What is the best excuse you have used to get out of a contract immediately?

**northernladuk** · 6 July 2017, 23:14

Tell them this wasn't what you were told in the interview. Tell them what you are prepared to do. If it doesn't suit them offer to stay until they find a replacement. Either that or they will just bin you. Either way you get out.

The client won't want you there if you can't do what they want so should be a pretty simple negotiation.

**MrMarkyMark** · 6 July 2017, 23:20

Originally posted by ziggystardust View Post

Advice pleaseI . I'm a week into a 3 month gig and I've realised I've been done 'good and proper. ' In the client interview I was told I'd have 'to travel' down to their Edinburgh office to see my team but not 'every week' , 150 miles away. Yet on the first day of starting my Lead basically said he thinks I should be there 2 days a week for the first few weeks. I also found it the guy I'm taking over from is there for 2 days EVERY week and he only lives in n Liverpool. I wouldn't have taken the gig if I knew this was going to be the case. I relayed back to my other lead that that wasn't what I was expecting and have other commitments outside of work so couldn't. It would not be often.

Fast forward to day two, the guy brings it up again in the middle of a meeting with one of the really senior guys. ...'so how often could you realistically come down? ". I agreed to go down to meet the team next week but in 2017 in a company that has Skype, email etc. why travel so often when meetings can be held other ways. Since then I've received invites for team lunch the week after in, surprise surprise in Edinburgh which I have not responded to- it seems as though the client is trying to force me to go whether I want to or not.

The problem is with a ridiculous 30 day notice in my contract, regardless of the length of time I am there I am well and truly stitched up. I feel pretty cheesed and really want to bail out before next week when I have to go down. I've basically got myself into a situation In struggling to get out of and on top of that the work is looking different to what I expected, being completely thrown in at the deep end, and being the only contractor in a team of permies. Ever had a similar situation? What did you do or what reason/excuse did you give (no matter how bad) to be able to terminate your contract quickly and how did it pan out?

Not completely unheard of for people to want to get to know you face to face for the first few weeks.

I think you may have caused an issue here, wanting too much to early.

**WordIsBond** · 7 July 2017, 05:52

Originally posted by MrMarkyMark View Post

Not completely unheard of for people to want to get to know you face to face for the first few weeks.

I think you may have caused an issue here, wanting too much to early.

Yeah. I'd be asking if this is their expectation for the whole contract, or are we just talking about the first few weeks, and then it will be what was discussed in the interview.

**BrilloPad** · 7 July 2017, 06:37

IMO there are only 12 weeks left. I would just carry on. Keep invoicing. Maybe throw a few sickies if I felt my anger may spill over.

It would be different on a 6 month or 12 month contract.

**PerfectStorm** · 7 July 2017, 06:39

I would just do it and make sure you get a nice hotel out of it.

**VectraMan** · 7 July 2017, 07:48

Where do you live? Is it really that difficult to go down to Edinburgh even if it is every week?

But if it is different from what you were told then you have all the excuse you need.

**WTFH** · 7 July 2017, 08:01

My advice, if you're driving the 150 mile trip, would be to do 3 days on site not 2 (or at least 2 nights away from home). That will make you less tired and irritable.
At the start of any gig I would expect more face to face meetings, once you've proved yourself then WFH may become more common, but unless you can demonstrate your ability, or it is detailed in the contract, then always working from home is NOT what has been agreed.

You're a contractor.
Part of being a contractor means you get more money than a permie. Another part of it is that you have to suck up the personal inconveniences, things like not being at home every night of the week.

You're a contractor.
You're only as good as your last gig, and if you're going to run away from a gig after a week because they want you to be on site, well you can come up with an excuse, but if/when the truth comes out, it's not going to reflect well on you. The contract is only for 3 months, it's not the rest of your life.

If you've already kicked up a fuss about it with the client, I expect they are going to want you to be on site more often because they see you as a troublemaker.
What you need them to see you as is a professional.

**TheFaQQer** · 7 July 2017, 08:29

Originally posted by ziggystardust View Post

What is the best excuse you have used to get out of a contract immediately?

"My contract is coming to an end and I'm not extending. Who should I hand over to?" seems to work well enough for me.

**ziggystardust** · 7 July 2017, 17:03

Originally posted by MrMarkyMark View Post

Not completely unheard of for people to want to get to know you face to face for the first few weeks.

I think you may have caused an issue here, wanting too much to early.

I should have added that I think this is not for just the first few weeks as, like I said, the other guy is down there 3 nights a week when he only was told it would just be for the start. It's not that I would never do this for a contract but at this time I can't. I literally have commitments/ pre- paid activities related to interests and hobbies that I do outside of work most evenings which I'm really not prepared to give up which this would mean if I had to go every week with overnight stays. I basically have an active life outside of work....

What is the best excuse you have used to get out of a contract immediately?