Ten-day project cancelled. Where do I stand?

[makipuppy]

I'm an interpreter. Yesterday I accepted a job from an agency to start today, running for ten days. They confirmed by email. This morning, I arrived to start, and they said, oh dear, we cancelled you last night by email.

The agency are acting like this is the most extraordinary thing in the world, and it turns out they booked me without any signature from the client.

I wouldn't work for this agency again, but I would like at least two days pay, for today, and one more day, since in the meantime I turned down a (better paid) job for next Thursday and rescheduled loads of commitments.

Where do I stand? Do you think I could file a small claim, at least for my fee for today?

I would think any redress would depend on what the agency's terms and conditions say about cancellation.

I asked them what cancellation terms they agreed with the client - her answer was 'it was done over the phone'. So I take it she has nothing in writing from the client. I would never have accepted the job if I'd known this.

Also, I met the client this morning, he's an individual attending a course from overseas, so he's unlikely to be bothered by any attempts by the agency to charge him for a service he no longer needs.

I'm hoping I can make the agency pay me my fee, at least for today.

I meant what terms and conditions they operate for freelancers really, rather than those they agree directly with clients.

Ah, well I have nothing from them, but they have my terms and conditions, which state any cancellation within 1 week of job is 100% payment.

I just called them and they're 'not available' so I guess that's how they're going to play it.