Interesting job coming up I think...

I have a prospect to see later in the week who says his accounts 'haven't been done for around 5 years' - apparently he used to be in partnership with someone but it was never registered as a partnership, the turnover is high but profit low, AND it's a franchise...

If you heard this from a prospect would you still consider doing the job?  I guess it all depends on the state of the book-keeping, that sort of thing, but I think a payment upfront might be in order if I take it on?

What's everyone's experiences of this sort of job?