Contract renewal - whats good enough as an offer?

[BlasterBates]

In my experience it isn´t unusual for paperwork to be held up. If you go and work that is billable regardless of whether the paperwork is in place or not. The only person who really suffers when you don´t go in, is you. People get p**d off and you lose a billable day. The client´s purchasing dept is not going to change its ways because one contractor didn´t go in for a day, and it is not a financial risk because when the client allows you to work that is proof they agreed to the contract.

300-400 quid is a very nice weekend in a plush hotel in the country with a nice slap up meal.

Rather than sitting home and taking flak from the client, I would therefore recommend go into work and when the bill gets paid treat yourself and the misses to weekend away, with the extra dosh.

[psychocandy]

Mate, all Im saying is you constantly post about issues you have with your client(s). You need to ask yourself why it is you have these issues. The board is full of your posts saying you've got this issue, that issue, the other issue.

If you keep taking 'iffy' contracts or have 'iffy' situations, there's usually a reason for it.

Agree. In all my years of contracting, these are, without a doubt the worst ever. Unfortunately, this is their MO. They do it to all the contractors and have done for years - although they are getting worse (I know someone who contracted here a few years ago too).

Annoying as they are - its close to home, rate is OK, and its been running almost 2 years now. So its a balancing act. Yeh, Im very tempted to walk but not walk onto the bench. Doesnt stop them causing me hassle though.

[psychocandy]

In my experience it isn´t unusual for paperwork to be held up. If you go and work that is billable regardless of whether the paperwork is in place or not. The only person who really suffers when you don´t go in, is you. People get p**d off and you lose a billable day. The client´s purchasing dept is not going to change its ways because one contractor didn´t go in for a day, and it is not a financial risk because when the client allows you to work that is proof they agreed to the contract.

300-400 quid is a very nice weekend in a plush hotel in the country with a nice slap up meal.

Rather than sitting home and taking flak from the client, I would therefore recommend go into work and when the bill gets paid treat yourself and the misses to weekend away, with the extra dosh.

Agree to a certain extent that it is hassle losing a days billing and most clients will never change.

BUT, you've got to draw the line somewhere. Like I said with my client, if I didnt kick up a fuss it'd end up where there was no contract and they just phoned me every friday to ask me back on the monday - they'd do this if they could.

Also, remember, contract is generally with agent not client. Doesnt matter what client says, its agent that pays you. Do you really want to work for a week then find out that client has decided they've not go the budget after all? Good luck with the agency on that one.

But, with clients you can your best to ask them nicely to sort it out in advance, but you can only take it so far. Tescos are nice as pie to their customers generally and dont want to upset them, but I don't think their positive customer experience would extend so far as to let you take a trolley of shopping home if you promise to sort out payment details later? Would they care if you got pissed off because they wouldnt allow you?

[billybiro]

Never happened to me in 10 years.
There's some right drama queens on here.

Maybe so, however, if the client/agent is dragging their feet over producing the requisite written contract, why not try writing your own one? Obviously, you make sure that everything in it is slightly weighted to favour you, rather than the client - notice terms, payment terms etc. Then you present that to the client/agent.

See if they are as quick to agree to your contract as you would be to do so in the absence of theirs!

[psychocandy]

It gets worse - I think the agency is playing silly buggers.

Had one month extension last month. Nothing sorted beforehand (in fact, I had the contract for April last friday) and, in the end, I agreed to go in on the basis of an email from the agency.

So, I told them OK thats it now. No more one month extensions will be accepted at the standard rate - it will now be an increased rate. 3 months no problem.

So I get a call from agent end of last week. Good news they say - extension until end June. Hmmm 2 months. In the end I say OK fair enough.

Last day today. Apparently, customer is only starting PO process today. Nice one. OK - told agent if the agent confirm via email this extension until end june then that'll have to do.

What I got was - 'From our side, you can continue your work activities as usual. We will
update you as soon as we receive the PO and will send you the contract
ASAP.' Very nice and vague indeed.

No mention of dates. I emailed back asking them to confirm extension including dates. No reply.
Got a funny feeling that this two month extension was never on the line and agency are trying to blag it. Get me back in the door knowing full well the PO will take weeks and it'll be too late in 3 weeks when they say 'sorry - its one month after all - clients fault!'.

BTW. Can't even get any sense out of the client. Guy who deals never calls me back and is in different country.

Am I only one who suspects this here?