Unlawfull admin fee charge?

[cooperphillip]

During my previous contract I was working through a recruitment agency. I made an error on one of my expenses and claimed £x.xx more than I should have done. The agency have sent me an invoice for this as they had already paid it to me, which is fine. What's not fine, is that they've added a £YY admin fee onto the invoice and are threatening to add unpaid debt fees onto it as well if I don't pay it. I've told them I'm happy to pay the £x.xx but not the admin fee. I've never signed a contract with them and never agreed to pay any admin fees etc.

I think they are just trying their luck and I don't think they can legally make up an admin fee and try to get me to pay it.

Would appreciate anyone's advice on this.

Thanks

[simes]

You say you didn't sign a contract with them, the agency? Yet it is they that are paying you the expense, and presumably the day rate?

Either way, they may just be trying their luck.

Can you identify one occasion when the agency paid you a day late? If so, send them an admin rate for your time to chase them, equal to the admin charge for the expense upset. And then suggest you both waive.

[cooperphillip]

You say you didn't sign a contract with them, the agency? Yet it is they that are paying you the expense, and presumably the day rate?

Either way, they may just be trying their luck.

Can you identify one occasion when the agency paid you a day late? If so, send them an admin rate for your time to chase them, equal to the admin charge for the expense upset. And then suggest you both waive.

yes, I signed a contract with the end client via the agency.

They have always paid on time. I don't really want to do the same thing I am trying to prove they shouldn't be doing.

[northernladuk]

Again, why does everyone assume when something happens they don't like it's unlawful?

The biggest mistake of all this is you not signing a contract with them.

[cooperphillip]

after the previous reply, I checked my contract, and I was mistaken, it is signed by myself, the end client and the recruitment agency. there isn't anything in there about admin fees.

I thought it would be unlawful, as if not, then surely anyone can make up any invoice they want and try to get people to pay it. If they can legally do it, does that mean I legally have to pay it? I've no idea, hopefully someone on here can help.

[wattaj]

Would appreciate anyone's advice on this.

You might not appreciate this piece of advice but here goes: you made mistake and the agent has now incurred an administration cost in order to correct it. It sounds as though you do actually owe them a bit of money for their time.

Personally, I'd swallow it for making the mistake in the first place. The fee may be disproportional to the original mistake, but the cost of staff time is likely to be.

[cooperphillip]

You might not appreciate this piece of advice but here goes: you made mistake and the agent has now incurred an administration cost in order to correct it. It sounds as though you do actually owe them a bit of money for their time.

Personally, I'd swallow it for making the mistake in the first place. The fee may be disproportional to the original mistake, but the cost of staff time is likely to be.

Yes, I made a mistake with the expenses, but I have never agreed to pay them for their time. I was under the assumption that any work they did regarding my contracting, was covered in the extra they charge on top of my hourly rate.

[northernladuk]

Yes, I made a mistake with the expenses, but I have never agreed to pay them for their time. I was under the assumption that any work they did regarding my contracting, was covered in the extra they charge on top of my hourly rate.

That's what a contract with T&Cs is for.

[cooperphillip]

That's what a contract with T&Cs is for.

so if it wasn't in the t&c's, are they able to enforce it?

[FIERCE TANK BATTLE]

Pay the amount you owe (no fees) and tell them to stuff it.

Suggest that they check amounts more carefully in the future.