Reply to: Agencies are scum.. end of

[chef]

duly noted Mr Warwick, maybe i didnt explain clearly..

I know where my bread's buttered, i called the agent (whom i have a good working relationship with as I've worked indirectly with him before) to let him know that it hadn't been paid although promised by accounts, i then spoke directly with the finance dept and only them. I have/had no intention of souring the realtionship with the agent. As you pointed out, it's a 2 way street.

BUT, speaking with the other contractors who are with the agency it seems its a standing thing that they don't pay on time and almost always wait 3-9 days post 30 day deadline before the cough up, general feelings are the FD is a bit of a tough nut and really doesnt like to part with cash.

I've worked indirectly through this agency before and never had a problem being paid, with this being the first invoice I wanted to make sure they realise that I believe a contract is what it is, a contract, what's the point in saying "payment in 30 days" if they then think "ahh it'll be fine, we'll just add a few more days on, he won't care"?? It's not my issue/problem if they're lax with getting funds in on their side. If they didnt think they can meet those terms then they should have put up 45 day terms.

Also, to pre-empt this I emailed accounts the weds before payment due (i.e 4 days before) asking if they could confirm when payment would be received as deadline was in 4 days time (i.e get that BACS run going now, your gonna hit deadline). The response i got back was "funds will be available Friday." so when Tues hits and still no funds and given what i know about them trying to stretch the limits I decided a firm hand is required. I am a business after all.

The agent has been informed that it was late, I then sent an email letting him know funds had been received. All else in between was between me and accounts dept.

So if the circumstances you describe were true then yes i'd agree, in this situation i believe i was well within my rights to act as i did.

p.s payment of 2nd invoice is due tomorrow, no sign of a remittance notice, called bank and they have no payments pending. Accounts look like they're up to their usual tricks as expected. This time i'm not involving agent at all and will simply add late payment charge to next weeks invoice (8 days time). kerching

[Fran]

Ha ha tulip!

[Fran]

Agents like to deal with people they like and are much more likely to go the extra mile for you and stick their neck out with clients for you and be more flexible on other terms after a while.

Ok, I may not have been doing this for long but I think that's a good point. Agents (as most people) are more likely to be useful to you if you are polite and friendly with them. I've found agents that will do whatever they can to help you out if you are nice to them. For example my current agent has allowed me to invoice 2 weekly rather than monthly as is the company standard.

That said, if the rumors are true these are not decent people, but I would start by giving them a chance and only start getting nasty when they are consistently tulipe.

[Spacecadet]

both of my direct clients are better at paying than the first agency i was with.

One of my direct clients will actually make the payment as soon as they take receipt of my invoice. It literally took about 10 minutes the last time i invoiced them (by email)

Second agency I was with (Timothy James) invoiced like clockwork and they were the most pleasant bunch of agency people i've ever dealt with. Everything sorted out very quickly and they had a proper team of support staff at the office who knew what they were doing.

[Bagpuss]

I love agents, where else would I get my contract leads?

[DodgyAgent]

I'm not sure you're getting good advice here. And I'm betting you've never been in business for yourself either. Because if you did you'd know that getting paid within 30 days, whatever terms you agreed, is a rare occurance in any other field. I've run a limited company and waited months and months to get paid by big name firms. Not that this excuses the agency in this case but maybe puts it in perspective. Agencies themselves don't get paid for many months despite paying you - that is one major reason we go through them isn't it?

You got paid 3 days late and you are getting angry, slagging them off publically, talking about penalty fees and interest etc. I don't think doing this is in your best interests. Some people on here have petty gripes and want everyone else to be as bitter as they are. Don't get sucked in man.

I've contracted for many years and mostly had very good relationships with my agents, including some of the big firms with reputations for supposedly being sharp. I've found you need to foster these good relations and it pays off (maybe buy THEM a pint once in a while! gasp! yes it can be a two way street... they will love you for it) . Agents like to deal with people they like and are much more likely to go the extra mile for you and stick their neck out with clients for you and be more flexible on other terms after a while.

