Terms of Service.

The Term of this Agreement (the “Terms and Conditions”) will begin on the date of this agreement and will remain in full force and effect until the completion of the services, which will be deemed, completed by Raven Research & Investigation’s owner(s), manager(s) or staff. The Term of this Agreement may be extended by mutual written agreement of the parties.

The Client (you or your organization) at this moment agrees to engage in investigative services with Raven Research & Investigations private investigators to provide The Client with services consisting of:

Private Investigative Services – All or marked may apply, however not limited to.

  • Investigative Services – General

  • Locates, Skip Tracing

  • Background Checks

  • Inquiries

  • Interviews

  • Litigation Support

  • Surveillance

  • Training

  • Social Media Monitoring

  • Asset Searching

  • Proof of Residence

  • Place of Employment

  • Spot Check(s)

  • Property Search(es)

  • Location Verification

  • TSCM (Technical Surveillance Counter Measures)

Raven Research & Investigations hereby agrees to provide such services to The Client. The services will also include any other tasks, which the parties may agree on.

Further terms of this agreement and specifically outlined:

Assignment Forms

The Client is required to complete our assignment form for us to take in case details and instructions. All correct and relevant information pertaining to the subject(s) of the investigation must be relayed and provided in the form for complete submission to our agency. Any information shared over the phone or in separate emails could be overlooked and therefore we are not responsible for the lack of, limited or missing information, if not supplied in the assignment form.

Investigators will not be supplied with The Client’s information, unless specified to do so for specific investigative situations, to maintain further discretion and confidentiality.

Should additional information need to be added to the case details (the subject’s personal information and down in our form), we recommend The Client fill in a new assignment form, including their file number and explanation, and to obtain a confirmed receipt of the new assignment form from our in-house team. The Client is expected to be truthful when submitting information through our online assignment form.

Surveillance

Surveillance services rendered by Raven Research & Investigations ., The Client will provide compensation to Raven Research & Investigations at a rate of $88.00 – $250.00 per hour, including the investigators travel time (varies by service and location, unless otherwise agreed upon), $0.70 to $1.50 per kilometre (unless otherwise agreed upon and as stated in writing). There is a daily hourly minimum of 3-hours for most locations, however various rural locations will have a 5-hour daily minimum, which is consecutive hours.

Surveillance Expectations

Raven Research & Investigations is not responsible for the activities observed, nor do we have control over the parties’ activities. The investigators will only document activities relevant to the objective unless instructed otherwise in writing. Interior video will only be obtained when possible.

Travel Time

Travel time will always begin from our office and is billable at our surveillance rate. Our team also bills from the Ottawa Courthouse, or our closest office to the case location to keep The Client’s budget in mind. The travel time from our office to the subject’s residence or place of work, if no activity, is based on Google Maps or necessary routes. In addition, travel time varies while tailing subjects. If the subject travels a far distance while mobile surveillance commenced, the travel time and kilometres will be billed accordingly, and will continue up until our return to the office once the investigators handling is terminated.

With locations throughout multiple cities, our team will always do their best to schedule an investigator for The Client’s case who is near the subject’s residence, workplace, and/or starting destination.

Additional Investigators

Should the subject become suspicious of their surroundings during surveillance, driving recklessly etc., we hold the right to utilize secondary or more investigators; when two are already working the case, for the purpose of continuity and case success. This is an additional fee of $50.00 – $150.00 per hour per investigator, as well as a $0.80 to $2.00 per kilometre per investigator. This fee will be charged more than the agreed price if this route is deemed necessary. In most cases the agency will contact The Client immediately, however in rare scenarios when The Client cannot be contacted or reached, case management will make the executive decision best suited for the success of the case.

