Terms of business

1. Welcome

Thank you for choosing Alibi Confidential.

We provide professional process serving, tracing, investigations and legal support services throughout the United Kingdom and, where required, can assist with international service requirements through our trusted network of approved partners.

These Terms of Business explain how we work and form the basis upon which our services are provided.

By instructing Alibi Confidential, you agree to these Terms of Business.

2. Definitions

For the purposes of these Terms:

“Client” means any individual or organisation instructing Alibi Confidential.
“Instruction” means any request for services accepted by Alibi Confidential.
“Services” means any process serving, tracing, investigative or related support services provided.
“Agent” means any approved third-party process server or service provider engaged by Alibi Confidential.
“Working Day” means Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays.

3. Our Services

Alibi Confidential provides a range of professional support services including:

Process serving
Urgent and same-day service
Service of statutory demands
Tracing and address verification
Investigations and fraud support services
Witness statements and statements of service
Court attendance support
International service coordination
Bespoke investigative and support services

All Instructions are accepted subject to availability, legal requirements and operational considerations.

4. Who we work with

We act on behalf of:

Solicitors and law firms
Businesses and corporate organisations
Public sector bodies
Charities and non-profit organisations
Private individuals

We are committed to delivering a consistent professional standard across all client types.

5. Service Offerings

Standard Service

Three guaranteed attendance attempts
First attempt within 48 hours of Instruction acceptance
Remaining attempts within five Working Days

7-Day Service

Three guaranteed attendance attempts
Attempts completed over seven days from Instruction acceptance

Express Service

Three guaranteed attendance attempts
First attempt within 24 hours
Remaining attempts within five Working Days

Same-Day Service

Three guaranteed attendance attempts
First attempt same day if accepted before 5:00pm
Remaining attempts within 24 hours unless otherwise agreed

6. Attendance attempts

An attendance attempt is deemed to have taken place where an Agent attends a location for the purpose of effecting service, regardless of whether contact is made with the intended recipient.

7. Evidence of service

Where appropriate, lawful and operationally possible, Services may include photographic and/or video evidence of attendance.

Such material is intended to support verification of service and provide additional reassurance to Clients.

Where available, recordings may be purchased and are retained for six months from the date of service.

8. The Alibi Guarantee

Where service is successfully effected, Alibi Confidential will use reasonable endeavours to provide a Witness Statement of Service within 24 hours of the successful serve.

Where service takes place outside normal working hours, or on weekends or public holidays, provision may take place on the next Working Day.

9. Providing instructions

Clients must provide accurate and complete information including:

Correct party details
Valid documents for service
Deadlines and relevant court information
Any known risks or safety concerns

Clients are responsible for ensuring documents provided are suitable for service.

10. Lawful instructions and verification

Alibi Confidential reserves the right to refuse, suspend or terminate any Instruction at its discretion.

We may request proof of identity, proof of address, and/or evidence of authority before accepting or progressing an Instruction.

We reserve the right to decline or suspend any Instruction where we reasonably believe it may be unlawful, abusive, fraudulent, misleading, unsafe, or otherwise inconsistent with our professional or ethical standards.

11. Process Serving

We use reasonable skill, care and professional judgment in all Services.

However, successful service cannot be guaranteed and may be affected by:

Inaccurate address information
Recipient unavailability
Changes of residence or circumstances
Legal restrictions
Safety considerations

12. Proof of Service

Where service is successfully effected, a Witness Statement of Service will be provided in accordance with the Alibi Guarantee.

Where required, a sworn Affidavit of Service can be provided for an additional fee of £25.

13. Tracing Services

Our tracing service operates on a no find, no fee basis.

A trace is considered successful where sufficient information is obtained to identify a current or likely current address.

Additional investigative work may be subject to separate charges.

All tracing information is provided for lawful use only and does not guarantee current residence.

14. Investigations and Fraud Support Services

Alibi Confidential provides a range of investigation and fraud-related support services, including:

Civil and commercial investigations
Fraud-related enquiries and support work
Address and asset verification
Background enquiries
Evidence gathering support for legal proceedings
Bespoke investigative instructions

All investigation services are subject to acceptance and availability.

We reserve the right to decline any investigation Instruction at our sole discretion.

Due to the sensitive nature of investigative work, all such Instructions are subject to enhanced review prior to acceptance.

This may include, where appropriate:

Client identity verification checks
Verification of authority to instruct
Risk assessment of the Instruction
A Legitimate Interests Assessment (LIA) under applicable UK data protection legislation

We will only proceed where we are satisfied that there is a lawful basis for processing and that the Instruction is appropriate, proportionate, and consistent with our professional and ethical standards.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate any investigation where concerns arise regarding legality, proportionality, safety, or ethical compliance.

