Alexander Mann!!

[Not So Wise]

Simple solution, don't accept these terms, i would not and if they will not change them, walk.

Once you are placed agencys are little more than gloyfied factoring services. You pay them (aka their cut for your work) to keep your cash flow "fluid". A month in arrears basiclly translates to them getting paid for nothing

If you accept it you have no one to blame but yourself

My standard is 7 days, for a really good position (or really really low commision margin) i might be willing to accept 2 weeks. Under no circumstances when working though an agency will i accept any longer than that

Current agency is tied to 7 days but generally they process payment same day or next day at latest

[mcquiggd]

From experience of Alexander Mann, you can't invoice until after youve worked 30 days. Then they process your invoice, wich takes them a week, and you actually get the money 3 or 4 working days later,

After the first 30 days you invoice weekly, but they still drag their heels over paying out.

I worked with MSB and invoiced weekly on a monday, processed wednesday, had the money by friday with a text message notifying me how much etc.

[ratewhore]

You're making a fuss over nothing. My direct customers will pay their invoices only at the 30 day limit, as they would if they were invoiced for tin or whatever. My current agency contract also stipulates 30 days which, as far as I'm concerned, is regular business practice. Bear in mind that the late payment legislation takes 30 days as a given.

This is the reality of doing business as opposed to disguised employees looking for regular pay packets...

[oraclesmith]

30 days is nothing ! If you go direct, you'll be put into the clients purchase ledger system along with all the other small businesses they deal with and they usually have 30 days delay as standard, plus one or two weeks for processing. I may have had 14 days in the contract, with an interest clause after so many weeks, but there's no way you'll get anywhere with this argument in a small claims court unless the clients payment delays are seen as unreasonable.

This happened at my last contract and sometimes they'd have even more delays in processing invoices so there would be no payment at all some weeks. If you produce a steady flow of invoices however, then most weeks you will get something, plus you get the rest after you leave !

The FSB is interested in late payment from suppliers and there is recent legislation which allows you to claim interest etc, but like I said, 30 days is nothing. If you have invoices which are very late or likely not to be paid, then have a standard process for dealing with them (1st formal reminder letter, final formal reminder letter, legal action or factoring) don't just whinge to them on the phone. In my opinion.

http://www.payontime.co.uk/legislati...tion_main.html

http://www.fsb.org.uk/general/links/

[Paddy]

When AM told me about their 30 day rule I told them I need to a credit check on them. They went loopy. I then sent them a credit check form by which time I told the client about AM. After a phone call from the client AM soon changed their mind.

[darmstadt]

30 days is nowt. I do nearly everything direct, invoicing to different countries in different currencies and sometimes it can take quite a while and then you have to follow up in different languages! Imagine going direct with EDS, they have a 90 day payment clause so that means if you're going through an agency they have to wait 90 days before EDS pay them yet you want your money in 14 days. Lucky buggers...

[bobhope]

It's not about being paid like a permie, it's about minimising risk. Think how many agencies have gone bust over the past few years. You could well be down 6-8 weeks money.

[malvolio]

About 5, isn't it? Not counting Dignatio, which is a whole different thing. And I don't think AMS are going anywhere, since they provide almost all of Cap Gemini's people, quite apart from their other major accounts. So as risks go, this is a pretty small one...

[IR35 Avoider]

Being paid weekly means far more admin. I've always been paid monthly. When I started, the one or two contractors I met who were paid direct said the downside was waiting 6 months for their money. (Nothing sinister - just a disorganised client - government.)

I've always thought that demanding to be paid weekly (except where you have genuine concern about non-payment) makes you look amateurish. (On the other hand, do you care what the agent thinks of you?) If your existence is so hand-to-mouth that you throw your toys out the pram over waiting a few weeks for you money it signals that you're a low earner or financially disorganised - not someone to be taken seriously. [/snob mode]

[Phoenix]

When AM told me about their 30 day rule I told them I need to a credit check on them. They went loopy. I then sent them a credit check form by which time I told the client about AM. After a phone call from the client AM soon changed their mind.

Let's just say I wonder how often AM get paid by the client.
I wouldn't like to think they bank the money and hold on to the interest?

It's the same with these new rules on Holiday pay from Umbrellas (luckily mine doesn't do this)
But I want all the money due, and as soon as possible