Loss of Visual Contact During Surveillance Investigation/Different Target

During surveillance, our investigators work within the law while tailing/pursuing a subject. The Client understands that if visual contact were lost due to traffic conditions and/or aggressive driving etc., billing continues to be calculated during our efforts to relocate the subject. Billing at that time will be charged until the end of the minimum daily requirement and/or if beyond those workday hours until instructed by The Client. Billable hours (after the daily minimum), The Client will be notified and can decide on instructions moving forward. Should we not be able to get a hold of you, the investigator will use their best judgment. Often protocol would be an immediate canvas of the area, attend previously frequented locations and lastly, return to the address and/or workplace depending on case particulars. Additionally, our investigators while on surveillance will document the parties believed to be the subject. If for any reason the wrong subject is documented due to lack of information, physical identification not supplied or a similar appearance observed, surveillance hours remain billable as the service of surveillance has still been performed. We will always do our best to ensure the correct target while performing surveillance.

Traffic Laws

Should the subject become suspicious of their surroundings during surveillance, driving recklessly etc., we hold the right to utilize secondary or more investigators; if two are already working the case, for the purpose of continuity and file success. This is an additional fee of $50.00 – $150.00 per hour per investigator, as well as $0.80 to $2.00 per kilometre fee per investigator (rate varies by prove). This fee will be charged more than the agreed price if this route is deemed necessary. In most cases the agency will contact you immediately, however in rare scenarios when The Client cannot be contacted or reached, we will make an executive decision to best suit The Client’s object and overall success of the case.

Accommodation, Per Diem and Travel Expenses

Should the investigator(s) case require accommodation, rental vehicle, flights or any unforeseen additional expenses, the price of the travel expenses will occur. While out of town there is a daily per diem allowance in the amount of $50.00, along with any other expenses incurred. These prices/fees will be discussed prior to the commencement of services, at which time our team will always try to find the best deal, keeping The Client’s budget in mind.

Rental Vehicle(s)

Should a case require the investigator(s) to rent vehicles for the purpose of continuity, discretion and confidentially, The Client will be notified, and the price of the rental vehicle, insurance, damage, etc. will be billed as per the billing from the rental company.

Rentals

As each case varies with the location also varying, we exercise the right to rent a vehicle, if need be, for the success of the file. In the example of the subject at a cottage, camp or residence on a lake, a boat would increase exposure to the subject’s above-mentioned property and increase file success. The same could apply as an advantage with the rental of a snowmobile, bicycle etc. Rentals will be discussed prior to commencing the case or during dependant on the scenario.

File Interruptions

While surveillance is in progress, should The Client (you or your organization) attend the location where our investigators are working and conduct illegal, inappropriate, or dangerous behaviour, we have the right to discontinue services, at which time no refunds for services will be warranted.

Spot Check(s)

Spot checks are charged the rate of surveillance $88.00 – $250.00 per hour (rate varies by case or location), $0.80 to $2.00 per kilometer, and a 3-hour daily minimum. Spot checks only apply to files for legal, insurance and business purposes, and do not take the place of surveillance. If an investigator is completing a spot check and the subject leaves, and you wish for surveillance to commence, the fees become the surveillance rate of $88.00 – $250.00 per hour, $.80 to $2.00 per kilometre, administration fee $150 and the 3-hour daily minimum (consecutive hours).

Witness Statements & Interviews:

Raven Research & Investigations. offers interview and witness statement services, billed at the hourly investigator rate being $100.00 with a 3-hour daily minimum, $0.80 per kilometre (should an on-site visit be required), an administration charge $150 for file preparation and questions list, along with report writing time billed at the hourly rate, a multimedia charge of $100 should voice recording(s) or video recording be required (case per case will vary) and any additional fees for rental spaces (should a private and secure location be required), parking etc.

Reporting for said category would provide a synopsis summary of questioning unless full dictation is required and signature (to be discussed with case manager prior to assignment). Interview and statement responses are not guaranteed as it would require the cooperation of said individual/company, questions must be ethical and any questions supplied specific to The Client’s request will be taken into consideration, however, are not promised as our investigator holds the right to modify according to scenario and case history. In certain circumstances, Raven Research & Investigations reserves the right to act anonymously.

Client Communication Beyond Free Consultation

Raven Research & Investigations offers a free 30-minute consultation per case. In the event of a prospecting client or The Client; once engaged in service(s), calls repeatedly and/or beyond the initial consultation; engaging with our team in long unnecessary conversations, an administration fee will be charged per phone call with an hourly rate of $88.00 per hour.