You start shouting the odds at the first problem and sending penalties to them and they are just going to mark your file as "difficult" and that won't help you.

Definately let them know what they did was unacceptable and make them promise it won't happen again. If it keeps happening and then if you decide you are never going to deal with them again, THEN start with the interest charges etc. Give them a chance to rectify, stay calm and be polite and reasonable.

You do realise that recruiters sit about having conversations about how some contractors are "scum" and untrustworthy and money grabbing etc? Talk to your agents over a drink and you will hear all sorts of horror stories. Being all "Us" and "Them" (something this forum seems to revel in for some reason) helps no-one, least of all you. If you don't like agencies then don't deal with them. But if you need to, like most of us do, then be smart and develop business relationships like you would with any other client. Remember they are business CLIENTS of yours and treat them as such. Remember IR35? We are not employees. We are consultants working for a limited company subcontracted by the agency (our client) to the end-client. We provide a service on business terms. Don't act like a petulent permie.

Here endeth the lesson

[Lee Warwick]

I'm not sure you're getting good advice here. And I'm betting you've never been in business for yourself either. Because if you did you'd know that getting paid within 30 days, whatever terms you agreed, is a rare occurance in any other field. I've run a limited company and waited months and months to get paid by big name firms. Not that this excuses the agency in this case but maybe puts it in perspective. Agencies themselves don't get paid for many months despite paying you - that is one major reason we go through them isn't it?

You got paid 3 days late and you are getting angry, slagging them off publically, talking about penalty fees and interest etc. I don't think doing this is in your best interests. Some people on here have petty gripes and want everyone else to be as bitter as they are. Don't get sucked in man.

I've contracted for many years and mostly had very good relationships with my agents, including some of the big firms with reputations for supposedly being sharp. I've found you need to foster these good relations and it pays off (maybe buy THEM a pint once in a while! gasp! yes it can be a two way street... they will love you for it) . Agents like to deal with people they like and are much more likely to go the extra mile for you and stick their neck out with clients for you and be more flexible on other terms after a while.

You start shouting the odds at the first problem and sending penalties to them and they are just going to mark your file as "difficult" and that won't help you.

Definately let them know what they did was unacceptable and make them promise it won't happen again. If it keeps happening and then if you decide you are never going to deal with them again, THEN start with the interest charges etc. Give them a chance to rectify, stay calm and be polite and reasonable.

You do realise that recruiters sit about having conversations about how some contractors are "scum" and untrustworthy and money grabbing etc? Talk to your agents over a drink and you will hear all sorts of horror stories. Being all "Us" and "Them" (something this forum seems to revel in for some reason) helps no-one, least of all you. If you don't like agencies then don't deal with them. But if you need to, like most of us do, then be smart and develop business relationships like you would with any other client. Remember they are business CLIENTS of yours and treat them as such. Remember IR35? We are not employees. We are consultants working for a limited company subcontracted by the agency (our client) to the end-client. We provide a service on business terms. Don't act like a petulent permie.

[chef]

wooohooo paid.

.. after 33 days

still, bette rhtan not, and the £70 late payment compensation is def goign on next invoice as advised.

[r0bly0ns]

I'm





Ooh, erm......
crap I've forgotton

[TheFaQQer]

Is it me or is it getting stranger and stranger around here?

No - it's always been pretty strange.

[Zippy]

She was... I ate her!

Her dress fits a treat as well

Is it me or is it getting stranger and stranger around here?

[TheFaQQer]

She was... I ate her!

Her dress fits a treat as well

[miffy]

I thought Miffy was a girl bunny rabbit?

She was... I ate her!

Her dress fits a treat as well

[TheFaQQer]

I like it!

Miffy makes a note in his scrap book...

I thought Miffy was a girl bunny rabbit?

[miffy]

I'd certainly keep charging interest, and keep the dunning letters going. As each payment comes in, set it against the admin fees and interest first. This way each invoice becomes less and less fully paid. At the end of the contract, you can then sue, for what is a legal debt, that might be worth quite a lot.

I like it!

Miffy makes a note in his scrap book...