Withdrawing from a signed contract

[northernladuk]

1.) Get the role signed off before advertising. Don't advertise, get CVs in and then decide you've not got the budget.

How do you know they didn't have the budget/requirement. When timescales are tight you you can't wait for all the ticks in boxes so have to do it in parallel. I really don't think a lot of clients waste time offering contractors roles when they are not ready to take them on. I would expect it is a budget challenges that cause the role to be pulled, not lack of sign off and even then I would like to think budget is one of the more uncommon reasons contractors are dropped.

2.) Be honest.

Where in any of the clients moaning posts do they say the clients haven't been honest? Again I am sure clients do not lie to contractors but they don't have to be totally open about their internal situation to an external supplier. They are needed or they are not is more than enough information. It's honest but it's not airing their internal washing in public.

3.) Treat people fairly and as you would like to be treated yourself.

This is B2B. People come second. If there is a role you are in, if there isn't you are out. Can't see what isn't fair about that. They can't be giving roles to contractors just to keep them happy. You can still be professional without looking like a soft touch and covering everything in cotton wool.

Things happen of course but I feel it happens too often at the moment.

Could be because people only want to talk about the problems and the smooth transactions are not commented on. From my experience being dicked about by agents and clients is a pretty uncommon situation compared to the number of successful transactions.

It's all about hard nosed business. If you can't understand that you are going to have a miserable time contracting. There are three elements in contracting, the client, the agent and the contractor. You complain the agents are unprofessional, the agents are unprofessional but you are not. Do you not think there is a quick fix here?

[jmo21]

If your lucky, could end up working with me!

did you miss the last line of my post?

[psychocandy]

tough break dude, sorry to hear that.

Could be worse, you could live in Ukraine.

Get your positive hat on.

Spend a few days chilling out, get down the gym, ride your bike, play with your kids, take the missus away for the weekend, get the lads/girls together for a all day bender on Saturday, buy a new Playstation game, learn guitar.

By next week you'll have a lead on a new role closer to home, for a higher rate than either of these 2, with better people, a better atmosphere and without Suity or PyschoCandy involved.

If your lucky, could end up working with me!

[jmo21]

Well I did the proper thing and told my current company that I am sorry but as I was informed that there would be no extension, I have accepted and signed a contract with another business.

Naturally they were disappointed but understood.

Spoke to my new agent to arrange time etc to be at the new contract. Told they would find out and let me know. 48 hours later informed that the start date is now for next Monday 24th. No problem as I get a nice week off. Today I am told the role has been withdrawn! Something about head count....

Spoke to my old company who I had a long standing relationship with but my old role is no longer available either so here I am now out of a job.

I've looked at the new contract and tbh it does say that they can terminate without notice.

tough break dude, sorry to hear that.

Could be worse, you could live in Ukraine.

Get your positive hat on.

Spend a few days chilling out, get down the gym, ride your bike, play with your kids, take the missus away for the weekend, get the lads/girls together for a all day bender on Saturday, buy a new Playstation game, learn guitar.

By next week you'll have a lead on a new role closer to home, for a higher rate than either of these 2, with better people, a better atmosphere and without Suity or PyschoCandy involved.

[GlenW]

I had one like that

Has anyone ever posted something on here that hasn't happened to you as well?

[psychocandy]

OK PC. So what would you expect the client to do that wouldn't piss you off then? You constantly slate clients for doing their business so let's hear what you would have them do. Their situation is fluid and a role appears so they need an expensive flexible resource quickly so have to start the process as soon as possible. During the process there is a change of situation, they find a permie, another supplier offers a service to cover or a known contractor becomes available, budget get's pulled, and other possible reasons. They no longer need the flexible resource.

Tell me exactly what the client should do to not piss you off PC...

1.) Get the role signed off before advertising. Don't advertise, get CVs in and then decide you've not got the budget.

2.) Be honest.

3.) Treat people fairly and as you would like to be treated yourself.

Things happen of course but I feel it happens too often at the moment.

