Freelancing can be a highly rewarding career choice. You can choose where you work, which hours you work, and the type of work that you take on - perfect for those who value freedom and flexibility. MBO’s State of Independence report found that 86% of freelancers are happier working for themselves than in traditional employment.

But the satisfaction that comes from freelancing can be heavily dependent on your clients. Leapers conducted a report and found that nearly 40% of freelancers felt disrespected at some point. 50% experienced ghosting , and 67.5% dealt with late payments, with 81.2% of those affected reporting it as a direct source of stress.

It goes to show that nightmare clients not only affect your cash flow, but also your mental health. One of the best ways to protect yourself from these types of clients is to vet them thoroughly and take any red flags seriously. Here are five red flags freelancers should look out for before entering into a contract with a new client.

A potential client who can’t clearly explain what they need or what they want from you may foreshadow problems later down the track. Vagueness around the scope of work can easily lead to scope creep (or worse, unpaid scope creep) once the project has started. According to iHire Accounting , 36.1% of freelancers are most frustrated by unclear expectations or project scope.

To avoid this, ensure you have a clearly defined project brief before signing a contract and starting work. This should include guidelines around revision numbers, deadlines, and the exact deliverables you’re expected to produce.

2. They’re Weird About Money

Reluctance to discuss pay, or those who refuse to give you a budget and solely rely on you to give them a quote, can be a red flag and may indicate payment problems down the track. This isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. But the more openness and trust there is around money with your clients, the better.

To help prevent potential money issues, check these before you work with a client:

  • Are they willing (and able) to pay a deposit before the work begins?
  • Did they ask for a discount after you’ve given a quote? This isn’t necessarily bad, but just be aware. If you still want to work with them, you’re better off reducing the scope of work to fit their budget rather than giving a discount.
  • Check if they have 60/90-day payment terms. 40% of freelancers face cash flow issues because of clients’ extended payment terms.

It’s totally normal to have price-conscious clients, but no freelancer wants to constantly chase invoices and have cash flow issues . Stressing over whether your client will pay you on time this month just isn’t worth it.

Some clients may want you to prove yourself before they take you on as a freelancer. Doing a test project is okay - as long as they pay. Anyone who expects an unpaid test project is a major red flag. This shows they don’t respect your time and expertise.

This also applies to strategy calls. Potential clients who probe you for your strategy and knowledge but haven’t signed a contract yet are red flags. They’re the type of clients who will likely end up requesting unpaid scope creep if you do end up working together. Beware; this can lead to lost revenue and high levels of frustration and resentment.

Many freelancers choose the freelance life so that they’re not reporting to a boss. However, a client who treats you like an employee can make you feel like you’re back on the 9-5 grind. Red flags to look out for include dictating exactly how and when you should complete tasks, expecting you to be constantly available or to work in their office, or requesting that you have set work hours dedicated solely to their work.

While clients are entitled to set expectations, deliverables and deadlines, freelancers should generally retain control over how, where and when they do the work.

Even the simplest things can be a red flag and foreshadow potential problems down the track. Little things like not showing up to discovery calls (perhaps they forgot, or they’re 15 minutes late), calling you outside of hours to discuss the project, or repeatedly taking days to answer even the easiest of questions can all indicate that they don’t respect your time.

We’re all human, so it may happen once, and that’s okay. But consistent recurrences are patterns worth keeping in mind when deciding if they’re worth the paycheck.

The best time to identify red flags in a freelance client is before you start working with them. So keep an eye out for these signs before you enter a contract. And don’t be afraid to turn down a client if you realize it’s not a good fit; the extra income can be tempting, but you’ll avoid many headaches in the long run. Plus, it makes room for dream clients that are much more aligned.