Contracting for Lloyds

[ensignia]

Anyone here contracting for LBG and in which office and capacity?

Started there recently and it's, erm, an eye opener let's just say.

[TestMangler]

Left in November when they uttered the words 'rate cut'.

Test manager, Trinity Rd.

If you're on the IT side, gawd help you......

[BolshieBastard]

Anyone here contracting for LBG and in which office and capacity?

Started there recently and it's, erm, an eye opener let's just say.

They are on my blacklist. Any agent mentioning a role at LBG is told 'not interested.' They get you in on a good rate then chop it. And when you tell them you're leaving because of it, they dont like it one bit. They think they're doing you a favour giving you 'employment.'

Good luck!

[ensignia]

I work in Digital in Moorgate. I'm expecting the rate cut, but every contractor I've spoken to (and there are a lot here) has said they've never had a decrease.

Most contractors have been here for years and years and their working conditions are such that they are basically employee's. PMs given blackberries, and told exactly what to do and when/how to do it.

[TestMangler]

I work in Digital in Moorgate. I'm expecting the rate cut, but every contractor I've spoken to (and there are a lot here) has said they've never had a decrease.

Most contractors have been here for years and years and their working conditions are such that they are basically employee's. PMs given blackberries, and told exactly what to do and when/how to do it.

Are you sure you're not sitting with a bunch of FTCs rather than contractors ? Or a bunch of offshore ICTs ?

[bracken]

I've worked there a few times as a contractor and was a permie for 20+ years before then. It's much better being a contractor there...

On the IT Side, I've done Red Lion Court (ok) and Centron in Manchester (not so good).

On the business side, I've worked in Retail based near Bank and also both up by Moorgate. Again, all fine. TBH it's the people that make the role and I've been fortunate to work in teams with good people with the minimum of office politics.

The comments on the rates are correct - they have a rate card and they manage rates aggressively. I was cut twice but at the time the market was dire so I was happy to keep on billing rather than have a load of bench time for the sake of the cut.

I never had a problem with IR35 related things but there was a load of shenanigans around expenses where their policy was (is?) for you to claim exps before VAT so you kinda lost out on making a bit on the VAT if you're on the FRS. If you don't do loads of hotels etc, it's fine but something to be aware of.

HTH

B

[northernladuk]

One of TMs fave clients isn't it??

[portseven]

There at the moment, it's like walking through treacle trying to get things done, lots of legacy process and fifedoms. The new CIO is trying to change that, will be interesting to see if he succeeds.

[veroli]

Did 5 months there at Copley end of 2013 to 2014,
First day in after signing was told all contractors off site for 2 weeks over xmas no pay. Agent "forgot" to tell me this.
Put my back up straight away, soon realised this place was not for me disliked the corporate culture, contractors and permies sitting seperately at lunch and just general bureacracy mixed in with hypcocrisy and self important attitudes.
I wanted to negotoate out but stuck it out and didnt bother renewing and certainly not for 10% rate cut as it was already below what i normally get. Black listed for me and and doubt i will go back into any financial institutions, will stick with utilities and retail as seems a better fit for me, but each to their own.

[tpsman]

Anyone here contracting for LBG and in which office and capacity?

Started there recently and it's, erm, an eye opener let's just say.

What has been "eye opening"?

I'm there at the moment (I'm a specialist on one of their banking systems). There's some annoying people and some really great people - fairly typical of any company I've been onsite at.