Local Investigator review
Ranked 2 of 2 in Private investigators in Telford
Best for: surveillance and matrimonial checks across Telford
Sole Trader
Trading as Matthew James Dalton · Telford · Service area: Telford, Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Stafford, Cannock, Chester, Liverpool, Manchester, Walsall
Local Investigator in short
Local Investigator is a Telford-area firm run as a sole trader from Doseley, offering surveillance, vehicle tracking and matrimonial work with operatives it describes as locally based. Its ICO registration sits searchable on the public register, and its UKPIN directory entry names the same local base. Every enquiry starts with a free consultation and quote.
Customers rate the firm highly, with almost five stars on Google from a mid-sized set of reviews. That record runs deeper than the leader's, and no other review source sits on the record. It stands among the stronger customer records in this small round. Thirty-five reviews sit behind the headline, which makes this the most-read customer record in the round.
What counts against Local Investigator is thin paperwork: no limited company stands behind the trading name, no insurance details are published and no rates appear on the site. Our view is that it suits watching and matrimonial briefs where local cover and customer evidence matter, with price and cover the parts to pin down.
The record shows a watching practice run as a sole trader from Doseley: surveillance, vehicle tracking and matrimonial work with locally based operatives, and a stated patch that stretches from Telford across Shropshire into the West Midlands and beyond. Every enquiry opens with a free consultation and quote over two phone lines or the contact form. Our view is that this shape fits watching briefs close to home, where local ground and customer evidence count for most.
Our verdict
Our view is that Local Investigator suits you if you want a Telford-area firm for surveillance or matrimonial work with a long-claimed history and a 4.9-from-35 review record [1] [6]. The identity checks line up across the ICO register and the UKPIN directory [3] [4]. What counts against it is thin paperwork: no company record, no insurance details and no published rates [1] [5].
Score summary
Scored on the home trades rubric v2.0. Insufficient evidence takes the neutral value and is not shown as a low mark.
- Composite score
- 66.3 / 100
Qualifications and accreditations C2 · weight 25%
70 out of 100
First-hand responsiveness C3 · weight 15%
Insufficient evidence
Insufficient evidence
Insurance and safeguards C5 · weight 10%
Insufficient evidence
Insufficient evidence
Pricing transparency C6 · weight 5%
60 out of 100
Evidence
| Fact | Value | Source | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years trading | 11 | Source provider-website |
Industry qualifications
Sourced from the issuing registers, the business's own website and platforms such as Checkatrade and Which? Trusted Traders, on the date shown.
Strengths
You can reach the firm on 0800 246 1684 or 07539607596, or through the contact form, and every enquiry starts with a free consultation and quote [1] [2].
Its UKPIN directory entry names Mr Matthew Dalton in Doseley, Telford, matching the ICO register entry ZA759114 held in the name of Matthew James Dalton trading as Local Investigator [3] [4].
Google shows 4.9 out of 5 from 35 reviews, seen 4 September 2026 [6].
Limitations
Response from the business
This business has not sent a response yet. Any response they send will appear here.
Verified customer reviews
Reviews from customers who showed us their invoice.
No verified reviews yet for this business.
Review this business
Tell other readers about work you paid for, and send a copy of the invoice so the editor can confirm the job took place.
Questions about Local Investigator
Is Local Investigator any good?
The evidence says yes for watching briefs: second in our Telford table with almost five stars on Google from a mid-sized set of reviews, plus a searchable ICO registration and a UKPIN directory entry. It suits surveillance and matrimonial checks close to home. Read the written reviews on Google, then ask for your free consultation.
Is Local Investigator ICO registered?
Yes. The ICO register holds an entry in the name of Matthew James Dalton trading as Local Investigator, and the UKPIN directory names the same Doseley base. That covers data protection registration, which every firm handling personal data should hold. Search the register yourself and confirm the entry matches. The reference sits on the public entry for anyone to check.
What does Local Investigator charge?
No rates, call-out fee or VAT terms are published; every job starts with a free consultation and quote through the site's phones or contact form. Send the full brief — subject, place and time pattern — and ask for the cost fixed or capped in writing. Confirm what the report will contain before you agree anything.
Where does Local Investigator work?
The Doseley-based firm names Telford first among a wide patch across Shropshire, the West Midlands, Staffordshire, Cheshire and the North West. Surveillance travels, so out-of-area subjects cost more in time and mileage. Send your postcode and the subject's area to confirm you are covered. Jobs beyond Telford still start with the same free consultation and quote.
How is Local Investigator ranked?
It ranks second of the two assessed private investigators in our September round, the pick for surveillance and matrimonial checks across Telford. First4contact sits just above it on company record and stated cover. Shadow watcher sits outside the table as researched but not assessed. Read the full review, then ask for your free written quote.
What do Local Investigator's reviews say?
More than at any other firm in this round: almost five stars on Google across thirty-five reviews, seen in early September, with no second source on the record. The themes buyers care about sit in those write-ups, so read a spread of them rather than the headline alone. Our view is that this is the strongest customer record in the round, and the clearest reason to shortlist the firm.
Others assessed for this trade
- First4contact74.1 / 100Ranked 1. Best for legal-support services with a checkable company record.
Sources
- Local Investigator homepage — services, phones, free consultation and quote Retrieved 4 September 2026.
- Local Investigator Telford page — local operatives and contact routes Retrieved 4 September 2026.
- ICO register — Matthew James Dalton t/a Local Investigator (ZA759114) Retrieved 4 September 2026.
- UKPIN Shropshire directory — Local Investigator member listing Retrieved 4 September 2026.
- Companies House company search — no matching limited company Retrieved 4 September 2026.
- Google Maps listing — Local Investigator, Telford Retrieved 4 September 2026.
Is this your business?
Ask us to correct a fact, claim the listing, or send a response for publication alongside the assessment.