Ban on upfront model fees planned

The BBC reports this morning that modelling agencies would be banned from charging upfront fees, under government plans to be announced later today.

Even though a “cooling off” period had been introduced last year, aspiring models are still being exploited by unscrupulous agencies. New plans would outlaw upfront fees.

This new legislation is a welcome move, which confirms what readers of my models guide have known for years already:

Do not join an agency if you are expected to pay a fee (e.g. for joining, membership or to have a portfolio produced) – so-called upfront fees. Reputable agencies never charge their models any fees. They make their money from finding paid work for you and taking a commission.

My fear is that some so-called agencies will now simply find new ways of charging models, e.g. for test shots or producing portfolios, which also should not happen.

Read more about becoming a model and avoiding the scams in Wolf’s Models Guide.

You might also like: