Does it ever take this long?!

Thanks for all your replies. I'm going to look for something else.

I agree - I wish people would all just be upfront it would make it so much easier...but I suppose that's life!

Yep I agree, same as all the rest have said, keep looking. I was in a situation where the contract paperwork wa signed and sent back and then a long delay that went on forever. I never got my signed paperwork back so I found another contract and told the original agent I was no longer interested. Suddenly they come back and say 'we can find soe other work for you'. great, why not be honest up front in the first place and say the project is probably canned?

The client said they wanted me to start within 4 weeks, but I still haven't got a start date, for various reasons!!

That´s not due to bureacracy else you would be there and the paperwork would be sorted out as you were working. The budget hasn´t been approved, or the consultancy is waiting for the client to sign off.

Look for something else, as the probability is that nothing is going to come of this.

As for the excuse "they are always 'very busy'" means they´re not that interested.

Thanks for your experiences. I'm going to start looking again. Some of the the tactics..! :|

The only reason I've waited this long is because I know there is an actual project - they had a team from a consultancy in there who they had to give 4 weeks notice to. A friend of a friend is a contractor there and verified this.

The client has just been very slow since with everything because they are always 'very busy'. Phone always on answer phone, days to reply to emails, all day meetings etc...guess that tells me about the working conditions there!

I think after the elation of getting my first contract I was hoping it'd work out!

Keep looking.
Honestly if they told me start date was 4 weeks away would never have stopped looking unless already signed all the paperwork and was already getting money from them.

Many projects are just some IT managers pipe dream, they like to get have a "team" ready and waiting to start but until the higher up's actually approve the project it's only exists on paper and it's quite regular for them never to become anything else in the near future, if ever.
I once "had" a contract, got mucked about for about 4 weeks, constantly told it would start "in next few days once they had made room for the team to work", then just dropped about it as got something else. 18 months later they came back to me to tell me they were ready to start and wanting to know if could start the next day. :rollin

Go for it

I wouldn't waste time on them. Keep looking and if they get back to you & you're still available, so much the better. It's quite possible that they'll turn around after a couple of weeks and say 'Sorry, the project got cancelled' and leave you high & dry. So don't depend on anybody. You're running a business - don't let them screw you around.

I got offered a direct contract (first timer) at the end of January.

The client said they wanted me to start within 4 weeks, but I still haven't got a start date, for various reasons!!

In the 8 weeks since the offer, I'd say the ball's been in their court for about 6.5 weeks, 1.5 in mine...I have been chasing almost every other day but it's always a work in progress or on it's way.

The big plus with this client is that I would gain some new technology experience I haven't had before and the rate is good...

Starting to feel frustrated, so I've started browsing adverts on jobserve again....

Is it bad form IF I get something else to tell them I'm no longer interested? (if any of them are genuine jobs!)

I've now got an umbrella company involved, so personally would feel bad, but the clients don't seem very efficient!!