If you find yourself in a situation where you need the services of a private investigator there are several things you must consider before choosing the right one. Prior to hiring a professional assistance, it is always a good idea to shop around and check the fees for the service you need. So let’s see how much does a private investigator cost.

Factors That Determine The Private Investigator Fees

Every service is unique; therefore there isn’t a price that applies to all. The first factor that has a great influence on the fees is the type of service. Surveillance, tracing, vehicle tracking, simple consultation, collection of documents on court or finding a missing person will all have different fees. The fees will also be modified in case additional equipment is required or if more than one investigator is assigned to the case.

Fixed Price

Even though some of the services are offered for a fixed price, the details of the investigation will determine the final cost. For services which are offered for a fixed price, a private investigator charges between £70 and £1250. This usually includes services which if billed per hour can cost you a real fortune, and still you might not be able to get the desired result.

The average private investigator fees for hourly services go around £40- £80 per hour. However, there is a minimum of 6 hours that must be respected. The hourly rate is adjusted depending on the time of the day when you need the services of the private investigator. So, for morning services the rate will decrease, whereas for evening services the rate will increase. Please note that VAT is additionally applied to the rates provided above. Some private investigators can be hired for their daily rate.  This type of service might be good when you need to hire a private investigator for a shorter period of time.

The Private Investigator Salary In UK

The private investigator salary in UK starts from £15,000 per year. Experienced private investigators can earn up to £20,000 to £25,000 per year, whereas private investigators who have legal experience can earn even between £50,000 and £100,000 per year. From these earnings you can easily make the difference between a good and an average private investigator. Regardless of your choice they can all do a good job if you make the right choice.

Knowing the average price of the service you need might be very useful. Surely you can always find private detective who has different fees for their services. However, hiring a private investigator that offers services with a big difference in price might be a red flag for you. Make sure to check their background and their success rate. If you sign up for something else then what you have expected, at the end of the day you might pay a lot more than you have planned. Price is not always a guarantee for quality but it can be a good indicator.