Rejecting a contract

[BoredBloke]

Have you considered asking them to cover rental and travel costs?
Drop your rate by 800 per month (as he says that is the cost) and let them provide a furnished flat.
I met a guy on a flight a couple of weeks ago who in a moment of cheek asked for 4 flights a month and the client agreed. Apparently they regard that as small potatoes.

That was requested by one of the contractors here before and was told no - they know it's expensive. This place even have a couple of flats in the city but they can only be used by permies.

[pzz76077]

I don't see the justification for this simple and unhelpful putdown of Tony.

I see no evidence that he is not cut out for working away. I could have said anything that he did, and I've been working away since before most of you were born, hence my name. I happen to think that he didn't put his point with stunning clarity at first, but that's no sin on here, and anyway he didn't start off a thread to complain about costs in Geneva, he replied to someone else. And I think that he was over-optimistic about his income, misled by an agent. That happens to many of us, at least he has now learned the kind of learning that sticks.

Nope, due diligence is the cornerstone of any project, or how will you know you can make any money out of it??
Have worked my way round the world, spending 20 years of the last 25 out of the UK and have seen this kind of thing so many times I lost count.. As I said it takes a special kind of person to work abroad and those that are successful do their due diligence first and know what they are getting into before its too late and find they are not making any money out of the deal.

PZZ

[Ivor Bigun]

That was requested by one of the contractors here before and was told no - they know it's expensive. This place even have a couple of flats in the city but they can only be used by permies.

Tony, get back on track! It is your last day today.
The agency knows you'll find it tough to walk. IMO, he doesn't care!
If you do walk, he will replace you anyway and may even dock you one month's pay for "cancelling the extension" after accepting it.

This whole sorry sage will end up that:
a) You agree to what was agreed and the agent keeps his cushty margin.
b) You work tomorrow without a contract - but agree an uplift
c) You work tomorrow without a contract, throw a hissy fit and leave
d) You don't work tomorrow and the client thinks you're a tw*t

The agent wants A and you want B. If you can;t agree a balance between A and B, then C or D happens.

In C or D, you lose 100% but all that happens with the agent is that he gets another contractor - He still wins without you.

In the end, this whole thread is about you trying to find out what your options are for getting out of something you have agreed.
This has happened to you twice now and you're feeling sore about it.
1st time was when you accepted the gig
2nd time was when you found out the increase wasn't "special" to you.

[tino]

Nope, due diligence is the cornerstone of any project, or how will you know you can make any money out of it??
Have worked my way round the world, spending 20 years of the last 25 out of the UK and have seen this kind of thing so many times I lost count.. As I said it takes a special kind of person to work abroad and those that are successful do their due diligence first and know what they are getting into before its too late and find they are not making any money out of the deal.

PZZ

Why do you have to be so condescending? I'm finding it pretty hard to bite my tongue here because you are a tedious _ _ _ _.

Can't you offer a solution or basically just shut up?

[pzz76077]

Why do you have to be so condescending? I'm finding it pretty hard to bite my tongue here because you are a tedious _ _ _ _.

Can't you offer a solution or basically just shut up?

Thats the point, there is no acceptable solution here.

PZZ

[tino]

Thats the point, there is no acceptable solution here.

PZZ

So do you really have to get succinct little digs in at every opportunity?

[Ivor Bigun]

Why do you have to be so condescending? I'm finding it pretty hard to bite my tongue here because you are a tedious _ _ _ _.

Can't you offer a solution or basically just shut up?

Tino, there is no "solution" here. It is about one party that feels it made a bad verbal "deal" and wants to try and "improve" it before it gets written to contract paper.

Most people would like to say "My word is my bond" etc etc.
The problem here is that the OP is trying to say that the whole "deal" is based on falsehoods that he was unaware of (the cost of living) and that he is looking for legitimate ways to alter the "deal". Fair enough, but its still altering the deal and so "My word is my bond" doesn't apply.

In truth, the harsh words are fair because whichever way you look at it, one should not agree something unless one means it - no matter if you have been "mislead". It is the duty of everyone to know what they are doing.

Tony trusted the agent - bad call.
All the PZ is asying is that this is a bad idea. What's wrong about that?

[BoredBloke]

Tino, there is no "solution" here. It is about one party that feels it made a bad verbal "deal" and wants to try and "improve" it before it gets written to contract paper.?

The original extension was agreed back at the start of May. The exchange rate has shifted significantly since then. My request for a higher rate is to cover me against the ever increasing level of the pound. I'm not going to sign up for another 3 months, knowing what I do now only to be losing more money on this role each month.

Most people would like to say "My word is my bond" etc etc.
The problem here is that the OP is trying to say that the whole "deal" is based on falsehoods that he was unaware of (the cost of living) and that he is looking for legitimate ways to alter the "deal". Fair enough, but its still altering the deal and so "My word is my bond" doesn't apply.

Not at all - I'm not saying that about the extension at all! The initial contract was based on incorrect information, but the extension I was reasonably happy with back in May before the pound went on its recent rampage. Under a year ago the pound was trading at 2 for 1 in terms of the Franc. When I started on April my rate was set at a level of 1.64. Since then it has marched up steadily to todays value of 1.81. It shows little or no sign of stopping this. So do I accept an extension knowing my extension day rate will soon be at the level that it is in my current contract and facing the same set of problems I do now? Or do I attaempt to get things fixed? My points regarding cost of living and my income are there to mearly highlight that this is not caused by greed on my part but a simple need for extra funds to maintain the expenses I'm incurring. Had my 'word not been my bond' then I would have served notice on the earlier contract when it became obvious what was happeing in terms of my net income. But at the end of the day it comes down to simple maths. The outgoings are almost the same as the income.

In truth, the harsh words are fair because whichever way you look at it, one should not agree something unless one means it - no matter if you have been "mislead". It is the duty of everyone to know what they are doing.

Tony trusted the agent - bad call.
All the PZ is asying is that this is a bad idea. What's wrong about that?

I wasn't misled on the extension. As I said I wanted an increase to cover the change in exchange rate both now and for the duration of the extension. When I started at the beginning of April the rate was 1.64 to the pound. When I requested the increase in May for the extension the rate had jumped to over 1.7. Today, the rate offered by UBS is 1.83 or there abouts. This means it has already wiped out the extra to cover the possible increases for the next 3 months. So if I sign on those terms I will be in exactly the same position as I was when I started - sitting on a day rate which is extremely sensitive to increases in the level of the pound.

[BoredBloke]

2nd time was when you found out the increase wasn't "special" to you.

And what is that supposed to mean? The increase was to pay for the exchange rate changes that had taken place and to buffer me against the ones that may take place in the future contracts. That buffer has been wiped out even before the extension happens.

[Ivor Bigun]

The original extension was agreed back at the start of May.........

..........I wasn't misled on the extension. As I said I wanted an increase to cover the change in exchange rate both now and for the duration of the extension.

.......So if I sign on those terms I will be in exactly the same position as I was when I started - sitting on a day rate which is extremely sensitive to increases in the level of the pound.

Confirm what you've agreed, try it on and get more money, I don't care.
To me it doesn't matter but IMO, you've said it all here - You want more than you originally agreed in May.

Fine, but don't try and fool us and yourself.

What you're really saying is "My word is my bond unless I find out a reason to break it" and that is exactly what you're trying to do

If the cap fits.......

In the end PZZ is right, sort out your due diligence BEFORE you agree anything in future. This is coming over as whinning now.

Just stop messing the client and agent about because of your inability to handle what you've promised. Its your tough luck that the exchange rate has moved.

Sheesh!