Extension chasing

[gingerjedi]

My contract ends next week, the people on the ground seem to think a renewal is a formality but they reckon I need to chase the client boss as he won’t know its ending?

Not been in this situation before and it would scupper my plan to play hardball on the rate should I chase him or the agent, should I just wait and not turn up if necessary?

[RichardCranium]

Chase the agent and casually mention it to line manager ("not hassling, but you do intend to renew me, don't you?").

But, even if the agent does nothing, keep turning up. Once you've got a signed timesheet, the client has to cough up to the agency and the agency will pay you.

Everything will (probably) be fine.

Or... they want shot of you and nobody wants to be the messenger.

PS: if this is your first ever renewal in your first contract, hassle the agent something rotten for a significant increase.

[gingerjedi]

PS: if this is your first ever renewal in your first contract, hassle the agent something rotten for a significant increase.

No, it's probably my 30th extension on my 8th contract but also the lowest rate I’ve ever had in all that time hence the need to play 'hardball'.

I'm not usually one to compare rates but when you know another contractor with the same agent doing the same role is getting more you know that someone is screwing you along the line, most probably the agent.

[EddieNambulous]

Suddenly not turning up seems rather unwise, assuming you want to carry on working there.

You need to be aggressive with the agent - they shouldn't be leaving it this late to let you know what the situation is. Depends where the bottleneck is. A tactful reminder to the client boss that, from a legal point of view, you shouldn't really be there next week might be enough to get things moving from his end.

I've been in this situation a few times and just carried on working until things were re-formalized again. Then again, I had some element of faith in the agency I was contracting through (believe it or not) and wasn't after a rate increase.

Negotiating a rate increase at this late stage sounds a bit tricky.

[RichardCranium]

No, it's probably my 30th extension on my 8th contract but also the lowest rate I’ve ever had in all that time hence the need to play 'hardball'.

Sorry, I didn't mean to patronise (and I hope I didn't). I misunderstood "Not been in this situation before".

I have carried on into an extension without any paperwork a few times. I first mention it to the agent at 4 weeks before the end, then once a week. It seems to me that if the agent knows you are happy to extend, they seem to have no inclination to raise the necessary paperwork.

Maybe it's just me - perhaps they forget I exist! (That might explain why I have my own nameplate on the bench.)

[Zippy]

Perhaps you could hint to client that you need to make a decision about what you'll be doing in a week or so's time, thereby implying you might have another job?

Are you looking for a large rate increase?

[thunderlizard]

I don't know what the big deal is. Just ask the decision maker "would you like me to do anything else after xx/06/09, because that's when your contract comes up for renewal?"
Standard ongoing sales practice. It won't make you sound desperate and in a weak negotiating position- especially if (as Zippy says) you say it's because you need to weigh up other possibilities alongside.

[SuperZ]

If you haven`t been there long, don`t bother trying or you could damage your reputation IMO - I`m sure gingerjedi was benched a few weeks back.