signing the contract

[NotAllThere]

...
Upon contacting them they said they've got 100's of contractors on their books without an agency signed contract and I was one of a few who insisted on both parties signing the contract?! ....

They also have 100s of contractors who have accepted the terms and conditions, and you're the first one to challenge them, 100s of contractors who are paid 300 years after invoicing and you are the first to ask for one month...

It's the first excuse agents use. "Well, nobody else asked/Complained/is worried..."

Totally irrelevant of course.

[ratewhore]

And it is despicable of the agency to pressurise you with this. Name please.

It's probably the twat who phoned me on the landline at my client site to see if I was looking for a new gig...

[scooterscot]

And it is despicable of the agency to pressurise you with this. Name please.

None other then Elan/Manpower of course...


They even changed their IP clause based on my recommendation, which was a rather weak 2 sentence affair. PCG provided me with a water tight contract covering the matters of IP rights, which I use in most of my direct business.

They say we'll have to contact the legal team etc... always, I think their legal team must have walked out of the cotton fields yesterday.

[MPwannadecentincome]

Add a clause to the contract which states that this contract is only valid when signed by both parties.
Also state that any works carried out without a signed contract will be performed under the terms of your normal business contract at your normal day rate. Send them a copy of your normal terms and outrageous day rate.

Not a good idea.

I think there is a principle in UK law that says in the absence of a contract signed by both parties it is the LAST communication (written unless other communication can be proven) that takes effect and that is what the court will judge on.

So if you sign and return the contract and do not hear from the agency again then the contract should stand in court. If the agency sends correspondence back trying to renegotiate the contract then you have to respond to that otherwise their written communication may override what you signed in the contract!

[expat]

They also have 100s of contractors who have accepted the terms and conditions, and you're the first one to challenge them, 100s of contractors who are paid 300 years after invoicing and you are the first to ask for one month....

[ratewhore]

None other then Elan/Manpower of course...

Very odd. I've worked through Elan before and this never came up...