Recommended Umbrella

**malvolio** · 20 March 2005, 23:40

Suggestion...

Probably wise to use a brolly until you uinderstand how the world works.

Probably not wise to use one with a number in its name...

**planetit** · 21 March 2005, 09:26

Re: Suggestion...

…and never, ever have anything to do with Giant.

That should narrow it down a little.

**rebeccaloos** · 21 March 2005, 09:51

Re: Suggestion...

What's your problem with Giant, planetit? I've never had any issues with them, they've been fine

**planetit** · 21 March 2005, 10:33

Re: Suggestion...

You say you've never had then do anything wrong, I've never had them do anything right (though in the past you have criticised them for withholding weird amounts of tax). Your experience is valid, as is mine.

If you want a detailed list I can provide one.

**rebeccaloos** · 21 March 2005, 15:26

Re: Suggestion...

Well, I am not with them any more so my interest is purely academic. Maybe for the benefit of others, it would be interesting to know what problems you had.

My experience with them went as follows:
- always paid on time, by BACS (so day after agency pays them)
- weekly invoicing / pay not a problem
- the insurance you get on IR35 looks good (however, never had to use it as was never investigated by the Inland Revenue), and they do take your contract to Qdos for IR35 evaluation
- contact with them is really hard - a phone conversation virtually impossible. Whan you ask a question through their online feedback thing, they almost always give a standard answer and not something relevant to your own specific case
- PAYE, EE NI and ER NI amounts withdrawn always vary from week to week (or month to month) and no explanation was ever provided.
- I think they must have a bug in their software whereby you end up paying more tax if you invoice several weeks in one go (as opposed to sending an invoice a week). I am convinced they didn't calculate the right amount of PAYE tax, EE NI and ER NI when several weeks were paid by the agency in one go, as if they got their threshold leevls mixed up in that scenario. I put the question several times to them, never got a satisfactory answer (if at all). It was always small amounts, so I didn't pursue it, but it's kind of annoying.

However, overall, I would rate my experience with them as positive, as they do provide a decent return on chargeable rate with the Giant Powerhouse service (the managed ltd co structure that they offer if they think you are outside of IR35)

**malvolio** · 21 March 2005, 16:05

You are joking, aren't you...

You're seriously recommending a company that you admit has screwed up your tax liability?:\ If they can't get that bit right then WTF are they there for? Useful advice and guidance perhaps? Oh, sorry, you can't get that either.

Hardly a good candidate for helping a new starter in the business, is it..

For future reference (not Rebecca's, that's clearly a lost cause

), the best way to keep out of an IR35/PAYE review is not to make any mistakes in any of the various forms that go back to Hector. Mis-stating your routine PAYE figures is not a good start...

**John Galt** · 21 March 2005, 17:10

Welcome to the board Tim. I have used Contractor Umbrella for quite a while now and haven't had any problems at all. Good Luck

**4Contractors** · 23 March 2005, 13:08

We recommend this Umbrella company

They offer an excellent service and are one of the cheapest around.

**Mickster** · 12 April 2005, 16:44

I use filetravel. They have been brilliant

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