Compensation – Retainer

Raven Research & Investigations requires a positive retainer and therefore intakes a minimum of $500.00 for surveillance services. Dependant on the number of days, hours, estimated kilometres, our administration fee, taxes, and processing fees when applicable, the retainer request will vary.

For continued services beyond the retainer amount, we require additional positive retainer unless otherwise stated (on a case per case basis) at the discretion of Raven Research & Investigations.

The general expenses on a file, however, are not limited to, surveillance/travel time hourly fees, the administration fee(s), multimedia fee, kilometre fees, parking, accommodation, rental vehicle(s); if required, additional investigators; if required, taxes, and incidental and unforeseeable out of pockets expenses.

All credit card payments agree with our terms discussed upon receipt of the assignment, and furthermore as outlined in our terms and conditions for payment in full of all services for the release of our reporting along with any evidence obtained.

Any retainers or credits that have been held for longer than three months will be used as a credit to the agency for future services and not be available as a monetary refund.

Should a prospective client submit an assignment form and choose to not proceed with services, there may be an administrative charge in the amount of $300.00 . Any unpaid fees will be sent to collections.

Budget

Though The Client may supply a specific budget, there are some cases where investigators must exceed the original budget. Depending on activity level and location for travel, added time may apply. We strive to work within The Client’s budget, however, there are no guarantees due to the uniqueness of the sale of this service. A case may go beyond the original budget due to travel time, surveillance hours, expenses, kilometres etc. Should this happen, The Client will be informed where possible and can then choose whether to proceed with additional services beyond the original budget.

Late Fee(s)

In the event that The Client (you or your organization) does not comply with the rates, amounts or payment dates provided in this agreement, a late payment penalty will be charged as follows: If the invoice is not paid within the timeframe stated on the invoice or in agreements, The Client (you or your organization) agrees to pay a late fee of $100.00 per business day and up to $5000 for all late notices in a financial year, per case basis, along with reimbursements of court fees, legal fees and/or collection fees. The Client will be given notice of this fee before the fee is applied.

Unpaid invoices will be sent to collections OR legal action will be commenced. Should we need additional client information to begin the collection process with our team, Raven Research & Investigations has the right to add additional fees: surveillance or research services, to obtain the information needed because of one’s delinquency. All efforts for communication will be exhausted to avoid said additional charges.

Surveillance Cancellation

Should surveillance be cancelled on a last-minute basis (same day or day prior during office off hours), especially in the scenario of frequent cancellations during the case; more than once, a cancellation fee will take place in the amount of $500.00 per instance. Cancellations must be given during business hours Monday to Friday between the operating hours (normally 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST) and confirmed by a member of our team. In the scenario where surveillance is cancelled entirely, the administration charge will apply, along with a 25% cancellation fee from the remaining budget that was agreed on for scheduling.

Refunds

A guaranteed outcome of observations for surveillance services is not achievable due to the uniqueness of the service. However, detailed reporting and video evidence of the investigator’s findings will be made available. There are no refunds, exchanges or guarantees on investigative services, including but not limited to, surveillance. Raven Research & Investigations will exhaust all efforts to complete a case appropriately and within the law, however, if a case has an outcome other than The Client’s expectation, we are not required to refund or exchange any money paid for the services rendered. Lack of patience based on our average turnaround times and should the case require additional time, will not and does not, warrant a refund.

In the event a surveillance case is cancelled, or further surveillance is not required, there is a 25% cancellation fee of the total budget returned. This policy pertains to cases that have already been scheduled.

Once a case is officially closed, the remaining retainer will be refunded within 60 business days after notice. File closure requests must be made via email, and/or if by phone, written reiteration would need to be supplied by The Client and/or our internal team.

Credit Card Disputes

Raven Research & Investigations holds the right to charge for our administration time during credit card disputes. Any disputes resulting in fraudulent behaviour on the behalf of The Client/cardholder will be reported to the police and will be escalated legally if need be. Should funds be debited from our account to be held by a credit card provider during the dispute, Raven Research & Investigations will charge a late payment fee in the amount of 3% interest compounded monthly. Invoices for these additional administration fees are expected to be paid the same day unless written in writing. Unpaid fees will be sent to collections with no regard to the privacy/confidentially of The Client’s address, to which we are not liable for breach of privacy due to the debtor’s negligence.

