Reply to: How to get contract jobs?

[SueEllen]

Just quick question, if I use Bauer and Cottrell for my contract negotiations, will that pi$$ the agency off, as I'm sure they would hate to edit their contracts?

The agent you are dealing with maybe pi$$ off but their director won't give a damn. Why?

The agent is probably some young person in their 20s who has been trained to act in a specific way, while the director is more experienced with dealing with contractors and other types of businesses.

[BolshieBastard]

Just quick question, if I use Bauer and Cottrell for my contract negotiations, will that pi$$ the agency off, as I'm sure they would hate to edit their contracts?

So what if it does? You have to protect yourself by making sure the contract is fair and reasonable and not a piss take in itself. Most agencies are aware contracts now get reviewed although they'll happily tell you you dont need to get it review as its already compliant.

Surely it's in the agencies interests to ensure that the contracts are IR35 compliant. Anyone know why they don't do this as part of their standard contract.

They arent arsed whether the contract is IR35 compliant. It doesnt bother them if you are IR35 caught and have to pay more tax or penalties.

Id go as far as to say virtually all contracts between the agent and client are IR35 caught. Although agents will change our contracts to a degree, I dont for one minute suspect they change their contract with the client.

[BlasterBates]

What matters is the reality of the working relationship with the client. If they're telling you what to do on a weekly basis then you are probably inside IR35.

If you have a piece of work to do that will take the duration of the contract and you deliver and leave, then you are probably outside IR35.

The contract itself is less important than the reality at the client. A substitution clause doesn't mean anything if you can't substitute.

[TheFaQQer]

Surely it's in the agencies interests to ensure that the contracts are IR35 compliant. Anyone know why they don't do this as part of their standard contract.

Because they don't care. They also probably don't know what the conditions will be when you get there, so it makes little or no difference to them.

[jamesbrown]

Surely it's in the agencies interests to ensure that the contracts are IR35 compliant. Anyone know why they don't do this as part of their standard contract.

What makes you think that? The liability isn't theirs or the end clients. It's in the interests of an agency to enforce whatever terms are most lucrative and least burdensome to them and the end client. Remember, there's a large fraction of contractors out there that have no understanding of IR35 and barely even bother to read their contracts.

[northernladuk]

Surely it's in the agencies interests to ensure that the contracts are IR35 compliant. Anyone know why they don't do this as part of their standard contract.

But they cannot dictate working conditions and are probably really not willing to spend the time and money to understand what is compliant so don't want to bear the responsibility. The contractors tax situation is of no interest to them. The only thing that might be is to make sure their first pick doesn't turn the gig down because of the contract which does happen, very occasionally.

[VillageContractor]

Surely it's in the agencies interests to ensure that the contracts are IR35 compliant. Anyone know why they don't do this as part of their standard contract.

[Elliegirl]

thanks will make note of it for future to call it contract.

Also, I have not checked for IR35 yet. Not sure what that is, guess i better need to google!

First, well done on getting your first contract. You can call it a job by the way, don''t be scared!

Secondly, you will learn as you go along. I didn't have a clue when I started, IR35, umbrella companies, Ltd companies, etc etc. There's some great advice on here in the stickies so I'd advise you to read as much as possible to avoid losing money/paying more tax than you need to apart from anything else. Some people on here like to give the impression they emerged from their mothers' wombs fully formed with contractor knowledge but as I say, you learn. You now have a foot in the door. May you live long and prosper in the contract world.

[SueEllen]

Just quick question, if I use Bauer and Cottrell for my contract negotiations, will that pi$$ the agency off, as I'm sure they would hate to edit their contracts?

They may say - "We have [random large number] of contractors working through us and they have never changed our contracts" Some will then go in to panic mode and start talking some other rubbish.

In reality a few hundred contractors would have done due diligence, got the contract checked and some clauses/terms change.

Though you will only know this when you:
1. Land up on site and discover others have gone through the same agency,
2. Randomly talk to contractors on a different contract who happened to go through the same agency on for different a different client.

You can reply to them saying either "hmmm" or "OK then it will pass the review with no problem then"

Is that clear enough for you?

[northernladuk]

Oh please. Course its a 'job.' Job doesnt equate to employee. People really need to get some of this semantic shyte out of their heads.

In would agree for people that generally have a clue what they are doing... For some like the OP I totally disagree. It's not semantics to him. He doesn't have a clue so has to get even the terminology right. When he gains some level of understanding then he can relax.

[checkmate]

What does that mean?

[Batcher]

Just quick question, if I use Bauer and Cottrell for my contract negotiations, will that pi$$ the agency off, as I'm sure they would hate to edit their contracts?

YANCOTBAC

[checkmate]

Oh please. Course its a 'job.' Job doesnt equate to employee. People really need to get some of this semantic shyte out of their heads.



As everyone should. I'd recommend Bauer & Cottrell as they do the negotiations with the agent on your behalf.

Just quick question, if I use Bauer and Cottrell for my contract negotiations, will that pi$$ the agency off, as I'm sure they would hate to edit their contracts?

[TheFaQQer]

As everyone should. I'd recommend Bauer & Cottrell as they do the negotiations with the agent on your behalf.

I'd recommend Qdos as they do the negotiations with the agent on your behalf.

[BolshieBastard]

a) They are not jobs, they are contracts.

Oh please. Course its a 'job.' Job doesnt equate to employee. People really need to get some of this semantic shyte out of their heads.

b) Did you get your contract checked for IR35 before you started?

As everyone should. I'd recommend Bauer & Cottrell as they do the negotiations with the agent on your behalf.