Contract rate dropped because I'm local ???

[psychocandy]

Applied for contract a few months ago and rate offered was 400E a day. Didnt get that but pretty much identical contract has come up and I've got a phone interview later today.

Anyway, agency tells me rate is 250E a day which is pretty crap. I queried why it had dropped so much and he said 400E was always only for someone who had to relocate and it was less because I was local.

Hmm. I get the feeling I'm being shafted here and someone in the loop is looking for a bargain.

Dont know if its client sensing a bargain rate or agency keeping a huge cut for themselves?

Any suggestions? Will the agency tell me their cut if they ask them? Is this a sensible thing to do?

They've gone up to 300E now suddenly. Getting there. LOL

[Scrag Meister]

Applied for contract a few months ago and rate offered was 400E a day. Didnt get that but pretty much identical contract has come up and I've got a phone interview later today.

Anyway, agency tells me rate is 250E a day which is pretty crap. I queried why it had dropped so much and he said 400E was always only for someone who had to relocate and it was less because I was local.

Hmm. I get the feeling I'm being shafted here and someone in the loop is looking for a bargain.

Dont know if its client sensing a bargain rate or agency keeping a huge cut for themselves?

Any suggestions? Will the agency tell me their cut if they ask them? Is this a sensible thing to do?

They've gone up to 300E now suddenly. Getting there. LOL

Sounds like they are on a margin increasing exercise. Keep pushing until you are happy. Lets face it if you took it at a low rate you would be thinking about the fact you could possibly have got more.

You are there to perform a task location is irrelevant to the agency.

[psychocandy]

Sounds like they are on a margin increasing exercise. Keep pushing until you are happy. Lets face it if you took it at a low rate you would be thinking about the fact you could possibly have got more.

You are there to perform a task location is irrelevant to the agency.

Yeh. I thought that. Location of where I live has got sod all to do with either client or agency.

[Wanderer]

Sounds like they are on a margin increasing exercise.

WHS. Ask them how much margin they are taking and if they are on a fixed margin. If they won't tell you then tell them you will talk to the client direct and negotiate a contract rate and the agent can then negotiate their margin on top of this by talking to the client. That way it keeps everything open and transparent which is the friendliest way to do business because no one gets ripped off.

[BoredBloke]

If it was advertised at 400, that will include the agency mark up - so at 400 they were making their profit. As others have said, where you live has no bearing on the rate.

[SneakySimon]

Local

The hiring company won't care if your local or from a distance (in fact would prob prefer local in my experience).

Agency BS im afraid. Scum!!

[psychocandy]

The hiring company won't care if your local or from a distance (in fact would prob prefer local in my experience).

Agency BS im afraid. Scum!!

Exactly. Why on earth would the client care? You turn up to do the job so why do they care?

I appreciate with contracts there's always a max rate they're going to pay that might not always be attainable but 400 down to 250 sounds a bit like a wind up to me.