Invoice, Report and Video

Our team will send you an invoice for services rendered within 20 business days upon completion of services. Once services have been completed and when no outstanding balances are owed, is when video evidence and the final report are issued to The Client (you or your organization). The remaining balances, if any, will be charged onto the credit card we received upon receipt of the assignment in agreement of paying for service overages to aid in late fee charges onto The Client (you or your organization). Charges for video/multimedia will apply unless The Client has specified in writing that they would not like to receive any video evidence.

Note, we hold the right to keep and not distribute video evidence or the final report, to all clients who have an outstanding balance. Video evidence and the final report can take approximately 20 business days to complete. Technical areas surrounding video; data loss can happen, though extremely rare, and if for any reason the video on your file is corrupt and or lost, we will not charge the multimedia fee. The fee of surveillance will however remain, as the service of surveillance was still conducted. Should video evidence not be available, we will supply a letter of authenticity to aid in testifying the observations described in the reporting from the investigator.

Multimedia (Video Evidence)

Our investigators will obtain video footage while on surveillance as per the need of the case. If the case is insurance-related, all documentation that is relevant to the injury or limitation will be documented. With other cases such as child custody, domestic, infidelity etc., documentation of the subject completing an unlawful act, infidelity or other activity will be documented. In rare cases, video cards, cameras or editing software can glitch and cause errors to video (e.g., loss of video or altered date and time stamp). As these errors are beyond our control, we are not held liable for any video not produced due to technical errors.

Rush Fee(s)

Should you require immediate surveillance, a rush fee may apply to your file to complete it within the given timeframe. The fee will vary based on the type of file, amount of investigators and distance travelled etc. A rush fee is applied when surveillance is requested with less than 24-hour notice. The rush fee is a minimum of $150.00 and can be up to $1,200.00 and increases from there depending on the amount of time required and the location(s) of services. The rush fee for research is a flat rate of $200.00.

Should The Client require video evidence immediately upon file closure, our team can have this prepared (where available) for an additional fee of $300.00, which would be additional to the standard multimedia fee. The same applies to our reporting, should The Client require same day and or an in-hands date rush service, our team could prepare said documentation (where available) for an additional fee of $300.00, which is in addition to our standard administration fee.

Court Appearances

Any court appearances, testimony, expert witness, or deposition is subject to a base fee rate of $150.00 per hour (6-hour minimum), along with any out-of-pocket expenses, kilometre rate ($1.00 per kilometre per investigator or staff member), at which time billing is from our nearest office. Court appearance fees apply to present and future attendances, which would be beyond the service and investigative dates already previously paid for.

Restraining Order, Stalking & Peace Bond

Should The Client have a no-contact order, peace bond, stalking charge or restraining order, The Client is required to notify Raven Research & Investigations before the commencement of services. We do not complete cases or research for individuals who are not in compliance with the law or terms of their restrictions.

Illegal or Inappropriate Activity

Raven Research & Investigations completes a large variety of investigative services in various categories. We will at no point document illegal or inappropriate activity. Should we see activity that is illegal or inappropriate, we have the right to discontinue services and call appropriate authorities to report ident(s) that have been documented or visualized. The same would apply if The Client were to intervene during our investigation and began to misconduct oneself.

Research

For any research services rendered by Raven Research & Investigations., The Client will be responsible to provide compensation for services. This category is billed according to our time, administration, and efforts, along with any paid resources and databases. A discussion of our rate and efforts will be discussed prior to advancing (where available). Research-based services are non-refundable regardless of the outcome.

Additional Research Time

Should additional research be required or added by The Client, the additional services will be billed accordingly. In the event research is needed for the success of an ongoing case, Raven Research & Investigations will make the executive decision that is best for the case’s success. Locate cases that apply for a re-run of searches based on an outdated address result, will be placed on an agreed 90-day hold, at which time they will be revisited in hopes of obtaining new information. Additional pricing may apply. Cases as such will only be held for a 6-month term before being considered a new locate case, and therefore the standard locate fee will apply again to continue search re-runs.

