Agents Portal Issue

[stek]

I invoice via the agent's normally very nice portal, quick and easy, no issues until now. I've been offered an extention, which to be fair I'll most likely take but like anyone else in this business I want to keep my options open until the last minute. Contact up end of this month.

Now I'm trying to do last weeks invoice, and I can't! I have to accept the extention first! I've kicked up a fuss but surely this can't be legal?

Waiting response from agent, will feedback here...

[MrRobin]

Just send them a letter stating that the usual portal that you use is not working and include an invoice of your own creation instead.

[stek]

Now this is issue!!

I've decided to take up another offer, so i want to invoice for my last month, but i can't cos I have to accept the extension first. Can I decline - can i fook?

Surely that's restraint of something....?

[cojak]

Accept, get the invoice then immediately decline via email to the agent.

If they want to play silly buggers then so can you.

And tell them they should have tested their software better.

[stek]

Accept, get the invoice then immediately decline via email to the agent.

If they want to play silly buggers then so can you.

And tell them they should have tested their software better.

Well yes, that's the obvious solution, but...

Doing that will tie me into the AgentCo one week to me, four weeks of them notice period, I've gone through the options, all I get is 'Accept' or 'Cancel' no 'Reject'. I don't want to accept and tie myself in the four weeks.

[rd409]

Well yes, that's the obvious solution, but...

Doing that will tie me into the AgentCo one week to me, four weeks of them notice period, I've gone through the options, all I get is 'Accept' or 'Cancel' no 'Reject'. I don't want to accept and tie myself in the four weeks.

Is that with Lorien by any chance?

[craig1]

Now this is issue!!

I've decided to take up another offer, so i want to invoice for my last month, but i can't cos I have to accept the extension first. Can I decline - can i fook?

Surely that's restraint of something....?

Can I assume that you've called their accounts people and asked them what to do? They've almost definitely had this scenario before and should have a workaround...

[stek]

It is Lorien and the support people tell me thats the way it is. The only way is for the agent to ask for it to be removed and re-added, but I'm not yet ready for the 'why are you not renewing' battle....

[eek]

It is Lorien and the support people tell me thats the way it is. The only way is for the agent to ask for it to be removed and re-added, but I'm not yet ready for the 'why are you not renewing' battle....

Keep it short and simple telling him that you have options so could you let me invoice NOW before renewing. As you need him on side to get him to do the minor piece of work you want to express annoyance while holding out the hope that you may still renew.

Then you give him the news once the invoice is in.

[rd409]

It is Lorien and the support people tell me thats the way it is. The only way is for the agent to ask for it to be removed and re-added, but I'm not yet ready for the 'why are you not renewing' battle....

I thought so. I had similar problem when accepting a contract. You cannot generate invoice before you accept all the contracts, and opt - out. I had a long conversation with the account manager, who insisted, that opt-out was for the benefit of the contractors, and their IR35 status. I had a hard time convincing him that this has got nothing to do with IR35, but in the end, I had to accept the fact, because their system is not flexible enough to by pass this bits. The good thing is I accpeted the opt-out after I had met the client, and after I started the contract, so if they try to enforce the clause, it goes straight out of the window.

I am not sure, if the system can be termed as illegal, but tbh, they are on PSL with many big organisations, so would not want to spoil the business relation with them, and again, no immediate threat to their financial status as well.

What I would have done in your situation is, to not bother with their invoicing system for the last one, and generate your own version, with all the details that they have in their invoicing system. Send this to the account manager, and let him know, that you will also generate the invoice in their system once you are ready to accept/decline the extension.

HTH.