Reply to: Are there any downsides in this scenario?

[Sausage Surprise]

As mentioned, I would not touch this, sooner or later your relative rate will stand out like a sore thumb on the margin front and you will be dead man walking.
OTOH, you can treat it like a contract and for an extra 100 a day I can overcome my misgivings !

Spoken like a true contractor

[lukemg]

As mentioned, I would not touch this, sooner or later your relative rate will stand out like a sore thumb on the margin front and you will be dead man walking.
OTOH, you can treat it like a contract and for an extra 100 a day I can overcome my misgivings !

[Sausage Surprise]

Thanks for all the replies and advice. I'll see what happens when they make the offer but if there's nothing in it for me then I'll not be accepting.

[KentPhilip]

+1 They don't want you they want another body in the seat you are in. Once they have you they will find a way to get rid of you asap.

+2
Even if they offer you much more money, that money will only last for the duration of the notice period when they terminate your contract immediately.
Don't do this under any circumstances.

[northernladuk]

What's the problem?

IMO if a contract states that you cannot work for anyone else at the same time then that amounts to control over you. Stopping you working for competitors would be a different matter.

double

[adubya]

Wouldn't you look very much like an employee of the supply company ?

[yasockie]

I'm tempted to side with the paranoid crowd - they will dump you at the earliest opportunity and replace with plenty cheapness.
If you've got a good, direct relationship with the retailer, stick to it.

Now if, on the other hand the big consultancy offered you more, I'd probably take it...
A big consultancy will get a contract for $xxxx for n number of contractors and rarely do they split the money evenly, so they are able to pay more than the role pays, it has happened to me in the past.

[kingcook]

What's the problem?

IMO if a contract states that you cannot work for anyone else at the same time then that amounts to control over you. Stopping you working for competitors would be a different matter.

[MrHelpful]

+1 They don't want you they want another body in the seat you are in. Once they have you they will find a way to get rid of you asap.

+1 - Remember there is no thing such as a free lunch. They are doing this for a reason... if you client isn't forcing it then I wouldn't bother. Going through them as a Ltd company does sound the same but they could easily increase their margin and force you out. Not worth it... thats what I think.

[eek]

I wouldn't touch or go anywhere near this. You have a relationship with the end client and have nothing to gain from going through this third party. What they see is your position and a nice seat for one of their consultants and the fee that they can charge. If you agree to this you'll get 1 of 2 things happen.

1 - they will serve you notice at the earliest opportunity and fill your void with one of their people....more earnings to them. Running the risk of being sued by your current agent.

+1 They don't want you they want another body in the seat you are in. Once they have you they will find a way to get rid of you asap.

[BoredBloke]

I wouldn't touch or go anywhere near this. You have a relationship with the end client and have nothing to gain from going through this third party. What they see is your position and a nice seat for one of their consultants and the fee that they can charge. If you agree to this you'll get 1 of 2 things happen.

1 - they will serve you notice at the earliest opportunity and fill your void with one of their people....more earnings to them. Running the risk of being sued by your current agent.
2 - they will move you off that role at the earliest opportunity into some dead end, no win contract where you'll either quit or they will sack you. Your current role will be takes as in case 1. Again more earnings for them

They have no obligation to offer you anything and talk is cheap. They can offer you the moon on a stick, but they won't deliver.

[northernladuk]

DIdn't read the whole thread so apologies if covered but are you working in an area that they already operate or are they trying to 'buy' the position for leverage on your client to get more buinsess? i.e. is it you they want or the position?

Another similar provider did this to some guys here, 6 months later they were not renewed and guess who now does what they did?

[northernladuk]

Wouldn't that be an IR35 issue? i.e. the company blocking you from working with others?

[kingcook]

This is the bit I would need to sort out during negotiations. But from the amount of work and clients they have it may not be such a big problem.

Wouldn't that be an IR35 issue? i.e. the company blocking you from working with others?

[jmo21]

Frankly, I don't buy it.

They are not guarenteeing you work in other places.

If they have someone cheaper they'll use them instead.

So the only thing that is presumably happening is "you" become more expensive for your end client (unless you are dropping your rate of course, which I highly doubt).

They are maximising their footprint on the client side by eliminating a "not them" consultant, even though they are essentially keeping the same physical person.

All these consultancies are the same.

If client-co are mandating you must go through that's very different.