Claiming travel expenses for interviews

[Asterix]

Lucky

Obviously not in the same league as yourself, but I must be lucky 'cos I got my last 3 contracts through a telephone interview. Places I hadn't previously worked before, either. Out of my last 10 contracts, 5 were through telephone interviews.

[threaded]

For someone as good as yourself, they should pay first class return tickets.

T-shirt moment: Notable ones where the client has paid first class was to Osaka in Japan, and another was Concorde to Washington DC.

I am slightly surprised though that they don't offer you a telephone interview. Saves time and money for both parties.

Oh dear, you must be new to this game. Logic in the IT industry only exists in them funny things with lots of legs what hold the magic smoke to the circuit board.

[Asterix]

Soooooo good

For someone as good as yourself, they should pay first class return tickets. I am slightly surprised though that they don't offer you a telephone interview. Saves time and money for both parties.

[threaded]

Normally agents have offered me up front to pay for the expenses on the proviso that I would reimburse them if I didn't take up the contract. But, touch wood, I've never failed an interview, so there's never been any real risk for the agent.

[thunderlizard]

It's not normal practice in the commercial world at large for the prospect to pay the supplier's expenses when the supplier goes to make an initial sales pitch.

[Phoenix]

Got an interview in Bangkok next week. I shall pay for it but put it on my own expenses.

I doubt the "Ladyboys" give reciepts.

[hyperD]

In order to differentiate between a legit business expense, such as an interview or business meeting, and a holiday, what criteria do you need to satisfy the HMRC during an audit?

[Paddy]

Got an interview in Bangkok next week. I shall pay for it but put it on my own expenses.

[XLMonkey]

It's definitely not common practice for contractors to have travel costs to the interview paid for by anyone else. So, the agent was correct.

I have heard of it being done when the interview is in another country/the travel costs are very high, but only if it was agreed in advance.

Write it off. Forget about it.

[The Lone Gunman]

It varies. I have had companies refuse to pay and others cover the whole bill for me and the wife.

If you have a written statement saying it is not the done thing for freelancers then keep it as IR35 evidence.
This couple of hundred quid risk could be the deciding factor that will save you thousands.

[malvolio]

Wrtite it off in your accounts as "Cost of Sales". And nect time work out the cost of such a trip against the gross profit of the contract...

[Pondlife]

Shouldn't you have asked before going?

[vince14]

Hi all,

I normally don't submit claims for travel costs to companies when I attend an interview - the cost is usually minimal anyway. However, I've gone to Germany this week for an interview (before you ask, I didn't get it) and spent a couple of hundred quid on flights, so I decided to try and recoup my costs.

When I enquired with the recruitment company, they gave me the cold shoulder and implied that it wasn't the 'done thing' for contractors to reclaim travel costs for interviews. Anyone know if this is true? Or shall I just invoice them anyway?

Cheers,

Vince