Sued for Damages After Contractor Ineptitude

[Captain Jack]

These answers are all pretty reassuraing and as I'd hoped, to be honest. And I know a forum is not really the place to be discussing this. I am just being a bit paranoid and trying to see if there's a loophole here whioch could bite me in the arse. Because we are a small business and not inclined to be shelling out thousands for this.

So I should not be telling the contractor or unmbrella co. or anything?

Let your insurers do it, that's what they're for. You have told them they can counter-claim against someone else, right? There's nothing like knowing they can claim off someone else to make an insurance company play ball. You don't want to muddy the waters by accidentally saying things that you shouldn't.

[bogeyman]

These answers are all pretty reassuraing and as I'd hoped, to be honest. And I know a forum is not really the place to be discussing this. I am just being a bit paranoid and trying to see if there's a loophole here whioch could bite me in the arse. Because we are a small business and not inclined to be shelling out thousands for this.

So I should not be telling the contractor or unmbrella co. or anything?

Ignore my previous comment, I was mistaken.

Captain Jack's summation is correct: Talk to your insurers before you talk to anyone else.

[PAH]

These answers are all pretty reassuraing and as I'd hoped, to be honest. And I know a forum is not really the place to be discussing this. I am just being a bit paranoid and trying to see if there's a loophole here whioch could bite me in the arse. Because we are a small business and not inclined to be shelling out thousands for this.

So I should not be telling the contractor or unmbrella co. or anything?

It may be seen as good practice to let us know what your company is, so we can avoid it whilst it's still unclear whether you will survive this pending lawsuit.

No contractor likes having their agency go bust without paying them!

[Captain Jack]

Ignore my previous comment, I was mistaken.

Captain Jack's summation is correct: Talk to your insurers before you talk to anyone else.

Bogey is correct. Let the professionals handle it now. Don't talk to either the client or the contractor/brolly. Politely insist that everything is in writing and tell them that your insurers are handling it now. You may even find the client loses interest at that point as they may just be trying to frighten a few quid out of you.

Remember, the person who represents himself has a fool for a lawyer. You or I might think nothing of clearing the air conversations or what have you, but you can inadvertently admit liability or otherwise jeopardise the claim by so doing.

Keep us posted.

[EternalOptimist]

Hang on a minute

The client saw the CV
The client interviewed him
The client signed the timesheets
The client did not complain to him during his role
The client did not complain to you during the role
The client did not issue any written warnings
The client did not have hime escorted from the site
The client did not disable his security
The client did not disable his network access
The client seemed happy for him to be there
The client does not want to pay


The client does not have a leg upon which to stand

[bogeyman]

Hang on a minute

The client saw the CV
The client interviewed him
The client signed the timesheets
The client did not complain to him during his role
The client did not complain to you during the role
The client did not issue any written warnings
The client did not have hime escorted from the site
The client did not disable his security
The client did not disable his network access
The client seemed happy for him to be there
The client does not want to pay


The client does not have a leg upon which to stand

LAWYERS:

Inventing legs upon which to stand since time immemorial

[realityhack]

You forgot:

The client has vastly more money to spend on lawyers than the defendant, and can string it out in court until the defendant is bankrupt.

[TheFaQQer]

Hang on a minute

The client saw the CV
The client interviewed him
The client signed the timesheets
The client did not complain to him during his role
The client did not complain to you during the role
The client did not issue any written warnings
The client did not have hime escorted from the site
The client did not disable his security
The client did not disable his network access
The client seemed happy for him to be there
The client does not want to pay


The client does not have a leg upon which to stand

I'm inclined to agree with you. The cynic in me suggests that the client is just looking not to pay, or looking not to pay in full. Either way, they seem to be on a loser here.

[Blunderer]

Timesheet says "I confirm that the above hours are correct and that I am satisfied with the work completed".

The client are still holding back on the cash.

I am going to go at them hell for leather to get it.

Thanks again for all the really constructive replies, chaps.

[TheFaQQer]

Timesheet says "I confirm that the above hours are correct and that I am satisfied with the work completed".

The client are still holding back on the cash.

I am going to go at them hell for leather to get it.

Thanks again for all the really constructive replies, chaps.

They're on a hiding to nothing. See what your insurer says - and ask them whether you should be taking action for late payment.

www.payontime.co.uk may have some information on whether you can chase for late payment if they are suing you. If they haven't filed suit yet, then you should start charging them for late payment (if the lawyer / insurer says that you should)