Compensation

All research services are flat rate and require full payment upfront. The fee for research services varies from $300 and up, depending on the case requirements. The price will be outlined to The Client prior to commencing the research services. Prices issued and outlined above are before tax. There are no refunds on cases. If a The Client submits an assignment form and does not proceed with services, there may be a minimum $300.00 administration fee. Any unpaid fees will be sent to collections.

Document Retrieval

While Raven Research & Investigations has access to its own sources and agreements in place with information databases, we sometimes need to work outside of these parameters to seek documentation from a third-party office, at which time our team is not and will not, be responsible for any delays in a said document or archived document retrieval. Delays in document retrieval do not warrant refunds.

Confidentiality and Discretion

Our team will utilize the utmost confidentiality and discretion while completing research services. Raven Research & Investigations will not make mention of The Client’s direct request of said information unless discussed and otherwise consented.

  • Confidential Information

For the purposes of this Agreement, "Confidential Information" includes, but is not limited to, all personal, proprietary, and sensitive information shared during the investigation, including client details, case specifics, research results, documents, and any information provided by either party. Both parties agree to take all necessary precautions to prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, or use of such information.

  • Obligations of Confidentiality

• The Client agrees to keep all materials, reports, and findings received from Raven confidential and not disclose them without prior written consent from Raven, except as necessary for legal or procedural purposes.

• Raven agrees to keep all information obtained from the Client confidential and not use or disclose it for any purpose other than to perform the services specified in this Agreement.

• Both parties acknowledge that any breach of this confidentiality obligation could result in legal action and irreparable harm to the other party.

  • Duration of Confidentiality

The confidentiality obligations of any Agreement will remain in effect indefinitely, continuing even after the termination or completion of services rendered.

Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)

The Parties acknowledge that during the course of their engagement, confidential information of a proprietary or sensitive nature may be exchanged. This NDA is intended to protect such information.

  • Use of Information

• The Parties agree to use Confidential Information solely for the purpose of fulfilling the services outlined in their Contract.

• Confidential Information will not be disclosed to without prior written consent from the disclosing Party, except as required by law.

  • Survival

The obligations under this NDA will remain in effect indefinitely, continuing after the completion of services or termination of the Contract.

Omission of Information

Should The Client withhold or purposefully omit and/or give false information, Raven Research & Investigations has the right to charge for research services to obtain the proper and legal information required for the case. In the scenario of a locate and/or research case, it is important for The Client to provide all information he or she has pertaining to the subject(s) to avoid our investigators presenting the same information as new development. In the example of our agency providing an outdated address, which to The Client was known as a last known address, if said information was not presented initially in the assignment form and/or during email communication, we as an agency are not responsible for not knowing these details, and therefore additional search charges could be applied to further our efforts in the case.

No Guarantee of Investigative Research

Our research team will exhaust all efforts to complete the research request, however, guaranteed results are not offered due to the nature of the service(s). Raven Research & Investigations is not responsible for the disappointment of found information; information of such that The Client may have already previously found. Due to the uniqueness of the service(s) provided, we are unable to offer guarantees at any time.

Though we have a very high success rate with investigative cases, in some instances, new information is not attainable or only and old address(es) surface. In situations as such, we will place the case on hold and continue the search after a 30-to-120-day window to determine if a new address surfaces.

Limitations Disclaimer: Raven Research & Investigations will never promise the following search or have access to Government Databases such as “CRA, Disability”, etc. Private Investigators do not legally have access to this information and therefore, The Client agrees for our team to operate within the law when obtaining information.

Protection of Sources

Raven Research & Investigations has formal agreements in place that limit the use and disclosure of our third-party information databases. Our agency holds the right to maintain the anonymity of sourced information. Requests for sourced information will not be supplied pursuant to our terms agreed herein prior to advancing with The Client’s assignment.

Privacy Act

Our team works within the laws surrounding the privacy act. We will not and do not access or hack private accounts. Raven Research & Investigations will not take on any unlawful or unethical cases and will explain prior to The Client retaining our services, actions that can and cannot be completed to offer fulfillment of their case request.

