The new low for agents...

[Moose423956]

My worst was £15k owed for several months. Applied to the small claims court with a large amount of interest (8% above the base rate), and lo and behold they paid up. That was many years ago, so don't know how easy it is nowadays, but it might be the way to go.

[bobspud]

Emailed CEO and Business Dev Manager at the agency and will talk to the client tomorrow. If I don't get paid by midnight 2 May I walk on 3 May.

No you idiot. You go direct to the client and state the agency has broken your contract terms and are in breach and as a result you will be able to work with them direct on the same terms and will be suing the agent for moneys owed...

[ChimpMaster]

My worst was £15k owed for several months. Applied to the small claims court with a large amount of interest (8% above the base rate), and lo and behold they paid up. That was many years ago, so don't know how easy it is nowadays, but it might be the way to go.

Mine got to £50k once, to the point where my accountant even wondered what the heck was going on. Some jealous permie was stirring with the IT director and trying to get him to cut my rate.

[BrilloPad]

Why not name the agency on here and then invite them to comment? Usually there is another side to the story. A lot of contractors I have worked with are difficult to deal with - I hope you are not one of them.

[TheFaQQer]

the timesheets are paper, just to make it more difficult to meet the Monday deadline...

How long does it take to take a photo on your phone and attach it to an email?

[MrMarkyMark]

I raised the invoice today following their procedures outlined in the contract and the documentation. Those procedures look like they are specifically designed to make to difficult to submit the invoice on time. But I did it. They refused the invoice, because... it has a total sum, not 6 x daily rate (same total). They are also not accepting the timesheet as submitted (I sent it via email as instructed) unless it is sent by my to their email address, CC'ed to my managed and the manager replies to all confirming submission... they invented that procedure on the spot, as soon as I submitted the timesheet and the invoice via email as stipulated in the contract and the "Welcome" pack... also, the timesheets are paper, just to make it more difficult to meet the Monday deadline... I didn't miss it, so they made me miss it by inventing this bulltulip. I re-enabled my CV on Monster and JobServe.

I had agents miss payments, play tricks on me, but not on the first invoice. If they don't dispute the total on the invoice they have no grounds to delay payment. The client signed the timesheet, the invoice is correct, there is no reason to not OK it for payment.

This may well be part of the Client Co accepted process, have you actually checked?

[Hobosapien]

I'd be checking if any other contractors at the client are also owed one or more invoices and if this is a regular or ongoing thing. Could be early signs the agency are having cashflow problems in which case you want as little outstanding with them as possible. i.e. weekly/fortnightly invoices rather than monthly.

Particularly if they're a noddy agency run by shysters with a history of phoenixing to avoid unpaid debts. Find out who the directors are and whether they've been directors of now dissolved agencies and search for any history of them on here.

Hopefully they're just the usual bunch of incompetent parasites and there's nothing more serious to worry about.

[scooterscot]

You need a warchest asap if one month without pay throws a spanner in the works. What with Brexit coming up I'd wanting to operate with at least 6 to 12 months of cover.

[SueEllen]

I raised the invoice today following their procedures outlined in the contract and the documentation. Those procedures look like they are specifically designed to make to difficult to submit the invoice on time. But I did it. They refused the invoice, because... it has a total sum, not 6 x daily rate (same total).

Every single invoice I've ever done has been in that format which is essentially breaking it down by item.

I checked with with contractors and some accountants on what invoices should have in them then found a template before I submitted my first one.

They are also not accepting the timesheet as submitted (I sent it via email as instructed) unless it is sent by my to their email address, CC'ed to my managed and the manager replies to all confirming submission... they invented that procedure on the spot, as soon as I submitted the timesheet and the invoice via email as stipulated in the contract and the "Welcome" pack... also, the timesheets are paper, just to make it more difficult to meet the Monday deadline... I didn't miss it, so they made me miss it by inventing this bulltulip. I re-enabled my CV on Monster and JobServe.

That sounds like a client requirement which is why it isn't in their pack.

I had agents miss payments, play tricks on me, but not on the first invoice. If they don't dispute the total on the invoice they have no grounds to delay payment. The client signed the timesheet, the invoice is correct, there is no reason to not OK it for payment.

A late first invoice isn't rare. However when they are consistently late is when throw your toys out of the pram.

I suggest you speak to the client first as a late first invoice isn't rare.

Though in my case I've found over the years that some agents actually chase you to do your timesheet and invoice as they don't get paid if you don't submit them as sometimes the end client wants to see them.

[Hobosapien]

Though in my case I've found over the years that some agents actually chase you to do your timesheet and invoice as they don't get paid if you don't submit them as sometimes the end client wants to see them.

Good point. I've had agents pestering me for 'missing' timesheets so they can get paid by the client for me to say I'm on holiday. Gets to the point I inform the agency not to expect a timesheet out of courtesy not because I'm asking for their permission. They're usually grateful to be kept informed.

Maybe this agency has a long lead time between them getting paid by client that they can be lax about paying contractors and it's part of their cashflow approach to close the gap as much as possible between them getting paid and having to pay out.