Long Contracts

[jmo21]

I think the very basis of contracting is to go onsite to do a particular piece of work and then move on. I agree that piece of work could take weeks, months or even a year or two but anymore I just wouldn't believe.

There are people in my current gig who have been here 5+ years and they are part of the furniture. One even orders the office stationery and gives out car park permits. When I speak to them they have no understanding of IR35 or even the two year rule.

That's from a contractors point of view only.

This is the disconnect between IR35 and what clients want, and this is why you don't want the IR35 review to get as far as asking someone at client co who end of saying "no way we'd let him do a subbie, we just gave him whatever tasks came up".

If a client wants to pay a large day rate for someone and treat them as an employee, that's up to them.

It's up to us to be very wary of that, and what might happen.

[TheFaQQer]

Hahaha! Wait until HMRC start sniffing around with first a compliance review that develops into a full blown IR35 investigation then come back and ask about 'fretting.'

You may be fortunate and be found outside IR35 but I'll wager the worry not to mention the hoops you'll be made to jump through will change you point of view. And at that point, the very profitable contract may not look so profitable after all.

With the benefit of insurance, what's to fret about?

[TheFaQQer]

Remember though as well as being a contractor you are also a business. Many businesses have long engagements with clients. If you deploy a piece of work that takes a year or two and become an SME wouldn't it be wise to leverage that knowledge to secure more work? But yes, easy to become part and parcel while you are doing it.

This. What kind of business walks away from a high-paying contract rather than securing an agreement to continue to provide expert advice and guidance?

I'm honestly baffled by the idea that you should walk away from a contract merely because you've been there for any length of time. By all means, if you don't want to be there, or you're bored, or the politics don't make it worthwhile then go.

Satan will be going to work on a sledge before I walk away from this one.

[northernladuk]

Indeed. Thing is we are mixing the business aspect and the attitude of client/contractor while in gig. Quite different but intrinsically linked. I think myself and TF have come from very large and long singular pieces of work where as many other have experienced lots of little contracts with months of work before moving on to something else. Conclusion would be the type of contract/work makes a big difference to whether or not anyone doing a 1 year+ contractor is not a contractor.

Satan will be going to work on a sledge before I walk away from this one.

I love this LOL.

[Gaz_M]

This. What kind of business walks away from a high-paying contract rather than securing an agreement to continue to provide expert advice and guidance?

I'm honestly baffled by the idea that you should walk away from a contract merely because you've been there for any length of time. By all means, if you don't want to be there, or you're bored, or the politics don't make it worthwhile then go.

Satan will be going to work on a sledge before I walk away from this one.

Well I'm still to meet a contractor who has been on site for over two years who is not 'part of the furniture'. That's the very reason I went alone in the first place.

[BolshieBastard]

With the benefit of insurance, what's to fret about?

Yes, because insurers never try and weasel out of paying up, do they?

Look, it comes down to an individual's mitigation of the IR35 threat. I personally avoided likely IR35 targets such as Government contracts. I've already said by their nature, long contracts tend to make you part and parcel of the organisation. It doesnt mean you'll automatically be investigated or caught.

By the same token, I'd prefer to lessen the risk. A 'very profitable' long contract wont be that profitable if you are deemed within IR35 and get lumped with back tax and penalty interest. You make your bed and you lie in it.

[northernladuk]

Well I'm still to meet a contractor who has been on site for over two years who is not 'part of the furniture'. That's the very reason I went alone in the first place.

Despite everything I've just said I'd have to agree to some extent. I wouldn't say all but yes but there is a raft of them that are, even the ones that do have a bit of a clue about IR35 and how to be a contractor. I was the oddity that got a lot of stick for trying not to be that.

[Eirikur]

My longest contract ever was 18 months, most so far have been 6 to 12 months
Even as a permie I couldn't get myself to stay anywhere any longer than 3 years as I couldn't stand all the permie moaning, meeting bulltulip, team away days, 121's and 360 degree reviews , so relatively short contracts are good for my health.

[Gaz_M]

My longest contract ever was 18 months, most so far have been 6 to 12 months
Even as a permie I couldn't get myself to stay anywhere any longer than 3 years as I couldn't stand all the permie moaning, meeting bulltulip, team away days, 121's and 360 degree reviews , so relatively short contracts are good for my health.

This.

My current gig will last two years (if I accept the next 3 month extension). They have already hinted at a third year but not a chance for me even though I have nothing else lined up.

After about a year I started to get asked to meetings completely unrelated to my skillset. I was then issued my own locker (usually only for permies so I refused it). Next I turned down the Xmas bash invite.

I don't care what anybody says, the very nature of staying somewhere a long time means you become part of it and as I said in a previous post, "anybody doing years in one contract is not a contractor in my opinion"

[TheFaQQer]

Well I'm still to meet a contractor who has been on site for over two years who is not 'part of the furniture'. That's the very reason I went alone in the first place.