Recruitment Agent Lies to Me
According to Daisie, this recruitment agent lies through his teeth to her. We’ve seen some dirty tricks from them. However, straight lies are more unusual.
That’s unless your experience is different. Here’s her story.
Fixed Margin at Low Rate
I agreed to do a contract with a local authority at a low rate. That’s because the agent said they had an agreement with the client for a fixed margin. Yes I’ve heard this before and should know better. However, this a big agency with (apparently) a good reputation.
Upon renewal, I asked for an increase. I had several phone calls with the agent where he said the client was unwilling to up the rate. That’s since they were on a fixed margin which was very low. So, they wouldn’t alter that.
Eventually the agent said they had persuaded the client to pay a bit more. So, they increased the rate slightly.
Signed the Contract and Added Sentence
I signed the new contract and added my own sentence about the fixed margin which I sent back to the agent. He eventually countersigned and returned it.
At the next renewal this agent was on holiday. The contract (on the same terms) so a colleague signed countersigned the margin.
Just before the contract ended I discovered that the client had been paying considerably more than the agent had told me. Also, there had been no renegotiation with the client at renewal. They had just chopped the considerable margin a bit.
Charging Too Much for Contractor
I told the agent I knew they were charging too much. He said that his colleague had made a mistake in the client rate on the last renewal. They had sorted this out with the client and repaid them the money (untrue). So they did not owe me anything, he said.
I have now sent an invoice for the difference of the money they paid me and the fixed rate they should have charged.
The agent says he will pay only money due for the contract he himself countersigned. He is now protesting that there was never any talk of fixed or preferred rates. However, he does now admit that they owe me money and that he knowingly countersigned a false agreement.
So, this recruitment agent lies.
How long should I give them to pay up?
For more good advice on dealing successfully with recruitment agencies click on Dealing with Recruitment Agencies.
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