AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
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The short answer
Take a deposit when the contract is signed, make it non-refundable only for cancellation by the promoter or the client, and set a balance date before the event so you never perform unpaid. Write the cancellation terms both ways: what you keep if they cancel, what you return if you cannot travel, and what happens if authorities stop the event.
A DJ or MC flying from the UK for a Lagos booking is taking a real cost risk. Flights in December are expensive, other bookings are turned down, and the gig itself may be one of several in a week. A clear deposit and cancellation structure protects you; a vague one invites disputes you cannot easily pursue from London.
Why deposits matter more for overseas bookings
- You turn down other work for the date, often months in advance.
- Your travel costs are committed early, even if the promoter books them.
- Chasing an unpaid balance in Nigeria is slow and costly; the time to secure the money is before you fly.
- Promoters themselves rely on ticket sales and sponsors; when those fall short, unpaid artists are a common result.
A practical payment structure
| Stage | Typical term | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| On signing | Deposit, e.g. 50% | Secures the date; covers lost opportunities |
| Before travel | Flights and hotel booked or reimbursed | You do not carry travel cost risk |
| A fixed number of days before the show | Balance in cleared funds | You never perform on a promise |
| On the night | Overtime at an agreed rate | Stops "one more hour" disputes |
The percentages are for you to agree; the point is the order. A booking with the whole fee due "after the show" is a loan to the promoter.
Non-refundable deposits: what the law allows
Which law applies depends on your contract. Most DJ and MC bookings are with promoters, venues or event companies, which are business contracts. Business parties can usually agree a non-refundable deposit as long as it reflects a real commitment, and the clause should say so in plain words.
If you are booked directly by a private individual for a wedding or birthday, and the contract is governed by English law, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 matters. Schedule 2 lists terms that may be regarded as unfair, including (paragraph 4) a term letting the trader keep sums paid by the consumer when the consumer cancels, without giving the consumer equivalent compensation if the trader cancels, and (paragraph 5) a term requiring a consumer who cancels to pay a disproportionately high sum. The fair answer is symmetry: if you keep the deposit when they cancel, you refund it (and more) if you pull out.
Cancellation clauses to write both ways
- Promoter or client cancels. Deposit kept; a sliding share of the balance if cancellation is close to the date; travel costs reimbursed.
- You cancel. Deposit returned in full; help finding a replacement if agreed.
- You cannot travel through no fault of either side (visa refusal, flight cancellation, illness). Say whether the deposit is returned, held for a new date or split.
- Event stopped by authorities, security or weather. Say whether the fee is still due if you were ready to perform.
- Late start or curtailed set. Fee due in full if the delay is not yours.
Worked example
Example only. You agree a £3,000 fee with a 50% deposit (£1,500) on signing and the balance seven days before the show. The promoter cancels three weeks out. Under your clause, you keep the £1,500 and the promoter pays 25% of the balance (£375) because cancellation was inside 30 days, plus £620 you had paid for a non-refundable flight. Total due to you: £2,495. If you had cancelled instead, you would return the £1,500.
Tax on the fee
Nigeria may tax performance income under Article 17 of the UK–Nigeria treaty, so a Nigerian promoter may deduct withholding tax. Write in the contract whether the fee is gross or net of Nigerian tax, and ask for the WHT receipt. Cancellation payments you keep are still income for UK tax. More on this in performing in Lagos: contract and tax.
Getting the contract signed
Agreements made on WhatsApp are still agreements, but they are hard to prove and easy to dispute. Turn the chat into a short written contract the promoter signs and returns as a PDF before you take the deposit. Name the contracting company, not just the promoter's first name, and attach the rider. If the booking comes through an agent, say whether the agent holds the deposit and when it is passed to you.
- Legal name and address of the promoter's company
- Event name, date, venue and set times
- Fee, deposit and balance dates, and the account to pay into
- Cancellation terms, both ways
- Governing law and where a dispute will be heard
Where Pryme fits
Ask for the deposit to a named account in your name, not cash on arrival. A Pryme Business Account gives you a Nigerian account number for naira deposits and UK details for sterling, held separately until you choose to convert. Invoicing lets you issue the deposit and balance invoices on signing. For deposits in other freelance work, see taking deposits from Nigerian clients.
Questions people ask
Is a non-refundable deposit legal for a Lagos booking?
In a business contract it can usually be agreed. For a private client under English law, Schedule 2 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 lists one-sided deposit terms as potentially unfair.
What deposit should a DJ ask for?
There is no legal figure; many artists use a half or more on signing. The key is that the balance is due before the show.
What if the event is cancelled by police or the venue?
Only your contract decides. Write in whether the fee is due if you were ready to perform.
Do I pay UK tax on a deposit I kept after cancellation?
Yes, it is part of your business income.
Sources
- legislation.gov.uk: Consumer Rights Act 2015, Schedule 2 (consumer contract terms which may be regarded as unfair) · accessed Oct 2026
- UK–Nigeria Double Taxation Convention 1987 (GOV.UK PDF) · accessed Oct 2026
- PwC Nigeria: highlights of the Deduction of Tax at Source (Withholding) Regulations 2024 · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.