Preferred (compulsory) supplier umbrella & agencies?

[dmini]

Anyone got news on this. I have just got a contract & been told the "you must be through one of our umbrella companies "- surprise surprise it doesn't include my umbrella. Spoke to my umbrella, who say they have already taken legal action once against that agency, , & thought it was settled, and are now talking director --> director again. Good way to head into christmas! My new contract in just into the new year, so I need to get this sorted asap. I don't want to move umbrella - they have been really efficient!

[Captain Jack]

Just tell the agent to poke off and mind their own business. They won't jeopardise a commission over this.

[Reccon]

they are probably just after the fees the umbrella company pay them for easch referal. Tell them you are not using any of those and i am 99% sure that they will back down!!

[John Galt]

This seems to be getting more common - a mate of mine had a contract with Hays and they told him the same thing. He told them to get stuffed and it didn't seem to do him any harm. I agree with Captain Jack - check with your brolly to see if they pay money for referals - bet they don't. At the end of the day if the client wants you what are the agency going to do say no you can't have him 'cos he wont do as he's told?

[Rebecca Loos]

some agencies are really moving into this. Computer People I think it was - they offered me an interview and started going on about how I had to use their preferred umbrella (from a list) as they wanted to make sure I pay myself in accordance with HMRC guidance relating to IR35 etc etc.

I had to tell them to bog off basically. I tried to explain to the monkey on the phone that how I was paying myself was not the agency's concern, but they would not have it.

the funny thing is that they kept telling me "we don't want people to pay themselves lots of dividends" - I don't pay myself dividends! It's much worse than that... but of course I couldn't tell him

[Captain Jack]

I think we're all like minded on this one. It's none of the agency's concern how you operate so stick to your guns as they are very unlikely to jeopardise the contract over it.

However, there have been one or two horror stories where agents have cut their own noses off to spite their face by telling the client you are no longer interested. Just to guard against this unlikely eventuality one thing you might do is phone your client contact and tell them how much you are looking forward to starting work and to take no notice of anything the agent might say to the contrary as there is a minor procedural issue they are being slightly tardy about.

[malvolio]

The commercial reasons are deep and devious and mired in how they sell themselvess to the clients ("Sorry Mr HR director, you mean you didn;t think S3 group was a consultancy?"), but they are basically trying to move people on to IR35-caught status. Problem is, for every one of us grown ups who tell them to sod off and walk away, there are 9 muppets who can't see anything other than the money.

[n3il123]

S3 are the biggest group of crooks out there... My first contract was in their IT department in Wimbeldon... sure taught me a few things... "yeah I know we're not allowed to post fake jobs ... but hey... " etc etc etc w@nkers the lot of them...

[bfg]

Conduct of Employment Agencies, part 2 regulation 5.

Tell 'em to bugger off.

[Mordac]

Name & shame and report to anyone relevant (PCG, Atsco etc.)
I'm sure they're doing it for the commission. I have heard that P********** 4 have been offering agents cash incentives to do this. Tell 'em to feck off.