed in writing within two business days. Every instruction is screened for conflicts of interest before we accept it.
4
DeploymentUsually carried out by the principal himself, with hand-picked agents where a team is needed. Male and female operatives of varied backgrounds mean the team blends into any part of Sheffield.
5
Report and walkthroughA written report, which we talk through with you step by step. Nothing is extended beyond the agreed hours without your authorisation.

What you receive

Clients mention the walkthrough more than anything else in their reviews. You will not be handed a file and left to work it out.

What a private investigator in Sheffield costs

The cost depends on the service and the number of hours, and we agree both before any work starts. You are quoted a fixed hourly rate and a set number of deployment hours, so the total is known on day one, not at the end.

We do not publish rates because every instruction is different. Call 0114 438 7077 and you will have a figure before the call ends.

Why choose Dolos Investigations

Four things you will not get from every investigator in Sheffield.

The principal is a former police Detective Sergeant and usually does the work himself. The person you speak to on the first call is the person on the ground.
He is also a Certificated Enforcement Agent, so investigation and commercial enforcement can run under one instruction rather than two firms.
Cost is agreed before work starts, with nothing added for mileage, parking or subsistence.
You are told the truth whether or not it is the answer you hoped for, and the report is explained to you rather than posted.

Nathan

Former police Detective Sergeant
Certificated Enforcement Agent
Full member, Association of British Investigators
ICO registered, GDPR trained, DBS checked
Professional indemnity and public liability insured

Listen to Nathan on the Diary of a Private Investigator podcast.

What clients say

Dolos Investigations is rated Excellent on Google and ranked in Three Best Rated’s top three private investigators in Sheffield [VERIFY still current]. The things reviewers mention most: the report explained step by step, keeping to agreed timelines, and straight talking.

     Excellent  
     Based on 5 reviews 
    
 
 
   
 
 
        
   Lewis Ramsay 
 2024-07-31
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I highly recommend using this guy excellent service got the job done to perfection ????????
  
 
       
   Alison Dearden 
 2024-01-31
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I received a highly professional and skilled service from Dolos and couldn't recommend it more highly. Nathan's commitment to the job and wealth of experience made him perfect for the job.
  
 
       
   A to Z 
 2023-05-12
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Fully recommend Nathan's services.
Straight talking and approachable. Did exactly what we asked for and he took the time to call and explain his report step by step.
Also was kind enough to offer advice, over and above what we'd asked for, based on his knowledge and experience.
Kept us updated step by step of the way and kept to the timelines promised.
A no nonsense service.
Thank you Nathan, your work was invaluable.
  
 
       
   john elmore 
 2023-01-20
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We used Dolos investigations to help with a problem we had. I can honestly say Dolos were totally professional in what they did. We would not hesitate in recommending them to anyone who seeks the truth and justice. We spent a fortune on solicitors but the best decision we made was using Dolos which was a lot more cost effective. Thanks Nathan.
  
 
       
   Martyn Osment 
 2023-01-09
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Nathan is an exellent  surveillance operative. His reporting is professional and concise, he is diligent and goes the extra mile.
I would be happy to recommend him to anyone who requires his services.

Areas we cover from Sheffield

We work from our office on Saville Street East in Sheffield city centre and cover the whole of Sheffield and South Yorkshire. Most surveillance in the city is run by the principal in person; agents are brought in where a team is needed.

Sheffield: Hillsborough, Ecclesall, Crookes, Dore, Chapeltown, Mosborough, Darnall, Woodseats, Stocksbridge and the city centre.

Nearby: Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster, Chesterfield, Dronfield and Worksop.

Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham and Derby have their own pages: view all locations.

Private investigator Sheffield: your questions answered

Is it legal to hire a private investigator in Sheffield?

Yes. Hiring a private investigator is legal in England and Wales, provided the investigator works within the law, including the Data Protection Act 2018. We only accept lawful instructions. The work is carried out by a former police Detective Sergeant who is a full member of the Association of British Investigators, ICO registered, DBS checked and insured. More on this in our guide: is it legal to hire a private investigator in the UK?

How much does a private investigator cost in Sheffield?

It depends on the service and the number of hours, and both are agreed before any work starts. We quote a fixed hourly rate and a set number of deployment hours, so you know the total on day one. Mileage, parking and subsistence are included. We do not publish rates because every case is different; call 0114 438 7077 for a figure on the first call, which is free and confidential.

How much does it cost to investigate a cheating partner?

The same model applies: a fixed hourly rate and an agreed number of hours, quoted before we start. We recommend two agents on surveillance so that one can stay with the subject while the other moves. If your budget only covers one agent, we tell you honestly what that will and will not achieve. Deployment is never extended without your authorisation.

How do private investigators work?

We start with a free consultation, agree the scope, agents, hours and rate, confirm it in writing, then deploy. Surveillance is covert: static, mobile or electronic, with a contemporaneous log, stills and unedited video. You receive a written report and we talk you through it. The five steps are set out above.

How do I choose a private investigator in Sheffield?

Private investigation is unregulated, so check the things a licence would otherwise cover: full membership of the Association of British Investigators, ICO registration, DBS checks and professional indemnity insurance. Look for a real office address and recent Google reviews, and ask who will actually carry out the work. A detective agency that cannot answer that last question is subcontracting.

Will the person I am asking about find out?

Our work is covert and carried out by experienced agents who blend into the area they are working in. Your enquiry is confidential, nobody is told you have contacted us, and that obligation does not end when your case does. If a subject ever learns they have been watched, watching them again becomes far harder, which is the main reason not to attempt it yourself.

Can I use the evidence in court?

Evidence is gathered to evidential standards: a contemporaneous log, photographic stills and unedited video, documented and packaged for use in legal proceedings. Many clients pass the report straight to their solicitor. Polygraph results are the exception; they are not generally admissible in court in England and Wales. We are not a law firm and do not give legal advice.

Do you cover Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster?

Yes. All of South Yorkshire is covered from the Sheffield office, along with Chesterfield, Dronfield and Worksop. For Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham and Derby, see the dedicated location pages.