[northernladuk]

Thats a right ****er. I had one like that, canned on friday before but I was on the bench anyway so didnt lose out really.

Pissed me off how clients **** people around like this though. Either they want someone or they dont....

OK PC. So what would you expect the client to do that wouldn't piss you off then? You constantly slate clients for doing their business so let's hear what you would have them do. Their situation is fluid and a role appears so they need an expensive flexible resource quickly so have to start the process as soon as possible. During the process there is a change of situation, they find a permie, another supplier offers a service to cover or a known contractor becomes available, budget get's pulled, and other possible reasons. They no longer need the flexible resource.

Tell me exactly what the client should do to not piss you off PC...

[psychocandy]

Well I did the proper thing and told my current company that I am sorry but as I was informed that there would be no extension, I have accepted and signed a contract with another business.

Naturally they were disappointed but understood.

Spoke to my new agent to arrange time etc to be at the new contract. Told they would find out and let me know. 48 hours later informed that the start date is now for next Monday 24th. No problem as I get a nice week off. Today I am told the role has been withdrawn! Something about head count....

Spoke to my old company who I had a long standing relationship with but my old role is no longer available either so here I am now out of a job.

I've looked at the new contract and tbh it does say that they can terminate without notice.

Thats a right ****er. I had one like that, canned on friday before but I was on the bench anyway so didnt lose out really.

Pissed me off how clients **** people around like this though. Either they want someone or they dont....

[northernladuk]

That's contracting risk in a nutshell.

Indeed. A very unfortunate example of the twists and turns contracting can take. Reading part way through I thought he was going to say his old client took him back and we could get the bananas out. Shame that.

[BrilloPad]

Well I did the proper thing and told my current company that I am sorry but as I was informed that there would be no extension, I have accepted and signed a contract with another business.

Naturally they were disappointed but understood.

Spoke to my new agent to arrange time etc to be at the new contract. Told they would find out and let me know. 48 hours later informed that the start date is now for next Monday 24th. No problem as I get a nice week off. Today I am told the role has been withdrawn! Something about head count....

Spoke to my old company who I had a long standing relationship with but my old role is no longer available either so here I am now out of a job.

I've looked at the new contract and tbh it does say that they can terminate without notice.

Sorry to hear all that. At the end of the day you have to look after number one.

[TykeMerc]

That's contracting risk in a nutshell.

[pmdude]

Well I did the proper thing and told my current company that I am sorry but as I was informed that there would be no extension, I have accepted and signed a contract with another business.

Naturally they were disappointed but understood.

Spoke to my new agent to arrange time etc to be at the new contract. Told they would find out and let me know. 48 hours later informed that the start date is now for next Monday 24th. No problem as I get a nice week off. Today I am told the role has been withdrawn! Something about head count....

Spoke to my old company who I had a long standing relationship with but my old role is no longer available either so here I am now out of a job.

I've looked at the new contract and tbh it does say that they can terminate without notice.

[DirtyDog]

Take both, get a sub.

[northernladuk]

If you have been a lurker then you will have seen this question come up many many times. If you have missed them then you can search for them.

The decision to leave is purely up to you and none of us can help. We can give our opinion based on 8 lines of text but ultimately it won't help you.

Do a search for the contract situation but in a nutshell there will be a lot of shouting and nothing else so if you want to give back word on it you can. It won't go legal.

[pmdude]

Been a long time lurker but not poster, so please....be gentle.

Current contract is due to finish at my current client this Friday and they had always stressed that there was no extension. So I looked for and I found another 6 month contract to start next Monday with a different agent and client and yesterday I signed the new contract.

Yesterday afternoon tho my current client offers a 12 month extension and more money and need a decision today to accept or not so contracts can be issued.

My question is that I suppose it would be wrong and I guess unprofessional to stay at current client and blow off the one I have just signed, but as I haven't 'walked through the door' at the new client yet, am I still contractually liable for anything if I now withdraw somehow my acceptance? I'm not bothered by the money but I have a very long term standing relationship with my current client and am highly thought of.