Self/Automatic billing

[Ardesco]

I'm neutral on the subject, except that the two self-billing systems I have used have both screwed up my VAT. May not be a problem for FRS people, but if you're doing it the traditional way it could get expensive.

Must admit that I check the VAT carefully (After all it's not my money and I don't want to have to top it up with my money), but i've had not problems so far.

(Yes i'm on a self billing system for this gig)

True, but I guess one could argue it does change the implied contract, which is what is judged - still can't see it making a jot of difference to overall status though.

How does it change the implied contract? You are still doing the same job with the same T & C's The only difference is that some swanky overpriced peice of software that the agent paid for is multiplying your rate * hours/days worked and coming up with a figure (Which you undoubtably check anyway to make sure it's correct). Doesn't really change how you work does it?

[interested]

The system should be sending you an invoice, and it must have the words "THE VAT SHOWN IS YOUR OUTPUT TAX DUE TO CUSTOMS & EXCISE" on it

If the self biller (ie the agency) doesn't have this on their invoices, and you are VAT registered, they are breaking the law. I'm not quite so sure what the position is if you aren't VAT registered. Best check HMRC website for details

[ASB]

How does it change the implied contract?

[Pedant] I didn't say it did, merely that it could be argued it does [/Pedant]

Anyway, invoicing methods are part of the overall arrangments. As such they are judged as part of the implied contract.

In the case of the OP they are being switched to self billing. This is a change and thus does change the implied contract.

[Mustang]

This happened to me (mid contract change). I wrote to them and said that I appreciated why they were doing it but didn't want them enfocing their procedures on me! The agent accepted the point I was making.

What we did was they still 'self-invoiced' and I still generated an invoice and sent it to them - I assume they just ignored/binned mine. When I got theirs I checked it for errors against mine.