Contracting issue, client trying to treat me like an employee and to pay me less than

[uk contractor]

Why wasn't this in your contract ?

The exception clause about not doing out of hours without express agency permission in writing was. But not the actual out of hours rates which I had in writing but they were not included on the contract & the end client was not told about it either which is why they got upset as they felt I was trying to screw them out of money as they expected me to work all weekend for std rates with zero notice either!

[JIDEARE]

The Average Professional IT Freelancer rate in the UK is £8.56/hour so £170 day is Fantastic

Huh? kindly support this with evidence. I mean... surely not

[silverlight1]

The Average Professional IT Freelancer rate in the UK is £8.56/hour so £170 day is Fantastic

IMO the CRSE survey is tulip.

It states that the hourly earnings of "IT and Related Professions" is the same as "Cleaners" and that builders earn more than IT professionals!

If that was truly the case and the average IT contractor earned £7.80 there wouldn't be a whole industry of recruitment "pimps" driving around in fast cars.

[cojak]

Huh? kindly support this with evidence. I mean... surely not

You need to remember that freelancers on these rates are NOT IT contractors, not everyone is a developer/PM/BA, whathaveyou.

Freelancers generally take specific pieces of work, be it web design, graphic design, writing, copywriting, photography etc.

Web designers and those kind of people will be higher than average, the average is just that, there will be those on less than £170pd as well...

Just take a look at typical writers rates: http://www.prospectsolution.com/free...ter-rates.aspx

[Chelseagirl]

I’d walk. That’s probably not what you want to hear but it doesn’t sound like it’s worth the hassle for what is - being brutally honest - a dreadful rate. Not sure what the point is in contracting for that money.

I have done exactly that. I am not in IT, I was freelance UK content manager for a retail company.

[Chelseagirl]

I don't quite understand all this. Why would you have a day rate AND 3000 a month in your contract.

You need to read it word for word and understand it. It's what you signed and it is legally binding so it's your get out. If it does indeed state the terms you want clearly and you've both signed it then they honour it or you walk and will chase them through legal challenges for the amount outstanding.

I don't think you need to worry about getting tough here. You are better off out if it's as bad as you say.

I had a meeting with the other VP and we just came to the conclusion that it was just not gonna work with the micromanagement, the fact that I was being treated like an employee and the fact that we agreed to at the rates and then they put something different in the contract meant that the relationship was just never gonna work so I quit, putting an end to the contract.

[cojak]

I have done exactly that. I am not in IT, I was freelance UK content manager for a retail company.

It's for the best, there'll be another one turn up.

[Chelseagirl]

Ha! they don't have experience with freelancers?

so why did you sign a contract that says £3000 a month? and why start the contract if you weren't happy? How long have you been there now? Don't tell us you've been there a month and received the first payment?

Sounds like you didn't read the contract.

Regardless, it sounds like aren't going to up it to what you thought you were getting, so you'll either have to suck it up, or hand in your notice.

I have quit this afternoon. They didn’t respect me or my wishes when I said I wasn’t an employee they said “I don’t think it’s a bad thing I want you to be part of the team and as far as I am concerned you’re an employee, people said you made no effort to integrate and that you were awkward and rude” so when I heard that I said to them that I had had enough of their bulltulip and that I wasn’t getting paid enough to deal with it.

[Chelseagirl]

I don't see a problem with 1:1 meetings. If you have a client, the client contact is well within their rights to ask how the project(s) are going - if they are ahead/behind schedule etc. It's not like they're suddenly going to start asking you for focal reviews etc.... and if they do, run!

She wanted to have a review unfortunately. That woman was dreadful and she has no clue how freelancing works. She tried to micromanage me and when enough came to shove this afternoon I told her to ***** off.

[Chelseagirl]

Most of the people you describe I wouldn't class as contractors that should be running their own companies.

170 a day puts you on a low permie wage with the client also avoiding emp NI. They are being exploited I would say. N othing wroinf with calling that out.

I don’t work in IT. My usual day rate is £250 but I accepted £170 because I didn’t want to get bored in January.

Anyway I’ve quit now and have other clients to cater to who don’t feel like they own me.