Leaving contract midway

[northernladuk]

I thought it was just the mark of a failed contractor personally. Oh well.

[GillsMan]

I dont think I'd call myself a newbie and I have been fairly successful to be honest.

Under no yardstick could you be called a successful business owner tbh. Your attitude to clients/agents stinks - you think "they" are all out to undermine you, take more than their fair share, overwork you, etc. You regularly advocate claiming JSA (no successful business owner I know does this). You often advocate the unprofessional option - "pull a sickie" which you've said on numerous occasions, etc.

But the most ridiculous thing as your assertion that we say "take the professional option" when we would never do the same ourselves. You say that because you haven't got the mindset of a professional businessman. I don't always agree with, say, NLUK's advice. But I would bet that we both consider our professionalism when conducting ourselves. So don't apply your standards to us when advising people not to consider our advice.

[psychocandy]

Because anything that perpetuates the myth that we are all tax-avoiding, money-grabbing, benefit-cheating scum is a bad thing.

In the same way that a few people abusing umbrella expenses (and a few umbrellas encouraged it) led to a crackdown on travel and subsistence expenses (which could have hit contractors far worse than it did, thanks to the lobbying effort that some people put in), if there is a public voice saying "look, whenever I'm out of contract I claim JSA" then that potentially risks a change to the rules to the detriment of others.

HMRC read the forums. HMRC look at what people are saying. HMRC will look for areas that they can use to perpetuate the myth that all contractors are money grabbing scum and this is yet another way that we "defraud" the state.

Personally, I don't really care one way or the other that you claim JSA. Where I do care is when those that brag about these things bring unwarranted attention and give some credence to the lie that all contractors are milking the state for every penny that they can grab. Because things like that start to affect my business and the business of people like me.

Glad we agree on these two at least.

I dont brag about it. I dont want to be on JSA ever - its £74 a week. What gets my goat is people standing on their pedestal trying to make out that something that is perfectly legal is somehow wrong.

[psychocandy]

Under no yardstick could you be called a successful business owner tbh. Your attitude to clients/agents stinks - you think "they" are all out to undermine you, take more than their fair share, overwork you, etc. You regularly advocate claiming JSA (no successful business owner I know does this). You often advocate the unprofessional option - "pull a sickie" which you've said on numerous occasions, etc.

But the most ridiculous thing as your assertion that we say "take the professional option" when we would never do the same ourselves. You say that because you haven't got the mindset of a professional businessman. I don't always agree with, say, NLUK's advice. But I would bet that we both consider our professionalism when conducting ourselves. So don't apply your standards to us when advising people not to consider our advice.

But you don't know me or what I do etc. I might not even be a contractor for all you know. I could be a transexual lapdancer making it all up - you wouldnt know....

Also just to clarify:-

1. I don't advocate claiming JSA as 'an option'. Its obvious not an ideal thing to do is ut? I just advocate that you can consider it if you ever find yourself without a contract.

2. Pull a sickie. Must admit cant remember seriously saying this.

As for your last paragraph, fair enough, but then I dont know you either, do I? My point is, and I'm not accusing anyone, its easy to take the moral high ground in an anonymous forum and then do the exact opposite in reality. Because no-one would know anyway

[northernladuk]

I dont brag about it. .

Could have fooled me. Look at your signature, and the post the other week advising a newbie it was an option, telling us how much you make on it, the fact it paid for some of your Florida trip. The bit that makes you look a proper pillock is you appear to be proud of it.

[Mincepie]

Poor old PC, he must have the hide of a rhino

[northernladuk]

But you don't know me or what I do etc. I might not even be a contractor for all you know. I could be a transexual lapdancer making it all up - you wouldnt know....

Oh I think you've spent enough time moaning about everything to give us a clue what you do... but I'd agree you still make a lot of it up.. or I hope you do anyway.

Also just to clarify:-

1. I don't advocate claiming JSA as 'an option'. Its obvious not an ideal thing to do is ut? I just advocate that you can consider it if you ever find yourself without a contract.

Speaks volumes that you are the only one doing so... and again.. your signature?

2. Pull a sickie. Must admit cant remember seriously saying this.

http://forums.contractoruk.com/accou...ml#post1687639

http://forums.contractoruk.com/accou...ml#post1355703

and that's for starters...

To be fair though.. The JSA isn't the only thing is it as Gills mentioned.... your attitude and advice over the years have been a tad noteworthy as well.

[northernladuk]

Poor old PC, he must have the hide of a rhino

What's that animal that doesn't learn and just throws it's self blindly off cliffs?

[GillsMan]

As for your last paragraph, fair enough, but then I dont know you either, do I? My point is, and I'm not accusing anyone, its easy to take the moral high ground in an anonymous forum and then do the exact opposite in reality. Because no-one would know anyway

You say that, but let me quote your original statement:

5. Other people on this forum will call you unprofessional. BIGGEST ONE EVER NOT TO CARE ABOUT (OK dead heat with number 3). Don't believe they wouldnt do the same if it was them despite what they may post.

Basically accusing any of us who give advice saying, you know, be professional that we wouldn't jump ship/act unprofessional if the boot was on the other foot.

The thing is, you can either do contracting properly, run it like a business, act professional, etc, or you can basically be a disguised permie, distrusting your clients and agents and giving all of us a bad name.

You've tried to equate JSA with the tax efficient route that dividends/LtdCo offer, but they aren't the same at all. I'm paying myself a salary this year as it happens, but I've had no qualms with dividends in the past because I've always acted like a proper business. And I've done so by following the guidance of many people on this forum throughout the years - not just the regular posters, but all sorts of people. Be professional and try to improve your client's situation. It's not rocket science.

[psychocandy]

Could have fooled me. Look at your signature, and the post the other week advising a newbie it was an option, telling us how much you make on it, the fact it paid for some of your Florida trip. The bit that makes you look a proper pillock is you appear to be proud of it.

Ah some of that I do because you lot get so upset :-)

It is an option if said newbie finds themselves without contract. CONSIDER JSA if you're stuck. I stand by that.