So is it worth going to war over £25 a day?

[bobspud]

I have caught my latest agent lying about my day rate to the end client so that they can rip off the pair of us for £125 a day

They are supposed to be on a fixed margin rate and alerted me to the fact they were up to no good by inserting a clause about rate confidentiality in to the contract.

I am not so pissed off about them taking £100 that they have told the client they are on while I am getting the 550, as the end client will be billing me out at a far higher margin than that. But am not standing for a floppy haired tit with a bad degree being stupid enough to lie to someone with 20 years in the game and access to the budget figures.


I gave them a bollocking last week when I found the figures and they decided to try and play dumb so my option this week is to forward my invoice in the same email trail as the time sheets and let the client give them a kicking.

The flip side is I like the end client and am enjoying the work.
So why rock the boat when I am still on 525 a day while most of my mates have settled for 400-425 in this market ???

Thoughts and abuse welcome

[Apox21]

You accepted a rate you were happy with, Agent negotiated best margin he could, client paying a rate they are willing to pay not seeing why it is a problem. Not saying I agree with how much (any) agent is getting but they are in business like the rest of us!

[bobspud]

Not so bothered about the rate in fact fairly happy.

What's annoying me is the twat agent that was still in his dads balls when I started in this game. He's shown a crass lack of respect towards his client and needs a lesson...

[bless 'em all]

Not so bothered about the rate in fact fairly happy.

What's annoying me is the twat agent that was still in his dads balls when I started in this game. He's shown a crass lack of respect towards his client and needs a lesson...

Choose your battles wisely young padawan.

[Wanderer]

They are supposed to be on a fixed margin rate

If it's a fixed margin then they are robbing you, plain and simple. Go and have a quiet talk to them and tell them that you have found out that they are raping you and you want your money back otherwise you will tell the client what a bunch of thieves they are. Don't waste too much time with your pimply faced agent, threaten to take it right over his head and start an almighty tulip storm.

They will scream like a stuck pig and come out with all sorts of nonsense, you've got to remember that they do this sort of tulip day in day out. I've gone into battle over business deals in the past and it can turn quite bloody. I enjoy a good fight but sometimes I wondered if the stress/hassle was all worth it in the end. The thing that really opened my eyes was that when it was all settled they smiled and shook hands, job well done, all in a day's work for them but I felt physically and mentally exausted.

Choose your battles wisely young padawan.

Good advice. Decide now if you are going to fight and win and don't start one unless you are willing to go bare knuckle with them.

[centurian]

If it's a fixed margin then they are robbing you, plain and simple.

WHS - this is misrepresentation.

I am all for the mantra of "if you are happy with the rate, you should not care what the agent is making", but I find that few people in the current climate are "happy" with their rate - just they feel it is the best available - based upon the information being provided to them (i.e. fixed margin etc.). If that information is not correct, I think people have a genuine grievance.

[BlasterBates]

I think if you´re happy with the rate it isn´t worth a war, i.e. drag the client into a conflict. Just raise your rate at renewal.

[EternalOptimist]

I am suprised you even ask the question BobSpud, it's a no-brainer. If you allow the fop to get away with it, even though you have all the facts, and HE knows you have all the facts, you will lose both face and credibility as well as money. It's a matter of principle and even though we are in an age of austerity, and we should be grateful that we even have work, and there are millions who are worse off than us, well its the principle. Just because rocking the boat may cause you to lose this juicy gig, leaving you unable to pay the mortgage, your wife will obviously leave you taking the kids and the dog, and you will sink into an alcohol fuelled bitter old age, it's no reason to abandon your principles. So yes, on reflection, its better to go for the easy life, forget the whole thing and suck it up. It's a no brainer

[Old Greg]

It is the client who should be pissed off. The fixed margin agreement is with the client and the agent is being very naughty.

Contract I just finished:

1. Old client approached me for work but said I had to go through an agent.
2. As I had the only niche skills in the UK I upped my rate from £450 to £500.
3. I approached a consultancy I know well who said they had a fixed rate agreement at 12.5%.
4. They came to an agreement with the client.
5. The client changed their mind and said I had to go theough a different agency.
6. Turned out the first agency had stuck on 20% and I had a deal for £600 inclusive of agency costs.
7. New agency had a 5% margin.
8. I ended up with £571 pd.

Happy days!

[Wanderer]

Happy days!

Boomed! That's the way it should work. I'm sick of these bedwetters dropping their trousers for agencies and allowing the to rape both the client and the contractor. Time to stand up against it and fight back.