I have seen many ads in the classifieds for private tutors and I am wondering if anyone here has used the services of a private tutor in the past.

I would like to hear from ONLY those who had prior experience with a private tutor. I am not interested in private schools or universities, only 1-1 tutors.

What Chinese qualifications or credentials do you think the tutor should have?

Do you think the tutor should also have some qualifications or credentials in English since basic communication is necessary?

It's honestly hit or miss... The prices you see on gokunming are ridiculous for tutors. You can get a qualified (education background in teaching Chinese, and at least cet4)tutor for 25 to 50 yuan an hour depending on the level of Chinese you want to study. The tutors are usually inconsistent though, since they have their own lesson plan( or don't have one at all) Also since it isn't with a school you'll most likely be studying in a public environment, which will only slow the learning process.

What english level (Qualification) do you think is required to be a satisfactory tutor.

Cet4.

There is a degree in teaching Chinese to foreign speakers. Lots of tutors will have this, don't settle for less.
I would also look for someone with experience teaching.

The CET4 is the College English Test level 4 (4000 words), CET6 (6000 words) which is really a bit like IELTS level 4-6. A person with CET is not an English major.
At the very least I would suggest a minimum a tutor had is TEM4 (8000 words), the college Test for English Majors. But all English Majors and those who will teach Mandarin as a foreign language must pass TEM8 (13000 words).

CET would not really prepare someone with the linguistic knowledge to teach and explain.
Neither CET nor TEM are teaching certs.

My experience of 3 types of study is as follows:
I have tried university study, but this did not suit me. All 4 skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking) taught.

Private tutor, 80/hr and I could only afford 2 hours twice per week. Tutor was not 100% available, no lesson planning and so no real structure. Lessons in public are were not ideal. Advantages, I could choose my own books, I did not have to learn to write (not 100% needed unless you are looking for qualifications) and one to one. Focussed on reading, listening, and speaking. Was also able to focus on a specific topic if needed, but it never really was. As a beginner you need functional language, individual vocab can be looked up.

I am now in a private school. This is a perfect fit for me. Cheap, regular and structured. It works out about 20 rmb/academic hour. I study 2 hours per day M-F which is still affordable. This is a small group of 5 if they all turn up and this really is not a problem. Almost the same as one to one, really it is. There is a planned course and the tutor is always there. This is a classroom with a whiteboard, and we have time to explore individual teaching needs when they occur. There is no great focus on writing, which helps. In everyday life, as long as you know PinYin to put into your computer/phone and can recognise which character you need to use, that is enough, and is what most young Chinese rely on.

my 2c.

A tutor can usually get qualified in one of 2 ways. By graduating from a university with a major of Teaching Chinese As a Foreign Language - Dui Wai Han Yu Zhuan Ye - 对外汉语专业 - or by attending a 3 month course and passing the certification exam. Here are some of the certificates available:

1 - IPA = International Profession Certification Association
2 - ICLTA = International Chinese Language Teachers Association

I am sure there are more certificates but these are the most common here in Yunnan.

Probably the most important certificate a tutor should have is the Mandarin Proficiency Test - (PSC) - Pu Tong Hua Shui Ping Ce Shi - 普通话水平测试 - Most students are required to get this certificate in order to get a teacher's certificate. However, they are only required to get a level 2A which is what most students have. The higher levels are 1A and 1B.

In Yunnan, only 3% of the people tested can get a level 1B and less than 1% (0.03) can get a level 1A. For anyone looking to learn standard Mandarin, I recommend you find a tutor with at least a level 1B.

That is more of a teacher than a tutor.. So what you are looking for is 1 on 1 teacher at a private school, or university.

A definition here might help.
TUTOR (noun)
a private teacher, typically one who teaches a single student or a very small group.
synonyms: teacher, instructor, educator, lecturer, trainer, mentor.

A tutor, to my mind, is someone who is capable of teaching, but does so in a non-school setting.

Someone with CET 4 could be a language exchange partner, but their ability to teach anything would be limited.

Tutor

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Tu´tor
n.
5. (Eng. Universities) An officer or member of some hall, who instructs students, and is responsible for their discipline.
6. (Am. Colleges) An instructor of a lower rank than a professor.

So I guess we all can pick a definition to suit our sides.

Now are you posting on assumption, or...? You've been through the ringer it looks like with tutors, and private schools.

I've had one tutor for a year, I have not changed and I'm quite satisfied with my Chinese level. So obviously I'm doing something correct...also, if you feel like Chinese tutors\teachers need to be fluent in English. I can only assume you're fluent in Chinese if you're a "qualified" teacher.

No need to speak another language that the learner understands to be able to teach one. In fact, the less the teacher communicates in the learner's language, the quicker he/she will learn the language being taught.