I have read several reviews where people say they stay away from agencies... Why?

can't speak for everyone, but I avoid them because they're far more appetizing targets for LE than the average Indy.

...aren't comfortable with that. I use agencies but I'm picky about which ones. If you're going to use an agency be sure to research them just like you would research an indy.

sometimes a little more high volume.  The booker does the scheduling and if they are free they are expected to accept the appointment.  Once an agency lady arrives at your hotel, they call in to let the agency know everything is OK.  Almost to the minute, your hotel phone rings 59 minutes later reminding the lady the time is up.    

Independent ladies are in total control over their schedules and can put time between appointments so that they are less likely to get burned out.

Where the girls have the respect they should have and we do everything in our power to keep them safe and we help them build a brighter future.  Yes, we are strict with punctuality and honesty, but at the end of the day, this industry has a bad reputation simply because of the bad apples who do not take this occupation seriously.

There are many horror stories to be told about agencies, lack of screening, physical/verbal abuse etc, but we are here to make a difference and offer the girls an opportunity to be financially independent and successful. Additionally, in my opinion, not all girls are meant to be independent, some girls can't screen, can't be responsible or be a good self employed entity. An agency is a great place to start and see if this industry is for you without incurring into a big expenditure such as photos, website, ads etc.

I want to deal with a woman totally committed to protecting and supporting her brand.  Dealing with the owner means you get the best they have to offer, or else they go out of business.  Of course, it's always possible to get a looney tune and that's what a consistent review history will help highlight, whether in P4P or home repair.

As others state, within the USA there's a greater appetite to throw enforcement dollars against agencies than independents, so choose your acceptable risk level for playing.

I don't avoid agencies completely, but have experienced dates with ladies who have been over-scheduled.

Agency gets busted. Owner plays, "let's make a deal" with the authorities. Leo has your information. Prosecution is unlikely but there are many ways you could be embarrassed by the information.

Technically this could a happen with an independent as well even if it is more unlikely. Even with screening services like P411 there are plenty of independents that collect varying levels of personal information when they screen , Now I'm sure most are honest and get rid of the info after they've cleared you but you can never be a 100% sure . There always going to be level of  risk no matter which route you go . It's just comes down to what level your comfortable with .

The truth is much more sobering.

I agree there is a risk no matter who you see, but the risk is magnified with an agency due to the simple math. More girls + more customers = more chance for a bust to occur in the first place.

As you said, it's all a matter of what level of risk is acceptable to any one individual. I will say from personal experience, I have seen literally thousands of different escort, both Indy and agency girls alike, over a period of more than forty years, and not only have I never been arrested, but I also have never been contacted by LE in re to any woman that I have ever seen who has been arrested.

All good points .Your are right about there being more risk with agencies just because LE gets more "bang for there buck" going after them . But I believe unless your going after the street scene or hanging out on sites like Backpage all day the threat to Johns from LE is greatly over estimated especially if you use a little common sense .
  I may not have as much experience as you but I have at least a decade under my belt and I think your right in all that time dealing with both independents and agencies I've never had a run in or been contacted by LE .
  Unfair as it sounds unless they catch you in the act there usually more interested in going after the ladies and the owners then the clients . But I guess that's just the hypocritical world we live in .

 
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Some can be really very good in both quality & customer service (LeVIP Collection, Kink & Little), while some are a fucking joke (MyDivaModels). You just never know. You can usually get an idea of their professionalism by talking to them on the phone or if they are prompt & courteous in their email responses. But at the end of the day -  

"ya pays ya money & ya takes yer chances'.

First reason was explained already with the contractor analogy.

Second, I prefer that the lady providing the service gets to keep all of the $ I am giving her.  And often you get a better deal by not having the middleman.

Third, the ladies who truly enjoy what they do and will give you the best experience are usually independent.

I generally have avoided agencies in my hometown, and only used them when traveling because, as others have noted, agencies are a better target for LE and an out-of-towner is less likely to get squeezed if they get busted.

But over time I have broken that rule, and it turns out there is another reason not to do agencies - the quality is better and the service more reliable dealing with independents. I think there are two reasons for this.

Please keep in mind that these are general comments about my experiences - there are agencies and agency girls who do not have these problems.

First, the agencies have a roster of girls that they advertise, but when you call them they usually only offer certain girls at any time. Some are on the site, others maybe not. So I often end up taking someone other than the lady I wanted when using an agency. This seems to be the case whether I am scheduling on very short notice (say a few hours) and expect my selection to be limited, but also when I schedule days ahead. That hot chick they just advertised yesterday? She cannot be booked any day for the next two weeks. I have also had agencies that were unable to provide anyone (maybe something I said or did put them off?), and ones that promised to supply someone but then disappeared on me, effectively going NCNS.

Second, agency girls are often not as professional or committed to the work, IMO, and usually they do not have as clear a track record to figure out what I am going to get. Plus we only get to talk when she opens the door for me. So I have had some very mixed experiences with agency girls who were not that into it, maybe had limits that were unexpected, had personalities that did not do anything for me, etc.

By contrast, even when seeing independent ladies without much of a track record, I have found it possible to screen them enough to know what I would get when we meet, and have been very happy most of the time.

So, for me it comes down to having a better luck, by which I mean leaving happier, with independents. And, since I like to see the same lady regularly when I find a winner, that is much easier with independents.

I still use agencies when I travel, particularly out of the country. It is easier when I do not understand how the local scene works, and even more so when I do not speak the local language. Plus, in some places like Europe, traveling Eastern girls working for agencies are the best combination of value and quality. And since I am not looking for a regular, that is a good deal.

Agencies do offer certain things - they are easy to do business with, more likely to be able to supply someone at the last minute without making lots of calls, and if you develop an ongoing relationship with one they can both provide you with a pleasant and varied stream of girls to see, plus they often will treat you well as a regular (of course independents will do that, too). I disagree with what others said on one thing - in my experience, despite there being an extra middle man in the transaction, agencies tend to be cheaper than independents unless you are really bottom-fishing. And that is true almost everywhere, in my experience. Which seems to explain why any lady who is professional and making this into a regular job for any period of time goes independent - she gets control of who she sees and when, how much she charges, and makes a lot more money for her efforts. But she does have to do her own advertising and booking.

Hope that helps,
zig

I have been in the hobby for about 35 years and in the beginning I found Massage Parlors that provided full service.
Later I went mostly to independents, which for the most part were quite good and reliable.
The last ten years I have used agencies which I found to be the most satisfying, since they were cleaner,you knew what services were offered by checking with TER on the individual girls.  I have found duds maybe four or five times in ten years.
I have used back page and sometimes find a jewel, but my success rate is below 25 percent, with a couple of real scams thrown in there.  I also use City Vibes escorts and have had fair luck there, but I still check for reviews with TER.  No reviews, I pass.  Unfortunately I am on a tight budget and yet I am picky and want what I want.  The best independents are usually over my price range.  I am not cheap, just financially inhibited.  I've never been able to handle a date for over 5 bills.
The asian agencies in southern California are more reasonaby priced and seldom do I ever regret using them.  I like showering and mouth-washing since it gives me a feeling of cleanliness not often found with the BP girls.  This briefly sums up my methods and choices. YMMV  I can respond to anyone wanting more specifics.