Signed Contract with Agency

[draytop]

Hi,

I have a signed contract with one days notice with an agency to work at a client.

I worked one day at the client, but unfortunately broke my hand.

I informed both client and agency that I could no longer work.

Client was ok about (in fact they were the ones who advised me to go to the hospital and keep them informed).

Hospital confirmed broken hand.

I informed agency and client, both of whom advised I would get paid for the one day. (Client verbally, agency in an email).

Now I've tried to fill in a timesheet (Agency use thecontractorportal.com), they have deleted my contract (I still have a copy) and are saying they have lost contract with the client to another agency.

Can anyone advise as to what to do?

Thanks in advance.

[northernladuk]

So which of these two posts is true?

[NotAllThere]

http://forums.contractoruk.com/busin...ml#post1471913

So, what do you really want?

[TheFaQQer]

So which of these two posts is true?

neither

[northernladuk]

neither

I know but I get in trouble when I start accusing people of trolling etc so playing along.

[draytop]

Both are true!

Apologies for posting this twice on the two threads. Both posts are actually true!

Here is the sequence of events:

Friday 20th January: Receive email from Agency1, saying 3 month contract with client1: Day rate, Length of Contract, Clients name and address.
Saturday 21st January: Book hotel for 5 nights as it is over 200miles from my home.
Sunday 22nd January: Drive to and stay at hotel.
Monday 23rd January: Work for 1st day at client1. Get phonecall from Agency1 saying client1 is in a mess and doesn't want me to go back. (Yes client1 is in a mess, trying to do SCRUM without a scrum wall).
Tuesday 24th January: Check out of hotel but get billed for 3 nights, hotel's policy is to charge an extra day for cancelling. Get phonecall from Agency2 saying can I start a 3 month contract with client2, I say yes.
Drive back to my parents (as it's nearer). Go to Martial Arts, injure my hand whilst sparring, but didn't think it was broken as I could move all my fingers.
Wednesday 25th January: Drive to client2 (Only 30 miles from parents house). Start at client2, achieve more in 5 hours than previous 2 contractors did in 2 weeks. Client2 really impressed, then notice my hand which had swollen up like a balloon. Send me to hospital. Hospital xray and confirm my hand is broken, inform me not insured to drive. I inform client2 and agency2. Client2 verbally says "sorry to hear that, but we will pay for a whole day for the work I'd done. Get confirmation email from agency2 to submit a timesheet and client2 will pay for the one day.
Thursday 26th January, Try to access online timesheet system of agency2 to find contract deleted,so won;t let me create a timesheet. Chase agency2, no joy.
Friday 27th January, chase agency2, no joy.

Today (Monday 30th January), agency2 finally get back to me to say they won;t pay, as they lost contract to another agency.

Talk about bad luck. I have been contracting for nearly 20 years now and never had anything like this happen.
I will NEVER work with agency1 or agency2 again, EVER.

[NotAllThere]

Ok. Very unlucky.

I must have given this advice many times over the years.

What you do is issue the invoice. Then when it's not paid, issue a reminder. Then when it's not paid, issue a final demand, with seven days to pay, and a warning that if it isn't paid, then legal action will be taken. When it isn't paid, take them through the small claims court, as laid out on www.payontime.co.uk Don't forget to add interest and late payment fees.

Were you opted in or out? If you're opted in, then they have to pay you anyway.

[BlasterBates]

Agree with the above once you go through the claim process they'll cough up or at least they'll settle, no other sensible option for them.

[draytop]

Thanks for the advice, invoices have been raised.