Agency making me switch umbrellas at contract extension

[psychocandy]

Right PITA - assuming they can do this as in, they can choose to do business or not with whoever they choose?
Very short sighted though. I'm currently with Aardvark and they're good. For £80 a month, I get to keep my ltd going AND I get umbrella services. Works well for me.

So now agency have said nope can't use them anymore - here's our list of 4 that you can use for the next extension.

To be honest, I don't want to switch because A) Its working well at the moment, B) Its a PITA

Hassling me daily to get signed up with one their new umbrellas because, of course, they can't get the extensions signed and sealed until this is done.

Still a month left and I've got a v good relationship with the client and told them of course I'm going to accept but I'm sorting out agency hassles.

Anyone ever had any luck telling agency get lost I'm staying with this umbrella?

[The Spartan]

I'm sure you know this PC, but it depends on vital to the client you are. Personally I would walk and then they can explain to the client why, if they want to play hardball then play it back.

[psychocandy]

I'm sure you know this PC, but it depends on vital to the client you are. Personally I would walk and then they can explain to the client why, if they want to play hardball then play it back.

yeh its an option......

For some unknown reason, the client really like me so I'm doing well there. I was all up for "oh well its hassle and not ideal but there we go" but the agency have been really getting on my nerves this week being pushy to get me to move umbrellas and sign the extension so I might push back.

[The Spartan]

yeh its an option......

For some unknown reason, the client really like me so I'm doing well there. I was all up for "oh well its hassle and not ideal but there we go" but the agency have been really getting on my nerves this week being pushy to get me to move umbrellas and sign the extension so I might push back.

So far this year I have managed a rate increase and to also drop my days to 3 a week for one of my clients, granted it could have gone the other way but I was prepared to take the hit and walk away. I couldn't be dealing with having to switch to an umbrella just because the agency says so, straight from the off it's remote, no travelling unless MyCo deems it necessary and outside IR35.

[northernladuk]

I'm sure you know this PC, but it depends on vital to the client you are. Personally I would walk and then they can explain to the client why, if they want to play hardball then play it back.

I don't think this is a good idea. You've got to becareful involving clients in your tax affairs. It's absolutely nothing to do with them what your contract status is down at agenct-->Umbrella-> contractor just as we don't have anything to do with the chain upwards. You are begging a favour for a client at best. Not very professional as this situation is certainly not affecting the contractor delivering. It's just some clueless contractor struggling with life. Nothing more. Agency will tell the client the reason for the change and the client will back off and contractors reputation will go through the floor.

As usual a crap load of information missing. What reason did the agency give for the change? Is it because the current umbrella is no longer meeting their risk profile? Could be they spotted something and dropped them. If you were with Orange Genie and the agency spotted the skimming and dropped them would you be unhappy? There could be a good reason they've dropped them so ask for a detailed reason. Ask the umbrella as well. Unfortunately it's more likely they've stopped giving kick backs of something petty but that's agents for you.

Second question is who have they put in place? Are they bad options? You like the current provider but can't use them. Tough tulip. As long as there is a suitable alternative it's not the end of the world.

You are seasoned contractor (apparently) so why can you not handle this? There is one way to sort it and it's the same way you sort anything with agents. Tell them what you want or walk. Make sure they know you'll walk though, don't ask them, demand it. Push as far as you can and if they still don't fold then it's likely there really isn't any option and then go with the new umbrellas. You can't force a business to use a supplier it doesn't want to for whatever reason but you've done your best by threatening to leave. Move to the next umbrella and get on with it.

[eek]

Right PITA - assuming they can do this as in, they can choose to do business or not with whoever they choose?
Very short sighted though. I'm currently with Aardvark and they're good. For £80 a month, I get to keep my ltd going AND I get umbrella services. Works well for me.

So now agency have said nope can't use them anymore - here's our list of 4 that you can use for the next extension.

To be honest, I don't want to switch because A) Its working well at the moment, B) Its a PITA

Hassling me daily to get signed up with one their new umbrellas because, of course, they can't get the extensions signed and sealed until this is done.

Still a month left and I've got a v good relationship with the client and told them of course I'm going to accept but I'm sorting out agency hassles.

Anyone ever had any luck telling agency get lost I'm staying with this umbrella?

It’s not going to happen because Aardvark are hardly the most well known umbrella and any agency with any clue is going to run due diligence on the umbrellas being used - even if due diligence means use a (on the day of joining) FCSA registered one

[psychocandy]

It’s not going to happen because Aardvark are hardly the most well known umbrella and any agency with any clue is going to run due diligence on the umbrellas being used - even if due diligence means use a (on the day of joining) FCSA registered one

The umbrella they use is SG Umbrella.... To be fair they've been OK.

Im just p@ssed off with the agency whos attitude is "tough" and then they expect me to sort a new umbrella within a day. They can do one while I sort things out. 4 weeks till extension anyway so its tough luck they can wait.

[psychocandy]

Here are my options:-

Giant
Parasol
Paystream
Smartwork

[psychocandy]

Yeh 4 weeks to go until contract extension so no rush. Its the agencies attitude thats peed me off more than anything, and the daily texts/emails asking me which umbrella to use.

Client is sound and I've told them that the agency are playing silly buggers so they're cool. It won't work if agency tell them I'm refusing to sign.

[fulcon]

I've been with PayStream for about 7 months and I'm happy with their service.

I haven't had much cause to contact them but I have found that they're better at responding on the phone than they are to e-mails. Staff all seem pretty clued up and when two different people responded to the same query they both provided the same advice but not in boilerplate format. Maybe that's a low bar, but it's not unusual to get conflicting advice when speaking to different people in the same company.

I've had no problems at all with payments/deductions and the payslip is clear. If you want to know what you'll earn based on various deductions (when deciding SIPP contributions etc.) they'll happily generate mutiple illustrations for you. It's all very transparent.