Contract offered

**DaveB** · 21 February 2006, 11:49

Probably not, unless the e-mail contained a definate statement that the contract had been accepted on their part.

If all it says is "Yes theres definately a job there" but doesn't say "and you will be starting on such and such a date at such and such a rate for x amount of time." you're stuffed.

If you had a verbal agreement including dates and rates etc then you might have something to go on, but it's effectively your word against theirs.

**malvolio** · 21 February 2006, 11:52

Agreed. Lesson for the future- you ain't go a contract until you either sign one or turn up and start work! Don't turn work down on the basis of an unsigned contract.

**sconky** · 21 February 2006, 11:54

Originally posted by DaveB

Probably not, unless the e-mail contained a definate statement that the contract had been accepted on their part.

If all it says is "Yes theres definately a job there" but doesn't say "and you will be starting on such and such a date at such and such a rate for x amount of time." you're stuffed.

If you had a verbal agreement including dates and rates etc then you might have something to go on, but it's effectively your word against theirs.

This is the email I recieved do you think there is a chance or should I just putit down to experience???

Hi Shaun,

Littlewoods are now raising the purchase orders to be signed off by the client.

Just to confirm they would like to offer you a nine month contract commencing on Monday 13th February at a daily rate of £190 per day.

I will be in touch early next week to catch up and discuss further details. In the meantime please can you arrange your Limited Company details/Umbrella details so that when I have the PO number I can get the contract raised.

Kind regards,

**malvolio** · 21 February 2006, 12:01

Looks like a firm offer - but I bet they have a clause in their Ts&Cs that makes it conditional on the client doing things in parallel. If the client has canned the prject, there's nowhere to go anyway.

The other problem is that even if a case can be made, what are to going to claim compensation for - the work you haven't now been offered or the work you turned down? Neither is likely to be succesful, IMHO. Best idea is write it off to experience and walk away - but if that doesn't appeal, you'll need proper legal advice.

**privateeye** · 21 February 2006, 12:51

Originally posted by sconky

This is the email I recieved do you think there is a chance or should I just putit down to experience???

Hi Shaun,

Littlewoods are now raising the purchase orders to be signed off by the client.

Just to confirm they would like to offer you a nine month contract commencing on Monday 13th February at a daily rate of £190 per day.

I will be in touch early next week to catch up and discuss further details. In the meantime please can you arrange your Limited Company details/Umbrella details so that when I have the PO number I can get the contract raised.

Kind regards,

I don't think it is that firm an offer the words "would like" are not the same as "have". I think in this instance Rullion acted in good faith but they themselves got stung by the client. Sometimes you find that clients have not cleared things with their own financial controllers. There is also the possibility that Rullion were playing for time as they know the client is slow to process applications and Rullion were afraid of losing you to someone else.

I don't understand Rullion's contract procedure. They offered me a contract before Christmas but the contract did not arrive and another offer came in which more than matched their offer so I signed that as it was guarenteed to be in the bag. They had however signed a contract with the client, the client actually called me to find out why I wasn't on site. In this instance Rullion accepted that they were at fault.

I never accept anything until I've seen the contract and it is signed by the other parties.

**Torran** · 21 February 2006, 13:29

Originally posted by sconky

Hi can any one help... I was offered a contract by Rullion agency, they said definate job available I have email to prove... but now I have just spoke to them and they say their client as stopped the project, and don't knowwhen it will start again, but I have been turning other offers down... is there anything I can do?
Thx

Looks like its one to put down to experience my friend. Why don't you call round the others that were offering you work. They can only say no

**Denny** · 21 February 2006, 14:15

I would be angry too.

Employment businesses should take more care to ensure that roles are live and 'in the bag' as real opportunities before advertising and sourcing contractors. That means ensuring that the project has funded your role. Sometimes that's not always possible if projects are canned very quickly but I bet that most roles that end like this are speculative deliberately when the agency is first contacted to advertise or source candidates via telephone call.

I would work out how much time you spent researching and preparing for the interview, how much time you spent travelling to and from it, the interview time itself and submit an invoice for those hours based on the pro-rate daily rate you agreed with your agency. Normally, if the role is based locally, this should be around 2-3 hours or half a day.

The very least they should do is pay you for your wasted time. The client should also be prepared to reimburse the agency too.

I've done this a few times, and normally get back my travel expenses at the very least.

**eternalnomad** · 21 February 2006, 14:43

This is whats known to a real business as a "cost of sale" and happens to companies up and down the land every day of the week.

Many times I have been told "Its in the bag" and even had emails with similar positive sounding news as that you received but this is not the same as a formal offer of a contract.

Yes, its very frustrating but just put it down to experience.

If I were an agency and received an invoice for "wasted time" on a contract that was never agreed formally (i.e. signed) then I would file it under "B" for bin (or bollox)

**ratewhore** · 21 February 2006, 15:31

sh1t happens. chalk it up and move on. This happens all the time so don't worry about it. Look on the bright side - you're availability is good right now

Contract offered