Never ending support after contract finished!!

[suityou01]

This ^

If there wasn't anything in the contract to say otherwise any future work in my eyes is chargeable. A lot of contracts give a time frame where you might have to offer some warranty coverage. I would just wish them all the best and say contact you after your next contract ends if they need any further assistance.

Was I not writing in English then?

[Mordac]

Hi Guys,

I work as an IT contractor - and I recently finished a contract with an HR department in a large company. Part of the project was to implement a new system - which I project managed and implemented myself before the contract came to a natural end and they released me.

However - a few months down the line - typical issues are being experienced with the system. The majority of these are just skill gaps where the guys there don't know what they are doing to configure the system (I did provide some documentation). There are some bugs that exist that only became apparent after some time using the system (e.g. It wasn't carelessness on my part)

The issue is - they keep emailing me every week asking me to support or fix different things - but I think they are expecting me to do this for free... as in their mind it "should have worked".

My feeling is that they are being a bit naive trying to host a software platform without any sort of in house support.

What are your guys thoughts? is it reasonalbe for them to expect me to do these changes for free? or should I be asking them to pay me - even if the bugs that exist were technically my fault to begin with?

I really like these guys - but I am starting a new role next week - so my ability to support them will be very limited.

Thanks for your help!

If you were a permie who had left, you'd probably tell them to get stuffed (and they probably wouldn't have approached you in the first place).
If you were a 3rd party supplier / consultancy etc. you would negotiate a support contract, at "name your own price" rates.
The bugs are only your fault if you wrote the code - if you were implementing an off the shelf system, they should be talking to the supplier. If it's a large company, sounds like they cut a few corners, and are now paying the true price.

[NotAllThere]

Like that means tulip....

Harder to fight though if it wasn't signed off. Could be an implied warranty!

[MarillionFan]

Harder to fight though if it wasn't signed off. Could be an implied warranty!

If he's already been paid, then the job is done and dusted.

Offer them a support contract, fixed fee, maximum number of days, or alternatively tell them to do one. Sounds a typical small company mentality.

[suityou01]

Can someone page MS, we need an obligatory "are you a member of IPSE" angle.

[FatLazyContractor]

Can someone page MS, we need an obligatory "are you a member of IPSE" angle.

And NLUK for 'Do you have an accountant?' angle

[BlasterBates]

Well to be diplomatic I would differentiate between your blunders and support which is nothing to do with you. I would at least wait for an issue that isn't some blunder, and then have a discussion about a support contract. Probably wouldn't be wise after a problem where you dropped a "clanger".

My experience of trouble shooting is that you can easily pin the blame, just pick your moment.

[suityou01]

And NLUK for 'Do you have an accountant?' angle

And someone needs to take him through the CUK noobie checklist. Feck me standards have slipped.

[FatLazyContractor]

Making blunders is common and absolutely normal. That is what brings you back to the client.

Whether you fix it for free or not, is another aspect. A true contractor charges for fixing his own bugs

[FatLazyContractor]

If he's already been paid, then the job is done and dusted.

Offer them a support contract, fixed fee, maximum number of days, or alternatively tell them to do one. Sounds a typical small company mentality.

And someone needs to take him through the CUK noobie checklist. Feck me standards have slipped.

I agree. Why is MF suddenly making sense?