15. International Instructions

International service is subject to local laws, court rules, and operational requirements in the relevant jurisdiction.

We only engage approved overseas agents and partners.

Timescales, procedures, and costs may vary significantly depending on destination country requirements.

16. Third-Party Agent Network

Alibi Confidential reserves the right to use self-employed process servers, agency personnel, and approved service partners across the United Kingdom and internationally.

All Agents are expected to hold valid DBS certification and appropriate insurance relevant to the Services they provide.

All Agents act solely on behalf of Alibi Confidential. The contractual relationship remains exclusively between Alibi Confidential and the Client.

Clients will always communicate directly with Alibi Confidential, which remains the sole point of contact.

Any witness statements, reports, or supporting documentation produced by Agents are submitted to Alibi Confidential for review and approval before issuance to Clients.

We seek to work only with suitably qualified Agents and approved international partners; however, operational, legal, and local conditions may affect service delivery.

17. Professional Standards and Ethical Conduct

Alibi Confidential operates to high professional and ethical standards.

We expect all staff, Agents, and partners to act lawfully, professionally, and respectfully at all times.

We do not tolerate harassment, intimidation, discrimination, misuse of personal data, or any conduct that undermines safety, dignity, or professional integrity.

We reserve the right to decline or suspend any Instruction where ethical concerns arise.

18. Modern Slavery and Human Rights

Alibi Confidential is committed to preventing modern slavery, forced labour, human trafficking, and exploitation in all operations and supply chains.

We expect the same standards from all employees, Agents, suppliers, and partners.

We will take appropriate action in response to any concerns regarding unethical labour practices or human rights violations.

19. Client Accounts and Credit Terms

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, payment terms apply as set out in these Terms of Business.

Business Clients may request extended payment terms, framework agreements, rebate arrangements, or project-based pricing at the enquiry stage.

All credit terms and account facilities are granted at the discretion of Alibi Confidential.

We reserve the right to withdraw, suspend, or amend credit terms at any time.

Where payment is not received by the due date, we reserve the right to:

Suspend ongoing Instructions
Decline new Instructions
Withdraw credit facilities
Require payment in advance for future Instructions
Charge interest and recovery costs in accordance with applicable legislation

Any bespoke agreement, framework agreement, rebate arrangement, or project pricing agreement shall take precedence over these Terms where there is any inconsistency.

20. Fees and Late Payment

All fees will be agreed prior to commencement of work wherever possible.

Additional charges may apply where Instructions change, require urgent attendance, involve exceptional travel, or incur third-party costs.

21. Cancellation of Instructions

Due to the nature of our Services, all Instructions are deemed to commence immediately upon acceptance by Alibi Confidential.

This includes, but is not limited to, allocation of resources, scheduling of attendance, administrative processing, and where applicable, instruction of Agents or third-party service providers.

As a result, cancellations are not normally permitted once an Instruction has been accepted.

7-Day Service Exception

For 7-Day Service Instructions only, Clients may request cancellation within 24 hours of Instruction acceptance, provided that no operational work, allocation, or attendance activity has commenced.

Where cancellation is accepted within this period, any fees for third-party costs, administrative processing, or work already undertaken may still be deducted or charged.

General Position

Outside of the limited exception above, all Instructions are considered firm once accepted and may not be cancelled.

Where a Client requests cancellation after acceptance, Alibi Confidential reserves the right to charge for:

Administrative time and processing
Allocation of Agents or resources
Travel or attendance already arranged or undertaken
Third-party or subcontracted costs incurred
Any work already completed or in progress

Any such charges will be reasonable and proportionate to the work undertaken at the point of cancellation request.

22. Confidentiality

All information is treated as confidential and used solely for the purpose of delivering Services and complying with legal obligations.

23. Intellectual Property

All reports, witness statements, photographs, video recordings, and related materials remain the property of Alibi Confidential until payment has been received in full.

No material may be used, distributed, or relied upon for legal or commercial purposes until all outstanding balances relating to the Instruction have been settled.

24. Data Protection

We process personal data in accordance with applicable UK data protection legislation and maintain appropriate safeguards.

Further details are available in our Privacy Policy.

25. Force Majeure

We are not liable for delays or failure caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including:

Severe weather
Transport disruption
Industrial action
Civil unrest
System failures
Public emergencies

26. Limitation of liability

Our liability is limited to the value of fees paid for the relevant Instruction, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

We are not liable for losses arising from third-party actions, incorrect information, or circumstances outside our control.

27. Complaints

We aim to provide a professional service at all times.

Complaints will be handled promptly and fairly.

28. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

29. Contact us

Alibi Confidential
Contact details available via our website.