Rates are based on the time and complexity of the investigation
Knowing the prices of the services of a private detective is surely the most frequent question from clients, but also from students interested in the profession or from the people we are talking to.
No set up rates for private detectives:
Unlike bailiffs or notaries who have set up rates, private detectives do not have apply a fixed rate. There is no scheduled rate for private investigators. However, the price is set by the private investigators market.
In Paris, the prices for a detective are generally a little more expensive than in the other parts of France.
The issue of rates is completely legitimate because we are a liberal profession and that the prices are therefore by definition not set in advance and depend for the most part on the following factors:
- The location of the agency
Indeed, an agency located in Paris will not have the same operating costs as an agency located in the other regions . But beware, a high price is not the guarantee of quality, a low price is not a guarantee of bad performance either. As in any field, it is necessary to find a good tariff balance. - The quality of the service
How to judge the quality of a service if it is the first time that the principal (professional or private) calls on an investigation firm? Word of mouth, reviews on the internet, the quality of the web site, the contact over the phone or by email and the handling of the request for assistance are all the signs that can give guarantees of quality work. - Resources used to solve the investigation
Like any worker, the private detective must use good equipment if he wants to succeed in gathering relevant evidences and not waste time on his files. A case solved quickly will satisfy the client , and the private detective will be done with it . Questioning the private investigator before starting the investigation, will help to understand a little better the prices. - Short, medium or long term deadlines
If you request an investigation on an emergency , at night, or on Christmas Day, inevitably, the private detective’s rates will be higher. - From the professional or private client
Obviously we do not fix prices ” on the customers basis “. We will do our best to meet the goals and needs of the client and his budget.. Please note, we accept payment by checks or bank transfers for transparency and logistics reasons.
Below are some examples of the rates generally charged by the AGORA DETECTIVES agency
Hourly rate
Most of the time we are working on a basis of package deal , but we do work also on hourly rates basis. But when we have to perform more work that was initialy agreed on a package we will then charge the extra time on a hourly basis (always with the customer’s agreement) . We may also charge per hour when only a few hours are required.
The basic rate starts at €65 excluding tax and goes up to €100 excluding tax per hour. It all depends on the case and the context.
Flat rate
The price of a private detective package depends on the number of hours selected. We have package prices that start with 10 hours of intervention. This will be the case in missionsof tailing and surveillance.
Example: Tailing a person in a context of adultery (for an individual) or during the collection of evidence in matters of unfair competition (for a company).
For administrative investigations, we offer global packages. We rather practice the concept of profit bonus, with a fixed advance then the balance when the report is submitted. Even if the private detective is subject to an obligation of performing the job and not results, it is necessary to show our motivation to our clients. Money must be a solution to achieve the result, but must not be a problem between the private investigator and his client.
Example: the search for biological parents or the search for income from a deadbeat tenant.
Our added value, except on rare occasion , is the time spent writing reports, sending photos or videos , talking to the customer on the phone or when reviewing ,analysing the case and preparing estimates. All those tasks will not be charged to the customer.
We report the hours from the time we leave the agency located at 93, avenue Kléber in Paris 16th. If the mission takes us outside Paris or abroad, we will pass the costs to the clients based on the expenses we had to cover.
The fees of private detectives do not take into account the expenses while conducting our missions (like the rental of a hotel room or the meal that we must take during a surveillance mission in order not to lose sight of the person we are monitoring).
Tip:
During a legal dispute, you can possibly have the opposing party bear the costs of private detectives in the context of civil and commercial proceedings. Case law is consistent in this area. Indeed, the judges considered that when the investigations of the private detective were necessary to ensure the defense of the applicant, there could be a reimbursement.
For more details, do not hesitate to contact us, our prices will be set up according to your needs and goals and our intervention strategies will often be decisive . Our estimates are free.
And as the French proverb says, “the price will be forgotten, the quality remains”.