HOW TO HIRE · MARKETING, DESIGN & TECH

How to hire data recovery in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

No licence applies to data recovery. Here is how to check the quote, the no-data-no-fee terms and how your files are protected.

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  • Nearest to you first
  • One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews

THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring data recovery in five steps

  1. Stop using the driveDo not open it, run repair software or keep switching it on; each attempt can make recovery harder.
  2. Ask for a diagnosis and a fixed quoteThe fault type and a firm price before recovery starts.
  3. Read the no-data-no-fee termsWhat counts as success, and what you pay if the files you need do not come back.
  4. Ask how your data is protectedWho can see it, where copies are kept and when they are deleted.
  5. Check the file list before payingAsk to see which files were recovered before the final invoice.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

No law licenses data recovery labs in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. What protects you is a written quote, clear terms and the lab's handling of your data.

Get the diagnosis, quote and terms in writing before authorising work.

Personal data on the drive

Your drive may hold personal data about you, your family, staff or customers. Data protection rules require a business handling it to keep it secure, and most must pay the ICO data protection fee.

Ask whether the lab is on the ICO register, who can access recovered files, and when copies are deleted. gov.uk →

Business data and a processor contract

If the drive holds your business's customer or staff data, the ICO's guidance on UK GDPR expects a contract with anyone processing personal data on your behalf, covering security, confidentiality and deletion.

For a business drive, ask the lab for its data processing terms before sending the drive. ico.org.uk →

Reasonable care and skill (Consumer Rights Act 2015)

A trader providing a data recovery service must use reasonable care and skill. A lab that damages a drive through poor handling has not done that.

Keep the quote, terms and any condition report from check-in. legislation.gov.uk →

VAT

Data recovery is standard-rated, so a registered recovery lab adds 20% to the fixed recovery price, the return drive and any emergency priority charge. Registration becomes compulsory once a data recovery lab has VAT-taxable turnover over £90,000 in any rolling 12 months; from then VAT must be charged and shown as a separate line on the invoice.

Ask the recovery lab for the VAT number with the diagnosis and for the recovery price, the drive and the VAT shown as separate figures. gov.uk →

“What is wrong with the drive, and what kind of data recovery is needed?”

A good answer: A diagnosis: logical (deleted or corrupted files) or physical (a mechanical or electronic fault), with the method.

“Is the data recovery quote fixed?”

A good answer: A firm price after diagnosis, not an open-ended estimate.

“What does no data, no fee mean here?”

A good answer: A clear definition: which files must come back for you to pay, and any diagnosis or return fees.

“Who will see my files during the recovery, and when are copies deleted?”

A good answer: Limited staff access, secure storage, and deletion after a stated period.

“Can I see the list of recovered files before paying?”

A good answer: Yes, many labs show you the file list first.

“Does the price include VAT and a drive for the recovered data?”

A good answer: A clear yes or no on each.

“How long will the data recovery take?”

A good answer: Days for logical recoveries; often one to two weeks for mechanical.

Getting the quote right

  • Diagnosis result and the type of recovery
  • Who actually attends to the drive: the lab you sent it to, its employed engineers, or a subcontracted clean-room partner
  • A fixed price
  • The VAT number, with VAT at 20% on the recovery, the return drive and any priority charge
  • No-data-no-fee terms in writing
  • The drive or download method for returned data, and its cost
  • Turnaround, and any emergency priority charge
  • Data handling: access, storage and deletion

Walk away if

  • No diagnosis before a price
  • Vague no-fix-no-fee terms
  • Will not say how your data is protected
  • Asks you to open the drive yourself first
  • Large upfront payment before diagnosis
  • No file list before payment
LOW
£195
TYPICAL
£395
HIGH
£499

What data recovery costs: £195–£499 per recovery

Data recovery is quoted per recovery after diagnosis, usually as a fixed price on no-data-no-fee terms. Data Recovery price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Data recovery labs near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. IntakeThe drive logged with its condition and your instructions.
  2. DiagnosisThe fault found and a fixed quote issued.
  3. ImagingThe drive copied in a controlled way before files are rebuilt.
  4. RecoveryFiles rebuilt and a list shared for you to check.
  5. Return and deletionData returned on a new drive or download, and lab copies deleted.

Logical recovery
Recovering deleted or corrupted files from a working drive.
Physical recovery
Recovering from a drive with a mechanical or electronic fault.
Imaging
Making a complete copy of a failing drive before working on it.
Donor drive
A matching drive used for replacement parts.
Clean room
A dust-controlled space for opening hard drives.
RAID
Several drives working together; recovery is more complex.

AFTER

When the job is done

Check the recovered filesOpen important documents and photos, not just count them.
Confirm deletionAsk for written confirmation that the lab's copies have been deleted.
Set up backupsRecovery is expensive and not guaranteed; back up from now on.
Share how it wentReviews on Locufy come only from booked jobs, so yours counts. If the data recovery lab fell short, use the make-it-right step first and they get the chance to put it right.

STEP 1Put it to the data recovery lab in writingDescribe the fault and give a fair deadline to fix it. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 expects reasonable care and skill from the data recovery lab as a trader, so you can insist on the work being put right or the bill cut.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyA rating under four stars asks whether the data recovery lab should hear about it first. Agree, and the make-it-right step runs before your review appears.
STEP 3Report it through the consumer helplineFor advice on your rights against the data recovery lab, or to report a trader who breaks the law, call Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060 or Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Go to small claimsSmall claims is the last step against the data recovery lab: the limit is £10,000 in England and Wales, £5,000 in Scotland (simple procedure) and £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring data recovery: questions people ask

No. No licence or register applies in any UK nation; data protection law applies to how it handles your files.

Yes. A business handling personal data must keep it secure, and most must pay the ICO data protection fee. Ask how the lab stores and deletes copies.

Not on a drive that clicks or has a physical fault; it can make recovery harder.

Expect £195–£499 per recovery; £395 is typical. Physical faults, SSDs and donor parts cost more than deleted files on a working drive. Our data recovery price guide breaks the figures down, and your town above brings up data recovery labs close by.

That you pay only if the files you need are recovered, though some labs still charge for diagnosis or return postage. Get the definition in writing.

Logical recoveries can take a few days; mechanical ones often one to two weeks.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in marketing, design & tech

How to hire: Computer & Laptop RepairHow to hire: Phone & Screen RepairHow to hire: IT SupportHow to hire: Managed IT ServicesHow to hire: Cybersecurity ConsultantHow to hire: Computer Setup & InstallationHow to hire: Network EngineerHow to hire: Cloud ConsultantAll 701 hiring guides →

Data recovery labs near you

Data recovery labs in LondonData recovery labs in ManchesterData recovery labs in BirminghamData recovery labs in GlasgowData recovery labs in BelfastAll data recovery labs on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. gov.uk — pay the data protection fee
  2. ICO — contracts between controllers and processors
  3. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  4. gov.uk — data protection and your business
  5. Citizens Advice — more help with a consumer issue
  6. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  7. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  8. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register