My agency isn't paying me Evidence, written notice and where to take it
If your agency is late or short on pay, build the paper trail first: records, a written notice with a deadline, then the options your country gives you.
By the Crewvale editorial team
When an agency is late or short on pay, the order matters: gather your records, check what the contract says, send a written notice with a deadline, and only then choose a route such as mediation or a small claim. Staying calm and writing everything down is the strongest thing you can do.
In short
- Keep every record: the contract, messages, statements and your own platform earnings.
- Compare what you were paid with what the contract says you should have been paid.
- Send a short written notice that names the amount and a deadline.
- If that fails, the options depend on your country. Report the agency to Crewvale too.
This is general information, not legal advice.
What counts as "not being paid"?
- Late: the payment date has passed and nothing has arrived.
- Short: you were paid, but less than the contract says. The cause is often a different revenue base or an unexplained deduction.
- Withheld: the agency says it is holding your money for a reason you do not accept, such as a "penalty".
- Missing report: you cannot check the amount because you get no statement.
These are different problems. A late payment is a debt. A short payment is usually a dispute about numbers. Name which one you have before you write anything.
What evidence should you keep?
Start the file today, even if you hope this resolves itself.
- The signed contract and every version or addendum.
- Payment history: bank statements, transfer receipts, payout records.
- Your platform's own earnings records, such as the statements or earnings pages you can see. Fansly's help pages, for example, ask for screenshots of your earnings wallet and bank deposit records when earnings are missing. Keep the same kind of record wherever you can see it.
- Messages with the agency about pay, dates and amounts. Save them somewhere the agency cannot delete them.
- A simple table of what you were owed, what you received and the gap.
- Dates: when each payment was due and when you first asked.
Keep your copies outside any account the agency can reach. A personal cloud folder or an email you control is enough.
What does your contract say?
Open it and look for these, so your notice cites the agreement and not just your feelings. Our contract checklist covers them.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Payment date | Shows when a payment became late |
| Revenue base | Shows what the share is taken from, net or gross |
| Statements | Shows whether the agency owes you a report |
| Deductions | Shows which costs may be taken, and with what notice |
| Late-payment term | A rate or fee that applies, if any |
| Notice and cure period | Shows how you must complain and how long they have to fix it |
| Dispute process and governing law | Shows where a claim has to go |
If the contract is silent, say so. A missing term is itself useful, because rules in your country may fill the gap.
How do you write the notice?
Send one written notice. Email works if the contract allows it; if the contract names a postal address for notices, use that too.
Keep it short and factual:
- Who you are and which agreement this is.
- The amount you believe is owed, and how you calculated it, with the dates.
- The clause of the contract you rely on.
- What you want, and a deadline. Give a reasonable period, such as the cure period in your contract.
- That you will consider other steps if it is not resolved.
Do not threaten, insult or mention things you will not do. Do not send private images or personal data in the message. Keep a copy and proof of when you sent it.
Can you charge interest?
In England and Wales, GOV.UK says that when a business is late paying another business for a service, the supplier can claim interest at 8% plus the Bank of England base rate, unless the contract sets a different rate. Where no payment date is agreed, the payment is late 30 days after the customer gets the invoice or the service is delivered, whichever is later. If you add interest to the amount owed, send a new invoice.
Whether this applies to you depends on whether you count as a business supplying services to the agency. Other countries have their own rules, so check the ones where you live.
Where can you take it?
The route depends on where you and the agency are. In every case, ask whether mediation is possible, because it can be quicker and cheaper than court.
- England and Wales: you can apply to a county court to claim money you are owed by a person or business, online or by post. Check the court fee before you start, and whether the claim fits the online route. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate processes.
- Cross-border within the EU: the European Small Claims Procedure covers cross-border claims up to EUR 5,000. You complete Form A and send it to the competent court, which serves the answer form on the defendant within 14 days.
- United States: check the small claims rules where you live.
- Elsewhere: your national courts, consumer or labour authority, or a lawyer.
Court is slow and costs time. Before you start, compare the cost with the amount owed. For a small sum, mediation or a final written notice is often more realistic.
What if several creators are owed money?
If other creators or staff at the agency have the same problem, say so in a plain, factual way. A group of people with matching records is harder to dismiss than one complaint. Do not share anyone's private data without their permission, and do not post accusations in public before you have taken advice.
What should you do about account access?
If the agency holds your logins, protect your account. You do not need to wait for the dispute to end. Check your contract first, because a lockout in breach of the agreement can make your position worse. Read how to leave an agency for how to take back your email, logins and devices in an orderly way.
How can Crewvale help?
Crewvale is a free marketplace for the OnlyFans and webcam industry: creators and cam models compare OnlyFans and webcam agencies on their published terms, agencies meet creators looking for representation, and agencies hire staff on its jobs board.
Crewvale is not an agency and does not handle payments, so it cannot collect money for you. You can report a concern about an agency. Give the facts and your dates. The Crewvale team reviews every report and records its decision.
If you have not signed with an agency yet, read what to check in an agency contract first. Most pay disputes start with a term that was unclear at signing.
Sources
GOV.UK, Late commercial payments: interest and debt recovery and Make a court claim for money (England and Wales). European e-Justice Portal, Small claims. Fansly Help Center, Where are my earnings. All read on 25 October 2026.
Last reviewed: 25 October 2026.