Refund or Exchange

A guaranteed outcome for the purchase of a research service is not unobtainable, however detailed reporting of the private investigator’s findings can be made available. There will be no refunds, exchanges or guarantees on investigative services, including but not limited to, research. Raven Research & Investigations will exhaust all efforts to complete a case appropriately and within the law. Should The Client’s case have an outcome other than their expectation, there will be no refund or exchange for any money paid for the services rendered. Lack of patience based on our average turnaround times and should the case require additional time, will not and does not, warrant a refund. Once a file is received there are no refunds for the case as the flat rate fee ludes the administration time as well as the research time.

Research Cancellation 

In the event of service cancellation, regardless of the timeframe, a 50% refund of the entire prepaid balance will be issued should no work have been completed.

Suspicious Behaviour

Should we complete a research service for you (The Client or organization), and you are deemed unsafe for the subject, or we find out a peace bond, no-contact order, restraining order or similar, is in place, we will discontinue the search without refund, not supply a report and will contact authorities if necessary.

Omission of Information

Should The Client withhold, purposefully omit and/or give false information, Raven Research & Investigations has the right to charge for research services to obtain the proper and legal information required for the file or case. Withholding, purposefully omitting and/or giving false information will automatically void a case refund.

Restraining Order, Stalking and Peace Bond

Should The Client, your organization, affiliations, or family members have a no-contact order, peace bond, stalking charge or restraining order, you are required to notify Raven Research & Investigations before the commencement of services. Raven Research & Investigations will not complete cases or perform research for individuals who are not in compliance with the law or terms of their restrictions. Should The Client withhold information, we have the right to not provide the content of the reporting/evidence, at which time refunds will not be granted.

Information Use

Should The Client abuse the information given to them, Raven Research & Investigations will not be held liable for any damages and/or injuries as a result.

Turnaround Time

Though approximate dates for completion of investigative research are provided, we cannot guarantee that results will be given within that period due to the nature of the service(s). Should extended time be required, The Client will be informed. Lack of patience based on our average turnaround times and should the case require additional time, will not and does not, warrant a refund.

Payment Options

Raven Research & Investigations accepts payments from the following: Cheque (once cleared or from existing clients only), Credit Card, PayPal, Interact Email Transfer, and Cash. There is currently no processing fee for using any credit services.

Defamation & Breach of Contract

Raven Research & Investigations warns against the communication of false statement(s) that harm our agency’s reputation. Any client activity online will be documented and archived for legal purposes. In the event of defamation in an online review, however not limited to; or on any other platform, we hold the right to sue for damages based on false accusations that hurt our agency. Reviews are welcomed to discuss The Client’s experience; however, we remind, not to release emotions of disappointment based on report findings, especially in the scenario of a locate, background search and or surveillance services. False statements that damage Raven Research & Investigations will not be protected by the right to free speech.

Raven Research & Investigations cautions against a breach of the contract agreed to in our Terms and Conditions once an online assignment form has been received by our team. To prevent disparagement of our agency, Raven Research & Investigations holds the right to fine in the amount of $5,000.00 for disapproving comments and reviews. We remind that courts can find the reviewer or previous client guilty of defaming our agency if they post incorrect accusations.

Harassment

Under no circumstances will The Client harass our staff, team members or investigators. If during communication with our team, you or your organization become angered, upset, and violent, we reserve the right to discontinue communications. Should harassment persist, we will contact our legal team and/or the authorities and proceed with legal or criminal action if needed.

Final Disclosure

Raven Research & Investigations holds the right to update its Terms and Conditions without notice, to evolve with the growth and development of our agency’s business. It is imperative for Raven Research & Investigations to renew its Terms and Conditions regularly and in a timely manner to ensure it reflects current operational feasibility, business arrangements with its clients, and legislative and regulatory standards in place for investigative capabilities. Raven Research & Investigations provides in-depth coverage of its services and our capabilities to manage expectations for both The Client and our agency. Raven Research & Investigations stands to remain compliant with law and regulation. It also offers protection against contractual risk and sets expectations between our agency and its clients thereby creating certainty.

Updated December 2024.