Long Contracts

[unixman]

What is your longest contract ? And what is your attitude to contracts that run over 2 years ? For example, do they make you look like a permy, either to the client or HMRC ? What was your experience of working more than 2 years somewhere. Eg. What was the quality of the work, and did you get bored ?

This is not a question about the 24 months rule, I understand that already.

I have been somewhere for almost 2 years now.

[MicrosoftBob]

Six years at current site

I was only supposed to be here for a few projects, then they started downsizing and now all their development work is being done by contractors whilst they fail to implement yet another reorganisation

[CloudWalker]

Had very long contracts years ago.
They would bounce us around different agencies every 2 years to get round the 24 month rule but the end client would be the same.
Long contracts are good for stability but don't expect the rate to rise the longer you stay.

[unixman]

Six years at current site

Chuffing heck

[northernladuk]

Duration shouldn't be any issue to your IR35 status however along with duration comes complacency and that IS a problem. My longest gig was 6 years and I got a constant ribbing for always insisting on new schedules for work, not attending mandatory permie events etc. I found I had to work harder on my status towards the end to try and stop the client taking the attitude I was just another resource, like they did with quite a few of the other contractors that didn't care.

In the JLJ case he slacked off and stopped getting individual schedules of work etc and just became part and parcel of the organisation and his IR35 situation fell apart so he lost that element of his case so it does make a difference.

Nothing wrong with a long gig if you don't mind getting sucked in the politics and all the crap that comes with permie land but you have to work even harder than normal to be a contractor for the duration.

I ended up turning down an extension and leaving just because I couldn't escape the politics etc which interfered with me delivering. Dream gig (I thought)for the duration but was glad to be gone. Done a couple of gigs since and wonder why I stayed for so long. It was that gig that's changed my perception about extensions. I was all for billing every day possible, getting worried if I didn't get an extension etc and looking back I forget everything about why I went contracting. Maybe that was just that client but I wouldn't be as eager for a long gig as I was before.

[TheFaQQer]

2 1/2 years and counting at current client.

Maybe another year to go...

[TheFaQQer]

They would bounce us around different agencies every 2 years to get round the 24 month rule but the end client would be the same.

You do know that changing agencies makes no difference to the 24 month rule, right?

[unixman]

@nluk Good post. Your long gig sounds a bit like current situation. After one year, the quality of work started to go down, after 18 months a bit of politics started to kick in. Coming up to 2 years and ennui is starting to build. It's a good place to work but I do now feel a bit like "just another resource".

Silly question maybe but what do you mean by "individual schedules of work" ?

[BolshieBastard]

Long contracts via a limited company have more chance of being investigated by HMRC. By their nature of long term, you can quite easily find yourself becoming part and parcel of the organisation and HR especially, considering you more than ever not to be a contractor.

Yes, you can mitigate against this but imvho, if you're at a place for 3, 4 or 5 years and more, you're going to have a tough job.

I know some contractors working through their limited at the same client for over 7 years. They are banged to rights IR35 caught and part and parcel of the organisation. Their only hope is a rock solid subbie clause because they fail on MOO and D&C.

I was once at a place for over 3 years although I'd considered not renewing from 2 years.

[jmo21]

Long contracts via a limited company have more chance of being investigated by HMRC. By their nature of long term, you can quite easily find yourself becoming part and parcel of the organisation and HR especially, considering you more than ever not to be a contractor.

Yes, you can mitigate against this but imvho, if you're at a place for 3, 4 or 5 years and more, you're going to have a tough job.

I know some contractors working through their limited at the same client for over 7 years. They are banged to rights IR35 caught and part and parcel of the organisation. Their only hope is a rock solid subbie clause because they fail on MOO and D&C.

I was once at a place for over 3 years although I'd considered not renewing from 2 years.

This.

IF you are found to be within IR35, then there is more money to lose

And the longer than contract, potentially the more likely HMRC would be to target it.

Me, 2.5 years has been my longest so far.