@australianwannabe all registered agents have to abide by the Code of Conduct or risk being sanctioned by the MARA. In saying this, contracts with clients should be aligned with the Code. This is in as far as how I operate my practice. I cannot speak for other agents though.
With regards to the fees, as stated on the Code, we can only charge for services rendered and should return the money to clients for unrendered once. Again, I cannot speak for the contract you've signed but a professional registered agent who abides by the Code should return the money for services they have not delivered.