Reply to: Additional Backgrounds Docs Requested mid-way through Contract

[SueEllen]

Credit check they're asking me to provide myself - that's one of the reasons I found it odd. I agree with you, and told the agency they could carry it out themselves. They've gone back to clarify. Feels like poor communication between them and end client.

Previous addresses I certainly know, but assumed by verification they wanted bank statements and bills etc. I have these just need to dig them out. Perhaps your interpretation is correct and they just wanted the actual addresses rather than proof I lived there.

Didn't realise basic disclosure was free - good to know. I had also asked agency which type they wanted, and they didn't know - went back to clarify this too. With communication this efficient I can start to understand why agencies need to take such exorbitant cuts to stay in business

Now you know why I said talk to the client.

You may not have the contract with them but it saves a game of whispers/telephone.

NB there is a trick in doing this not to wind the client up.

[Zylon]

Credit check is free for you - the company doing the checking has to pay.

CRB doesn't exist. It is either a DBS - which is free for you the employer/organisation doing it legally can't charge you - or a Disclosure Scotland which is around £30.

And you should always know your old addreses. As you should be using them to keep an eye on your own credit rating. You can actually access them all free online. The site MoneySavingExpert tells you how.

Oh and you should confirm if they want personal references or professional references. The agencies cannot give you personal references as they don't know you they can only confirm dates. If they actually need work personal references then you need to get them of other contractors you have worked alongside preferrably those with "manager" in their titles.

Credit check they're asking me to provide myself - that's one of the reasons I found it odd. I agree with you, and told the agency they could carry it out themselves. They've gone back to clarify. Feels like poor communication between them and end client.

Previous addresses I certainly know, but assumed by verification they wanted bank statements and bills etc. I have these just need to dig them out. Perhaps your interpretation is correct and they just wanted the actual addresses rather than proof I lived there.

Didn't realise basic disclosure was free - good to know. I had also asked agency which type they wanted, and they didn't know - went back to clarify this too. With communication this efficient I can start to understand why agencies need to take such exorbitant cuts to stay in business

[SueEllen]

Digging up address verification for 5 years will take a while since I've moved a couple times in that period. CRB and credit checks will cost me money - very little in comparison to day rate, but not something I wanted to bear if it had been just for the agencies benefit.

Credit check is free for you - the company doing the checking has to pay.

CRB doesn't exist. It is either a DBS - which is free for you the employer/organisation doing it legally can't charge you - or a Disclosure Scotland which is around £30.

And you should always know your old addreses. As you should be using them to keep an eye on your own credit rating. You can actually access them all free online. The site MoneySavingExpert tells you how.

Oh and you should confirm if they want personal references or professional references. The agencies cannot give you personal references as they don't know you they can only confirm dates. If they actually need work personal references then you need to get them of other contractors you have worked alongside preferrably those with "manager" in their titles.

[northernladuk]

Don't you just supply the details and the agent does it? I didn't think CRB check existed anymore. Isn't it DBS or something now?

[Zylon]

How much time and money do you have to invest to supply some basic details?

Digging up address verification for 5 years will take a while since I've moved a couple times in that period. CRB and credit checks will cost me money - very little in comparison to day rate, but not something I wanted to bear if it had been just for the agencies benefit.

[northernladuk]

How much time and money do you have to invest to supply some basic details?

[Zylon]

Thanks for the replies. My concern was mainly whether this was more for the agencies benefit, and so whether I should really invest time and money in it. But sounds like it's a common client request and I should just provide it all, even if the agency has just left it late.

[washed up contractor]

The one thing I would not do is go and speak to the client HR department. That really is piss poor advice. You are not engaged directly by the client, you are engaged by the agency and as such, should deal directly with them.

Your options are you refuse to comply and risk the client and \ or the agent getting hacked off and walking you off site \ not renewing. I wont go into the detail as it should be pretty clear. Or, you can provide the info just as you would have before you started.

It sounds like either client or agency got behind the curve but, in the scheme of things, you'd have provided this information before you started so why make an issue of it now?

[northernladyuk]

Just let them have what they want for a modest administration fee.

[BrilloPad]

Forgot to say personal references can just be from one/two of your friends with traditionally respected jobs plus your accountant.

I have no friends so thats an issue for me.

Luckily I just use the agents as references. Which is handy for me in finance as no finance company will give a reference unless its a permanent job and it just confirms job title and dates of employment.

[BlasterBates]

Quite normal, sometimes requirements become more stringent so contractors who have already been cleared need to to go through additional checks.

Just provide the info. For the references provide the addresses of the agencies you worked through, they don't want a comment on your professional ability.

[SueEllen]

Did you opt in for the contract? If so the Agent should have done most of this. Even if they haven't they should have done some vetting. Sounds like the agent hasn't done what they were supposed to and are cleaning their act up a little late.

Client doesn't ask you as you have no contractual relationship with them. You are contracted to the agent.

You maybe contracted to the agent but as the checks are to satisfy the client they can and often do, do them themselves.

Oh and I've had clients doing passport checks for years.

[SimonMac]

Funny enough my client has asked for more docs yesterday, I have no qualms giving them what they are asking for (I may be a PITA and ask for their Sensitive Data Storage, Retention and Disposal Policy, but that is more for tulips and giggles).

It's one of those areas where we would like to be treated as different than employees, but as we are potentially accessing their customer data I see no reason why they would not ask for it, a simple conversation with someone in the HR team (who invariably will be asking for the information) stating Employee checks are the responsibility of MyCo, but happy to satisfy any supplier checks required.

[northernladuk]

Few months into a contract, and agency has told me the client is asking for some extra documentation as listed below. I'd be happy about most of this had it been asked up-front, but I'm confused as to why any of it should be needed now. Agent doesn't know why it's being asked for, and I'm wondering why client didn't just ask me directly. I know that references in particular are often just requested as leads for the agency, so I'm wary about the whole lot:

• Credit check
• Criminal records check
• Address verification going back 5 years
• Personal references

Did you opt in for the contract? If so the Agent should have done most of this. Even if they haven't they should have done some vetting. Sounds like the agent hasn't done what they were supposed to and are cleaning their act up a little late.

Client doesn't ask you as you have no contractual relationship with them. You are contracted to the agent.

Could also be changes in legislation. The passport checks will have become legal while people were in contract so will have had to be done retrospectively back in the day.

I like to minimise requests for personal references unless vital so I don't hassle my good contacts unnecessarily. CRB and credit checks are simple but are still a cost in time and money. Finally, on the address verification I can't see why this could possibly be relevant to the employer. Note the current role has nothing to do with either financial or personal data which could justify the credit and CRB checks (albeit before starting!)

Employer? Your client you mean but still, as I said above.

For references just give the names of your old agents, not clients. No one get's hassled then.

[SueEllen]

Forgot to say personal references can just be from one/two of your friends with traditionally respected jobs plus your accountant.