Agency changing payment terms mid-contract

[LondonManc]

Thanks for your reply. Definitely not planning to throw a strop, I just wondered if it is allowed, before I ring them to discuss it with them.
It doesn't say anything in the contract about it, just that it is weekly payment terms.

It sounds like you're in no position to walk away from the contract unfortunately.

Explain politely that you don't agree to it and that it was one of the key things that made you choose that contract over the fictitious one that doesn't exist but was paying monthly.

The other option is to ask for an extra £20-£30 per day to offset the additional financial risk that you are taking on.

[ECommerceConsultant]

+1. Payment term changes imply problems with the finances of the agency.

Given that we've seen problems recently with firms like coal it and others were changes in their main customer resulted in them closing down soon afterwards my reply would've sorry but no. If that's a problem please serve notice and I'll start looking elsewhere

Goodness, I didn't know that. I just moved back to the UK 5 weeks ago from Germany, I was unaware that Coal IT went bust.
Now I am worried!! I've been trying to ring all my contacts at the recruitment agency and none of them are answering their phones.

[MrMarkyMark]

It sounds like you're in no position to walk away from the contract unfortunately.

Explain politely that you don't agree to it and that it was one of the key things that made you choose that contract over the fictitious one that doesn't exist but was paying monthly.

The other option is to ask for an extra £20-£30 per day to offset the additional financial risk that you are taking on.

Could be worth speaking to the client, after credit checking the agency (and the client themselves).
If deemed appropriate you could raise it as a possible risk to the client.

[ECommerceConsultant]

It sounds like you're in no position to walk away from the contract unfortunately.

Explain politely that you don't agree to it and that it was one of the key things that made you choose that contract over the fictitious one that doesn't exist but was paying monthly.

The other option is to ask for an extra £20-£30 per day to offset the additional financial risk that you are taking on.

Well, my position is that I've had loads of other agencies calling me to try to get me to jump ship to another contract. I've said no until now, that I'm on a 6 month contract. But it sounds like I need to start putting myself out there, and accepting interview requests. I've actually got a job interview on Wed this week for another company...

Now that I think about it....it's a small recruitment firm. They were taken on by a small consultancy who hired me to work at their client's place of business to do a large transformation project. I work directly for the owner of the company (the start up IT Consultancy) but on the client site. I now get the feeling that it's probably him that can't pay and he is probably in financial difficulty if he can't pay the recruitment firm....I worried about this situation from day 1 actually. Maybe that is what has happened.

[MrMarkyMark]

Well, my position is that I've had loads of other agencies calling me to try to get me to jump ship to another contract. I've said no until now, that I'm on a 6 month contract. But it sounds like I need to start putting myself out there, and accepting interview requests. I've actually got a job interview on Wed this week for another company...

Now that I think about it....it's a small recruitment firm. They were taken on by a small consultancy who hired me to work at their client's place of business to do a large transformation project. I work directly for the owner of the company (the start up IT Consultancy) but on the client site. I now get the feeling that it's probably him that can't pay and he is probably in financial difficulty if he can't pay the recruitment firm....I worried about this situation from day 1 actually. Maybe that is what has happened.

[LondonManc]

Well, my position is that I've had loads of other agencies calling me to try to get me to jump ship to another contract. I've said no until now, that I'm on a 6 month contract. But it sounds like I need to start putting myself out there, and accepting interview requests. I've actually got a job interview on Wed this week for another company...

Now that I think about it....it's a small recruitment firm. They were taken on by a small consultancy who hired me to work at their client's place of business to do a large transformation project. I work directly for the owner of the company (the start up IT Consultancy) but on the client site. I now get the feeling that it's probably him that can't pay and he is probably in financial difficulty if he can't pay the recruitment firm....I worried about this situation from day 1 actually. Maybe that is what has happened.

If he's on 90 day terms with the supplier, he's having to suck up a lot to pay out for people. Yeah, he'll see it eventually plus the extra he'll earn on top, but the flip side of that is the damage that will be done to the agency's reputation - have you discussed that with them?

[ECommerceConsultant]

If he's on 90 day terms with the supplier, he's having to suck up a lot to pay out for people. Yeah, he'll see it eventually plus the extra he'll earn on top, but the flip side of that is the damage that will be done to the agency's reputation - have you discussed that with them?

Agreed, and it was my concern from the start.
No one from the agency is picking up their phone, or replying to emails / voicemails.

[Eirikur]

Agreed, and it was my concern from the start.
No one from the agency is picking up their phone, or replying to emails / voicemails.

Did you do a credit check? Google them to see if they are in any problems

[LondonManc]

Agreed, and it was my concern from the start.
No one from the agency is picking up their phone, or replying to emails / voicemails.

Things to do:
Credit check via google search
If that raises concerns, express those concerns to the agency; their financial problems shouldn't be yours (and vice versa to be fair).
Once you're not been paid, look at going offsite - raise this to the guy running the show that you haven't been paid and make it clear that you aren't prepared to work for free.

[SueEllen]

The main thing everyone has forgot to add is the OP needs to invoice the agency as per his contract to show the new terms are not accepted at the same time as doing the investigations.

Then if the agency makes a fuss about the invoice or doesn't pay on time, then you need to walk out.