Contract extensions - which notice do companies normally give?

[Catafracta]

Hi.

I haven't been contracting for long, so I would like to get some opinions from those of you who have more experience.

When you're in a contract that you were told is likely to be extended, how long in advance do the company/agent contact you to discuss the issue before the contract end date?

I have still a month to go, and I'm thinking whether to ask or wait a bit more.

Thanks

[Damon]

It varies

A month out is pretty common for a verbal but can be up to 2 weeks before and/or paperwork.

I have also been told verbally of 6 month extension only to be told 5 days before end date that renewal wasn't happening.

So the sagely advice is not to count on it and still look for alternate gigs unless you want a little bit of time off.

[DirtyDog]

When you're in a contract that you were told is likely to be extended, how long in advance do the company/agent contact you to discuss the issue before the contract end date?

Anything from a few weeks to a few hours - I've had clients who eight weeks from the end sorted out an extension because they knew they needed me and they knew I'd get other work easily (at that time). I've had clients wait until they receive the "I'm off, nice knowing you" email at 4pm on the Friday before they panic and rush around trying to get something sorted for the following week.

A month out, I'd have a quiet chat with whoever is going to sort the paperwork out - explain that you are interested in staying (if you are), but if there isn't going to be an extension that you need to plan an orderly handover before you leave. Two weeks out, give them a more serious nudge that the handover needs to be happening.

[Crash]

Agreed, it depends on the client. I have had occasions of knowing 4 weeks beforehand at least one occasion where I had driven home, some 250 miles, just walked in the door to be told, via the telephone, that I should return on Monday.

Currently I am working on getting my current boss to agreebtoi an extension that is due at the beginning of May.

On other word of caution, don't believe it until you have it in writing.

[eek]

Current clientco I didn't get confirmation of a 1 month extension until after that extension finished.

They are hyper security conscious tho, so the fact I was allowed on site gave me 100% confidence that the invoice was going to be paid...

[Bellona]

A month out, I'd have a quiet chat with whoever is going to sort the paperwork out - explain that you are interested in staying (if you are), but if there isn't going to be an extension that you need to plan an orderly handover before you leave. Two weeks out, give them a more serious nudge that the handover needs to be happening.

+1 . Sage advice

[northernladuk]

Depending on what you are doing you should be able to gauge if you are going to get extended or not. If you are working on large projects and the work isn't finished there is fair bet they will keep you, same if you are in an enduring role and they have made no move to put a permie in. If you are close to finishing the piece of work you are doing then you are on a wish and a prayer.

[Old Greg]

My experience is between 30 and -4 days before end of contract.

[aoxomoxoa]

At my last clientco I had two extensions, and the last one (which was only for a month to finish off some project activities) was agreed with my sponsor at least two weeks in advance. Usual practice was that Procurement would process extensions pretty rapidly, but at the last minute they decided my extension would be a useful opportunity to get revenge on my sponsor for the fact he'd pissed them off over some process infraction a few weeks earlier. Net result was a lot of hoops to jump through meaning that I didn't have a formal agreement in place until just before the extension ended!

Luckily I had email cover from my sponsor that confirmed the T&Cs from the previous extension were still in force, and even more luckily there wasn't an issue with getting paid.

[Manz]

They normally tell me 2 months before, however once they told me 15 days before it was supposed to end.