Is there any legal limit on how big a cut an agency can take

[kingcook]

Therefore, the agency is a parasitic partner in the relationship and as a business person I don't accept that the parasite that owns the contract.

+1

[d000hg]

I'm afraid you misunderstand the nature of the contract. They are not taking a cut of your contract, they are giving you a cut of theirs.

I have never agreed with this.

The contract could continue to exist without the agency, but the contract could NOT exist if if were not for the relationship between the client and the contractor.

No it couldn't, you would not get paid. Whereas the agent could conceivably replace you with another contractor under their contract with the client.

Therefore, the agency is a parasitic partner in the relationship and as a business person I don't accept that the parasite that owns the contract. Fair enough, the agencies do match contractors with the vacancies but I don't see that this should make us forever beholden to them. There should be an introduction fee and once that is paid off, the contractor is free to do business as they see fit without these restrictive covenants so beloved of agencies.

They're not a parasitic partner because that means they benefit only. It is an arrangement of convenience, a symbiotic relationship.

I agree that conceptually it should be seen as the agent taking a cut though, because that is the entire model on which using an agent works.