The Situation Torsion came to us wrestling with uncertainty around engaging freelance Quantity Surveyors. Their internal team was hesitant, shaped by misconceptions about IR35 liability and a lack of confidence in accessing the wider freelance market. The belief that freelancers couldn’t operate outside IR35 if permanent staff held similar roles was holding them back. With rising project pressure, they needed flexibility, but felt paralysed by perceived risk. What We Saw They weren’t lacking demand — they were lacking clarity. The internal approach was cautious and based on assumption, not fact. They’d never worked through IR35 with a structured lens or sought specialist advice. Crucially, they hadn’t realised that with the right contract setup, support from a third-party compliance expert, and clear role separation, they could engage high-calibre freelancers safely and at speed. What We Did Differently Instead of chasing a brief, we pressed pause. We focused first on Relationship Alignment — walking their Commercial Manager and HR lead through the core misreads, and showing them where they were safe to act. We didn’t argue. We explained. We made the risk understandable, the process repeatable, and the benefit tangible. That clarity created trust, not just in us, but in a new way of thinking about freelance delivery. The Result Torsion now has a framework for confidently engaging freelance QSs. They’ve gone from avoidance to access — opening up a whole new market of on-demand talent. This shift gives them the agility to solve project problems faster, scale their teams without delay, and stop relying solely on the permanent market. The role has gone live, but more importantly, so has their capability. Client Voice “Me and my HR were open-minded but doubted you could change our mind on the legislation. After our meeting, we’re both now confident.” What This Proves Most companies aren’t blocked by IR35 — they’re blocked by confusion. We don’t just fill roles. We change how teams think, hire, and deliver. That’s what makes clearnorth different.