Reply to: The agency will not pay invoices and go stealth mode

[nrsql]

I knew someone who was placing contractors, paying their first couple of invoices then stopping. He managed 7 months with one of them.
He was eventually convicted of colluding with a bank manager friend to get a mortgage on a house he was renting.
I don't think anything happened to him over the contractors, he kept it up for a few years.

[Andy Hallett]

Out of interest, what does your contract say? If you have agreed to a ‘pay when paid’ clause then Agency B may have a case for not paying you.

This will depend on a number of factors such as have you opted out of the regulations and your payment terms.

[northernladyuk]

We will just leave this here...

Political correctness gone mad.

[Safe Collections]

We will just leave this here...

[northernladyuk]

Meet them face to face as soon as you can.

I've been in a similar situation and took my "business partner" along - a large and burly Rugby player mate - it was all very pleasant and I just wanted it to be firm rather than threatening.

I eventually got all my money back

A friend of mine, who is a contractor turned start up entrepreneur, brings round the twins, who his dad was inside with.

[silverlight1]

Meet them face to face as soon as you can.

I've been in a similar situation and took my "business partner" along - a large and burly Rugby player mate - it was all very pleasant and I just wanted it to be firm rather than threatening.

I eventually got all my money back

[northernladyuk]

Doesn't have to involve violence, can find things out.

Nice to have the option.

[SueEllen]

Doesn't have to involve violence, can find things out.

The large mates will ensure that other party behaves themselves.

Back when I was contracting (*cough*), a good few years an agency went into liquidation costing a number of us a fair whack of money. One of the other contractors went to their offices - shut and dark. He saw the landlord who let him in, he'd been stiffed too. Said agency had left servers behind - the contractor powered them up, able to access the data there - which included bank account details for contractors limited companies...

I wonder if the landlord's account details were there as well...

[perplexed]

With your rather large but silent mates?

Doesn't have to involve violence, can find things out.

Back when I was contracting (*cough*), a good few years an agency went into liquidation costing a number of us a fair whack of money. One of the other contractors went to their offices - shut and dark. He saw the landlord who let him in, he'd been stiffed too. Said agency had left servers behind - the contractor powered them up, able to access the data there - which included bank account details for contractors limited companies...

[SueEllen]

Personally I would go and see them in person.

With your rather large but silent mates?

[TheFaQQer]

If you have IPSE+ membership you can claim on their business interruption cover if an agency fails to pay but it's unlikely to cover the full amount.

There are two different policy levels - one for if the client or agency go bust and there's no payment (max payout £10k, subject to aggregate limit), and one for agency not meeting contractual terms (max payout £1k).

It's worth ringing the office and asking about it though, just in case the former would pay out.

[BrilloPad]

Personally I would go and see them in person.

[SlipTheJab]

I refuse to work with small agencies for this very reason, too many one man bands have started up with no capital and are living hand to mouth. OP did you do a credit check on the agency before you started?

[northernladuk]

If you have IPSE+ membership you can claim on their business interruption cover if an agency fails to pay but it's unlikely to cover the full amount.

[northernladuk]

Speak to Safe Collections. They post on here but you can get contact details from their website.

How can a business run if they switch off their phones. Doesn't make sense. I'd keep trying this. Try from a different number if you think they are filtering your calls out.

Does it say anything in your contract about you not being paid if they don't. Could be a delay up the chain.

Anyone else in the same position as you? Have you done a credit check on the agency to see if they are in financial trouble?