Overdue invoices and uncooperative agencies

[northernladuk]

In retrospect it probably wasn't my best idea. I don't really have a high tolerance for BS, and this service desk manager has a tendency to treat the team like his minions (which is surprising considering he's a contractor himself).

The rest of them, fair enough. When he tried it with me, I informed him I was having none of it.

I believe one of the other contractors is currently bringing a case against him for abuse in the workplace or something to that effect.

Remember they are your customers now, not work colleagues......

[TheFaQQer]

Started a contract with what looked like a promising client approx 3 weeks ago.

They're currently 1 week overdue. Payment was meant to be issued on Fri 19th. I submitted the invoice on Wednesday after leaving the company.

So, you started three weeks ago, so let's say April 1st.
You were there for two weeks, so let's say you invoiced on April 10th.
Invoice was due on the 19th (seven day terms??).
Invoice is now a week late.

According to my calculator, if you are on £500 a day, then they already owe you £80.48 in late payment fees and interest.

[TheFaQQer]

I believe one of the other contractors is currently bringing a case against him for abuse in the workplace or something to that effect.

[NDawg]

I found it equally hilarious. The entire office had such a permie mentality considering they all used to be contractors. Half switched to permie there with the promise of "training". It's ridiculous. I suggested to "abused" contractor that he either quit or deal with the issue properly. He's apparently scared of the big bad service desk manager.

As for 500 a day, god i wish. This wasn't anywhere close to that and actually a rate cut. If I didn't need the money after sitting on the bench for so long holding out for higher rate gigs, I would never have taken it in the first place

[TheFaQQer]

I found it equally hilarious. The entire office had such a permie mentality considering they all used to be contractors. Half switched to permie there with the promise of "training". It's ridiculous. I suggested to "abused" contractor that he either quit or deal with the issue properly. He's apparently scared of the big bad service desk manager.

As for 500 a day, god i wish. This wasn't anywhere close to that and actually a rate cut. If I didn't need the money after sitting on the bench for so long holding out for higher rate gigs, I would never have taken it in the first place

Even if it's only £100 a day, it's £72 in interest and penalties that are owed. And you can chase for those up to six years after the debt became due.

[Wanderer]

Chased with agency and they are claiming they need a signed timesheet from the client before authorizing payment.

Did you sign the opt out?

the service desk manager is intentionally not signing off on the timesheet due to personal issues claiming (and i quote) "let's see how he likes lateness now".

Email the agency and point out that there is a statutory £70 penalty for late payment, plus interest, plus debt recovery costs.....

[NDawg]

Did you sign the opt out?

Negatory. I made sure to opt in on this contract. Damn glad I did.

Email the agency and point out that there is a statutory £70 penalty for late payment, plus interest, plus debt recovery costs.....

I'm drafting a letter to send via recorded tomorrow to the agency. It should reach them by Monday hopefully. Will let y'all know how things play out.

[SueEllen]

I'm drafting a letter to send via recorded tomorrow to the agency. It should reach them by Monday hopefully. Will let y'all know how things play out.

Is the invoice payment over 28 days late?

Also read your contract and check there are no clauses which state words that mean you won't get paid if you are walked for various reasons.

Also in future when you are in a new contract make sure you come in early for the first few weeks. You need to work out how the land lies before making waves.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

In retrospect it probably wasn't my best idea. I don't really have a high tolerance for BS, and this service desk manager has a tendency to treat the team like his minions (which is surprising considering he's a contractor himself).

The rest of them, fair enough. When he tried it with me, I informed him I was having none of it.

I believe one of the other contractors is currently bringing a case against him for abuse in the workplace or something to that effect.

I am not sure that wanting members of your team to be at their desks working at 9 o'clock, if they are being paid from 9 o/c, can really be classified as micro managing - as a contractor you are operating a business and should remember that it will be your 'customer service' that will go a long way to securing you more contracts. Permies who clock watch or bend the rules a little are difficult to get rid of - contractors are not.

[psychocandy]

Service desk environment you say? I can sort of see why the guy got a bit off.

I worked a contract once where I had to go in 7am some days to cover off the SLAs. If a pri 1 call came in, it was 10 mins to call them back or risk huge financial penalties (for the client).

They would have been peed off too if contractors had started eating into that 10mins (e.g. if a call came in at 7am on the dot - it did once or twice). One day 1 mins late, next day, 5, then all of sudden a target gets missed but 'its only 10 mins'.