best way to renegotiate?

[ookook]

I am 3 months into a 6 month contract on a big project. Due to the glacier-like progress of said project the agency has just written to me saying my contract can be extended for another full year, and that I need to agree to this so they can send me an altered contract etc.

However I know how much the client is paying the agency for my services - they're taking about 20%. Should I push for a raise in the daily rate with the new contract? If so what reasons are typically given?

Also is it worth talking to the client and saying I'm pushing for a rise? I dont want the agent to go to the client and ask for more money for me - i want the agency to reduce their cut and give it to me. Whats the best way to acheive this?

[Cooperinliverp00l]

if you agreed to a 6 month contract at X rate then you may find it hard to alter rate until the end of those 6 months. I don't know what my agency takes as a cut and don't care. If i'm not happy with the rate then i don't do it full stop.

[angusglover]

Gunpoint will get you a fair deal...

[Bluebird]

I always work on the assumption that if you've been in a gig for a given amount of time and the client wants an extension, then the agency is going to ask for an uplift in fee, therefore you should also ask for a similar uplift.

Perhaps "Dodgy Agent" can tell you if this is true and if there is a usual % ?

I for one ask the agent upon the request if they are upping the fee, then I'll get an answer from the client [ if I can ] and make sure the two stay in line.

[scon_ead]

From reading similar questions on this forum I think the key piece of advice is don't let the agency persuade you to sign up for a year but with a promise of a review of rates in a couple of months time...it seems once you do this the person you are dealing with disappears from said agency and no-one else has any recollection of the conversation what so ever or the actual person you made 'the deal' with etc...

Or at least get it in writing that your rate will be reviewed etc...

[BrilloPad]

Good article here - http://www.itcontractor.com/Articles...91&photopage=0

[Burdock]

I had a quiet word with the client when I was in a similar situation, on the lines that I was trying to get extra money from the agency and not from them - just in case the agency contacted them. Client didn't seem bothered.

[ookook]

Yeah i was thinking of speaking to the client first to make them aware i was pushing for a raise but only from the agents cut - rather than them paying the agency more

[Bluebird]

Yeah i was thinking of speaking to the client first to make them aware i was pushing for a raise but only from the agents cut - rather than them paying the agency more

Don't forget that the agencies "costs" will have gone up as well, all the overheads [ office rental, heating lighting etc ] will have gone up as well as the salaries of their staff.

To expect your "cut" to go up and nobody elses is niave..

[ookook]

well the way i see it is that the agency tries to get as large a cut as possible. In this case they have 20% - If its a choice between them dropping their cut to 10% or getting nothing I'd assume they'd go for the 10%