Agencies - ask me to agree to contract without seeing it - that old chestnut

[psychocandy]

Guilty as charged on that one

Are you sure you're cut out to be a forum poster?

[tractor]

..

Well spoke to their 'compliance admin officer' 4 hours ago who promised to email me what they needed from me. I said fine I've got scans of most of that stuff with me so no problem I'll get it back to you in 30 mins.

No email yet. Deliberate attempt to drag it out again methinks.

now you are getting paranoid, they will have other important things to do like surfing, answering posts on internet fora, getting coffee, online bingo etc. chill out

[psychocandy]

now you are getting paranoid, they will have other important things to do like surfing, answering posts on internet fora, getting coffee, online bingo etc. chill out

Like me then.

Not being funny but don't get on to me saying its all going to fall through because I'm delaying things and then piss about.

Even doing some work is preferable to spending half my day arguing with agents about this crap. In fact, I'd rather spend my time reading NLUKs posts than this. (OK bit far that one!)

[northernladuk]

now you are getting paranoid, they will have other important things to do like surfing, answering posts on internet fora, getting coffee, online bingo etc. chill out

This. Stop looking for fault and blame in everything. Your blinkered view on agents and clients is causing this.

[captainham]

Not being funny but don't get on to me saying its all going to fall through because I'm delaying things and then piss about.

Why do you have such a hard time understanding that the average agent couldn't give a tulip about you, or anybody else? It's nothing personal, they're just hoping you'll fall for any trick in the book.

Most of the time I think you really should go and find a cushy permie number somewhere peaceful and live out your days until you have some sort of stress-related heart attack, but then I realise you're probably not truly happy unless you have some sort of made-up issue with the whole world being out to get you and so you need to sound off about it.

[Brian Potter]

Same tulip happened with my current gig.

Agent conveniently ignored my numerous requests for the contract but then attempted to pull a fait accompli with a last minute email:

Hi Brian,

Be on site for 9pm tomorrow. [Client Co] is expecting you and they have you booked in for an H&S induction.

Yours,

Twunt of an Agent

I calmly replied with: I'm not going on site without a contract. Please comply with my request(s) by forwarding me the contract. I will then submit it to Qdos for IR35 review on their 24 hour turnaround option.

The agent then called me a few times; which I ignored. About 15 mins later he emailed me with a draft/template contract along with the comment "give this to your accountant, he'll be fine with it". Once again I stuck to my guns and refused to budge. By approx 8pm a 'real' contract arrived in my inbox which I then promptly submitted to Qdos.

Qdos had the contract reviewed by around 3pm the next day and deemed it a pass on the IR35 side of things. I contacted the agent and agreed to start the contract the next day. Apparently the Client Co were waiting for me and were unhappy that I couldn't start the day before...yeah right!

I turned up on site the next day (a Thursday) only to be told by the Client Co "we thought your start date was this coming Monday, we not expecting you until then? Come back on Monday" and I was promptly sent on my way.

Agents are twunts!

[kingcook]

So get the offer at 7pm last night. Plus an email asking me to give in 7 days notice at current client so that I can start in 7 days, plus can I reply to email to accept contract (based on list of rate, client, location and that's it).

"I accept the contract, subject to contract"

[Wanderer]

Well spoke to their 'compliance admin officer' 4 hours ago who promised to email me what they needed from me. I said fine I've got scans of most of that stuff with me so no problem I'll get it back to you in 30 mins..

Just pre-empt them by sending a copy of your passport, a letter from HMRC showing your NI number, copies of your professional qualification certificates, company registration cert, VAT registration cert and insurance certs.

[psychocandy]

This. Stop looking for fault and blame in everything. Your blinkered view on agents and clients is causing this.

I disagree. Reading previous posts this seems to be, at times, Hays preferred way of dealing. Get email confirmation of contract acceptance and then get the actual contract sorted as an afterthought.

If its an immediate contract then possibly they get contractor to start before its sorted. If someone has got to give notice they get them to give notice and sort contract later.

Either way contractor then has no chance whatsoever to get anything changed in the contract. Its all what Hays want. They obviously like this.

In my case, they've tried to get me to agree via email. They spoken to me and said they can't send contract until I fill in the forms. I've offered to fill in the forms and get them back in 30 mins. They've not sent them to me as promised.

All this time, they're trying to bulltulip me that the client is about to pull out and take another candidate because I'm delaying things.

Must admit other agencies have tried the old sign contract trick, the old 'you've got to start this day' etc but not as persistently as this.

On the plus side, spoke to my mate last night who works at client in the same team. So I know how things lie with the client. Start date thing the agent told me was bulltulip (no surprise there) and they havent got any other candidates lined up. They interviewed 3 people and took on 2 (including me). The other one was a complete dud.

The other contractor is starting monday. I'm betting without a sorted contract.

Thats maybe the problem. They get away with it.

[psychocandy]

Same tulip happened with my current gig.

Agent conveniently ignored my numerous requests for the contract but then attempted to pull a fait accompli with a last minute email:



I calmly replied with: I'm not going on site without a contract. Please comply with my request(s) by forwarding me the contract. I will then submit it to Qdos for IR35 review on their 24 hour turnaround option.

The agent then called me a few times; which I ignored. About 15 mins later he emailed me with a draft/template contract along with the comment "give this to your accountant, he'll be fine with it". Once again I stuck to my guns and refused to budge. By approx 8pm a 'real' contract arrived in my inbox which I then promptly submitted to Qdos.

Qdos had the contract reviewed by around 3pm the next day and deemed it a pass on the IR35 side of things. I contacted the agent and agreed to start the contract the next day. Apparently the Client Co were waiting for me and were unhappy that I couldn't start the day before...yeah right!

I turned up on site the next day (a Thursday) only to be told by the Client Co "we thought your start date was this coming Monday, we not expecting you until then? Come back on Monday" and I was promptly sent on my way.

Agents are twunts!

Nice on Brian. Wasnt Hays was it?