I think different agencies have completely different policies, esp. in London, so it's hard to answer definitively.

Sometimes the 'apply now' forms on agency websites demand pro pics, or face pics, or bikini pics, or sometimes don't specify at all. Either way, I would get on the phone and tell them that I can submit certain pictures (if I can) or that I am independent and hot and that if they can spare 10 minutes for an interview they will be hugely impressed. I think they're more likely to respond to determination and organisation on your part (and confidence) as, after all, they probably don't need anyone flighty on their books.

You're probably better off not mentioning your indie thing, actually - some agencies like to make a huuuge deal out of 'new girls' as that's where most of their income comes from. But they will probably find out (I think you yourself said on another thread that punters do like to gossip ). Maybe find out in the interview whether it's a dealbreaker for them.

Be wary of sending pictures to them as once, an agency just put my pics on their site without even telling me I was "hired". Bad!

I think with agencies it's best to deal with this stuff during a face-to-face interview. You're most likely to get honest answers, or at least be able to tell if they're being cagey, and they'll be able to tell you straight-up whether you're what they're looking for. Saves a bit of faffing with emails and whatnot, anyway.

Hi,

I would agree with the other ladies.  It was always good to get a photo of a lady looking for work, but no need to show your face.
You really need to tell them you are also working as an indie.  They will find out, and that looks a bit dodgy. It's quite normal for indie girls to join agencies to poach clients, so agencies really watch out for it.  Some clients will happily drop you in it!

Good luck, I hope you find somewhere you're happy with.

Madam Becky x

With the caveat that I've never worked for or run a female escort agency

Do agencies expect you to be available at short notice?

Typically, yes. Agencies tend to get more 'I want someone like this now' calls than 'I want someone next week' ones. So they typically have a shift system, where you'll be on call from x pm to y am on several days a week, as arranged.

Do they expect the ladies to have their own incall place?

It would help, but many agencies are outcall only. The ones that do incalls tend to be actually running a string of brothels by providing flats etc for people to work from. Doubtless this is reflected in the cut.

And do they expect you to sit at home/or incall place and wait for bookings on the days that you've said you are available for work?

There are some where you're expected to sit around somewhere, either at an office or elsewhere, but most will 'just' expect to you be able to get to anywhere in the area they serve with an hour or so's notice. This means you can be out and about, but not carrying much more than the work bag.

I'll repeat myself (sorry!) that the whole spiel any agency will give you during the interview about how much they CARE about their girls and would NEVER answer calls from a client they know to be dodgy and have a GREAT screening system may not be 100% true.

Yeah, things to bear in mind when dealing with an agency include...

• Half the agencies out there do not have a clue
• Even the ones that do are in it for the money, and your needs may come some way down their list of priorities
• They very probably have to deal with more flakes than Cadbury's, so anyone sensible will stand out

And remember the golden rule: they need you more than you need them.

Keeping on the 'good side' of your agency (and all possible receptionists/bookers) can be a right pain, actually, and quite stressful when if one hates you, they might send you repeatedly to the weirdest clients.

Ah, yes. Your life as an agency worker depends on your relationship with whoever answers the phones / emails. And that's usually more than one person. It can be worth arranging your shifts to match the receptionists' ones: avoiding some and stalking others.

please filter out any overly-grumpy bits from this post.

I think it's your evil / grumpy bits which are the best

So I thought whether to  hang about in a particular part of London or just be near a 1 hour incall place that I'd could use, during my shifts. Don't know if that would be worth my while or just a waste of time though. Is that how others are doing when working for agencies in London? Sorry if naive question, but I almost envisage all agency ladies bolted up in attractive, central London flats running off to nearby hotels as soon as agency calls.

Ha, now you're going to get me going on a massive tangent as your reward for the flattery.

I was in east London (only a 30 minute journey from Central areas but still a pain on short notice) when I first worked for agencies and then as quick as I could moved into an amazing central flat to be convenient for myself and for incall clients. But that's only going to have lasted a year as in July, I'm moving further away so's to halve my rent because it's just too expensive to live here! And it's not like I'm buying Louboutins and handbags every day (I don't actually own a single designer item, I'm weirdly proud to say ), it's just the costs add up and I would have to work consistently 8 hours every week to really make enough cash to live here comfortably (mainly putting aside enough money to pay my next evil tax bill is what's killing my poor bank account). And it sounds really pathetic when I put it in words but 8 clients a week?! No way. I'd die of a stress-related heart attack. Halve that and then we're talking!

Anyway, right, that WAS an enormous tangent. But I'm just musing on the general economic facts - living in Central London (or your luxury Kensington pad!) means, if you are going to be paying the bills yourself, working a lot. And not ever having a week off! So I think I'd either recommend sharing a small 2-bed flat with another trusted escort or just staying in an 'affordable' area of London so you don't get quickly swept up in the rat race of *having* to work to pay your rent so getting more and more desperate for bookings and not being able to relax and enjoy the work and your life at all. I mean, if you could charge ?500 per hour just because your rent was exorbitant, that would be nice! But rates don't quite go up enough to match the costs of Central London living, unfortunately. So, er, yes - all that just to say I don't recommend moving anywhere too expensive on your own!

If you're renting an hourly/daily place, though, that could be ideal. Hopefully it would be affordable and also you'd have somewhere safe to wait for clients. You can give your agency an address as long as it's not your own - so they can inspect that incall place, if they like, although I think it's pretty rude of them to assume you'll be in a cesspit! As XW5 said, though, they must deal with so many mad escorts, not just mad clients. The main concern of not giving them your real address is that one day, far down the line, you never know - you might just get that crazy phone call accusing you of stealing money and/or clients from the agency. And then if you don't know what they're talking about, they just tell you they're sending A Sinister Man to your flat to collect what you owe. Or something. Maybe I watch too many bad crime movies but for me, even a tiny risk of death is way too much of a risk of death!

Also, my experiences were a year ago now so the idea of incall flats provided by the agency in return for more commission might have caught on in London. Then again - the same economics probably becomes an issue and in order for an agency not to lose money by providing an expensive beautiful flat suitable for their hi-klass image, they'd have to take about 60% commission if the girls are working at hi-klass rates and then there'd still be a big problem if there weren't enough clients (which there often isn't when you get overly-hi-klass!).

I think realistically, a lot of the London agencies have girls from various countries working for them who get together and share a place to live and work, possibly joining multiple agencies and just being really sensible and discreet so that each client really does get the "single, independent 'real' girl living alone in a big, posh flat" experience, albeit behind the scenes it's all much more hectic but very organised! The thing is, they may only do this for a year or a few months at a time so it's not so much a long-term plan - I'd imagine the stress (of so many clients, agencies, commission, bills, big flat, maintenance, flatmates changing/being crazy/disappearing, etc etc) isn't probably very enjoyable after a while. If you're comfortable living where you are, I'd make sure your work fits around you rather than making big changes to be more available to more clients, if those changes are more expensive and would require yet more clients to upkeep! A sympathetic agency should agree to put on your profile that you require an hour or two hour's notice at minimum, and hopefully will pay attention to their own concession and not forget that you're a bit further away!