Contract starts soon - but the agent has been a bit naughty.

[Mushroombump]

Got a contract starting August, agent emailed me to let me know the rate and I was quite pleased as it was more than I thought.

BUT!

turns out the rate he emailed me is the rate they are going to charge me out to the client! I will be getting 25% less than that. I am very pi@@@d off and wondering if this has happened to anyone else?

[KentPhilip]

Never happened to me.

I presume that you have not had the original offer in writing?

I might be tempted to suggest to the agent that he increases the rate charged to the client, and if he can't do that to run the contract at the current rate with you getting 100% of the money. See if that motivates him.

[Mushroombump]

I would like to tell him where to go, but I need the work as it was my only interview for the last 4 weeks.

It was on an email to me, but not the offer. It was only when I got the contract through I realised the rate had dropped.

[Zippy]

I assume you mean that agent told you the rate would be x when you applied for the job, which bacame x-25% when the contract came through?
You've got three choices
- argue that this was not your agreement as you applied based on rate x (you might get a few more %)
- tell him to shove it (you might get a few more %)
- take it and look for something better

They've tried this one on all of us, so you are in good company.

Edit: keep looking between now and August. That's a looong way away.

[scooterscot]

Accept the offer you negotiated.

[EternalOptimist]

august isnt soon.

Is this your first contract ?

[MrRobin]

Agent is taking the piss. Even if he did make a genuine mistake and told you the rate before their cut, 25% is a joke! Average is usually around 10-15%, unless your rate is very low to start with.

Call his bluff, email him saying you took the role on the premise that the rate was £X and if that rate is no longer available then you will be persuing the other roles you've been interviewing for.

If he comes back saying that's all there is, no more negotiation is possible then you can backtrack a bit, it will still be easier for him to place you than go thru another search and interview cycle.

[suityou01]

Got a contract starting August, agent emailed me to let me know the rate and I was quite pleased as it was more than I thought.

BUT!

turns out the rate he emailed me is the rate they are going to charge me out to the client! I will be getting 25% less than that. I am very pi@@@d off and wondering if this has happened to anyone else?

If you kick up they will bounce you and tell ClientCo you found something else. Make sure you have a contact in Client co, then make the pimp aware you have this. Then tell them to budge over.

Phrase is thus :

Dear Pimp,

I am slightly confused as to why my rate has dropped 25% from our original agreement. I can only assume this is a mistake. I am looking forward to working for ClientCo and am already in contact with them to acquire provisional reading material so I can hit the ground running.

I hope you can clear this up by confirming the original rate in writing.

Thanks

MB

[wim121]

Agent is taking the piss. Even if he did make a genuine mistake and told you the rate before their cut, 25% is a joke! Average is usually around 10-15%, unless your rate is very low to start with.

Call his bluff, email him saying you took the role on the premise that the rate was £X and if that rate is no longer available then you will be persuing the other roles you've been interviewing for.

Some agents, in dodgy backstreets will try to charge up to 50%.

Best advice on calling his bluff though and worth the OP taking ....

I would like to tell him where to go, but I need the work as it was my only interview for the last 4 weeks.

It was on an email to me, but not the offer. It was only when I got the contract through I realised the rate had dropped.

Although an email isnt a binding offer, you do have cause to say, "you offered me this rate, this rate is what you are going to pay me." If you are polite, yet forceful like that, telling him rather than asking, then you have a good chance of everything working out ...

It is very unprofessional, but thats agents for you. The first assignment I did for my last agent years back, he forwarded me the site details. Unfortunately the forward contained the entire argument and reason why the previous contractor was escorted off site for gross misconduct. Good giggle, but not really the kind of thing I should have been emailed.

[eek]

reason why the previous contractor was escorted off site for gross misconduct. Good giggle, but not really the kind of thing I should have been emailed.

And the reason was?