How can small drinks brands protect themselves from aggressive recruiter fee claims and predatory practices?

Some recruiters are using aggressive tactics to claim fees, including sending unsolicited CVs with terms and conditions embedded in emails, then claiming acceptance and threatening legal action for 25%+ fees even when you're already working with another recruiter or the candidate came via a different source.

**Key protective measures:**

- **Document everything** — Keep clear records of which recruiter (if any) initially sent each candidate to you. Email chains proving the source are your best defence against false claims.

- **Respond explicitly to unsolicited recruiter emails** — If a recruiter sends you CVs with T&Cs, reply explicitly stating you do not accept their terms and are not engaging their services. Don't let silence be interpreted as acceptance.

- **Don't sign anything** — Avoid signing recruiter paperwork unless you've actively chosen to work with them. Embedded T&Cs in emails do not create a binding agreement.

- **Know the reality of their threats** — Members note that most recruiters threatening court action lack the time and resources to actually follow through. However, it's still worth the small effort of formally declining their terms to avoid any stress.

**Caveat:** This is an old problem in recruitment, and while aggressive, most claims are bluffs. Still, a simple written rejection of their terms is cheap insurance against the headache.