Several months ago I completed a contract through an agency, using a management company (the contract was outside the UK). Now the agency is refusing to pay the management company's final invoice for my services. The agency says the client was unhappy with the work I did in the final weeks. This was a surprise, as I had been on the contract for seven months and had no previous trouble getting paid. I made the mistake (with hindsight) of not having signed paper timesheets - the client asked me to adopt their electronic timesheets which were of course, unsigned. I used this system for the first seven months and, as mentioned, always got paid.
The current situation is one of passing the buck - the management company won't pay unless the agency pays, and the agency won't pay unless the client pays. The lack of signed timesheets is the reason given by the agency for not paying. The management company is trying to resolve the impasse with the agency on an informal basis, but so far seems to have made no progress. I feel I have now reached the stage where I need to start taking formal action, but my question is - what action, and against whom? The problem is my contract is between the agency and myself (as an individual) AND the management company. In other words, there are three parties named. If it was just with the agency I would take action against them, but the inclusion of the management company in the contract seems to complicate things.
Previous postings to this board have mentioned issuing statutory demands/winding up orders, taking County Court action, and using Thomas Higgins. I cannot use Thomas Higgins as they only deal with business to business debt (my contract names me as an individual).
Can anyone offer any advice, perhaps from previous experience?
Thank you in advance.
The current situation is one of passing the buck - the management company won't pay unless the agency pays, and the agency won't pay unless the client pays. The lack of signed timesheets is the reason given by the agency for not paying. The management company is trying to resolve the impasse with the agency on an informal basis, but so far seems to have made no progress. I feel I have now reached the stage where I need to start taking formal action, but my question is - what action, and against whom? The problem is my contract is between the agency and myself (as an individual) AND the management company. In other words, there are three parties named. If it was just with the agency I would take action against them, but the inclusion of the management company in the contract seems to complicate things.
Previous postings to this board have mentioned issuing statutory demands/winding up orders, taking County Court action, and using Thomas Higgins. I cannot use Thomas Higgins as they only deal with business to business debt (my contract names me as an individual).
Can anyone offer any advice, perhaps from previous experience?
Thank you in advance.
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