Umbrella
Posted: Thu 7 September, 2006 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Getting Organised, Work-related | 3 Comments »Well, another step along the path to the new job has been taken.
Because it’s a contract, rather than being a “proper” job, I need to either have my own company, or go through another company that employs contractors, known as an umbrella company. (in this case I’ll be using one called Parasol) Slightly more complex in some ways (it takes a bit more time to get paid, and sorting out the contract etc.) it also makes life a shitload easier in many others. So much easier, in fact, that when I looked through all the guff this time, it made me think “I’ve been going so wrong in previous times“.
The contract scenario is a bit of a ‘mare, though. If I had my own company, it would be directly between the agency I’m working through and my company. However, with the umbrella company setup, there’s a contract between the client and the agency, one between the agency and the umbrella company, and then one between me and the umbrella company. Still, that should all be stuff I don’t really need to care about, thank god.
On the other side of the coin, though, the payback is fantastic. Yes, it costs me a small amount to use the umbrella company. (roughly £55 per month, although with tax relief that comes down to £44) but at the same time I get all my expenses back. OK, I have to provide receipts, but that’s no different to anywhere else, really.
But it means that while I’m still living in Berkshire and travelling up to Cambridge to work, I’ll be paid back my travel expenses, my hotel accommodation (up to about £70 per night) and food costs up to about £21 per day. Frankly, that works out as a bloody good deal, particularly when you also consider that the daily rate is already higher than I’m getting paid now.
Yeah, sure, once we’ve moved to Norfolk the expenses will come down, but even then I can still claim all my travel back.
It also means I don’t have any hassle with my mates at Inland Revenue, because what I get paid already has tax and NI deducted by Parasol. I don’t have to worry about anything else except making sure I keep copies of all my receipts, just in case. It also means that we shouldn’t fall foul of all the crap regarding mortgages etc., as I’m not self-employed, but instead employed by Parasol.
In short, it’s a case of “What the hell was I thinking, having my own company? This is so much easier!“
Remembering
Posted: Wed 6 September, 2006 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Customer Services, Getting Organised, Own Business, Thoughts | Leave a comment »Ah, memories. This post on Waiter Rant has brought back lots of memories of idiot customers and the things they used to say, back when I was in that game.
Makes me even more surprised I’m still thinking about the possibility of going back to it…
Pointless
Posted: Wed 6 September, 2006 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Customer Services, Cynicism, Getting Organised, Work-related | 3 Comments »I have to say, I love getting utterly pointless bits of post. Particularly when I’ve paid for them, in one way or another.
I’m not talking about junk mail, because that just gets ignored, shredded, and binned. Simple. I don’t particularly care about that – although we will be opting out of the Royal Mail’s junk mail service (email optout@royalmail.co.uk for more information) in order to reduce the amount of crap we do receive once we’ve moved. But no, the stuff I’m talking about is stuff from organisations and government groups that has absolutely no use in being sent, and just costs money.
Today’s fine example of this came from Inland Revenue. A statement of my account with the money-grabbing incompetent shit-for-brains jobsworth cock-knockers. Having finally sorted out the fucking about they did with me over the last three years (which reminds me, really must fill in that form this week and get it sent off) I’ve got a statement of account again.
Right at the top of it?
You have nothing to pay
Well, that’s just bloody brilliant, isn’t it? I know that already. You’ve told me twice already, and the next set of bullshit demands don’t come due ’til the end of the year (roughly). And what’s the point of sending out repeated statements saying I owe nothing?
Complaining
Posted: Tue 5 September, 2006 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Customer Services, Getting Organised, Work-related | Leave a comment »Well, that’s the council told.
I’ve already spoken to the agency I was dealing with about the job, and they’ve been brilliant. In fact, he was pretty much expecting me to call with something similar, as I’d already said I was going to be looking for other jobs, but the nice bit of the conversation was
Well, when the contract in Cambridge comes to a close, give me a bell and we’ll see what we can do for you
Quite reassuring, considering that they could’ve been really snotty about the entire thing. But they’ve been frigged about by the council as well, so they don’t have a problem with the entire thing.
And now I’ve sent a letter to the chief executive of the council, copied it in to the head of HR and to the agency, and sent it off.
Should be interesting, seeing if there’s any response at all to it from the council.
Jobs
Posted: Mon 4 September, 2006 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Domestic, Getting Organised, Work-related | Leave a comment »So, following on from Friday’s news, there’s a whole bundle of things to be getting on with :
Tell council where to stuff it- Tell Arsehole Boss where to stuff it
- Sort out temporary place to stay in Cambridge
- Sort out umbrella company through which to handle contract, payment etc. – I decided that for the moment I just can’t be arsed with setting up my own company, bank account, etc. etc.
Sort out a start date- Figure out some of the more technical bits and pieces along the way
Yes, it’s a good job we’re off work this week – all of a sudden there’s a lot to do!
In addition, there’s also the small matters of :
Final clean-up of house, so that estate agents can come and take pics- Sort out estate agents
- Swear (yet again) at Tesco Finance’s log-on procedure, which is a nightmare. Particularly because I can’t remember what password I chose – I’ve been through the registration process so many times, I’ve lost the will to live
- Write a complaint letter to the chief exec at the council
- Swear lots
And all the other stuff that’s coming along at a great rate of knots. Definitely a good week to have a holiday…
For now, I’m off to take back the library books.
Autumn Fair
Posted: Mon 4 September, 2006 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Getting Organised, Own Business, Photography, Travel | Leave a comment »Well, the Autumn Fair yesterday was pretty good. Knackering, and the usual NEC extortionate food charges etc., but still pretty good.
Herself was able to get some of the stuff she wanted, as well as a whole bundle of ideas, and I was able to sound out a few photography companies, and see what kind of stuff they were looking for. Additionally, I was able to check out a few others and realise the ones I didn’t want to work for, which can be just as useful when all’s said and done.
And the main thing I really need to do? (And should’ve thought of a long time ago, but never did) Build a website for my stuff, and market it from there. Doh!
Nice Timing
Posted: Sun 3 September, 2006 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Depression, Domestic, Getting Organised, Travel, Work-related | Leave a comment »One thing that’s even better than usual when it comes to this week is that, along with the confirmation of the job in Cambridge, I’m actually on holiday for the week.
We’re not planning on going anywhere particular, but it’s more about a) having a break from all the shit, and b) getting the house ready to go on the market. After all, with the job stuff and so on, and waiting for news from the jobs that Herself has interviewed for, it’s all coming together again.
Last week was particularly rough – with the news that the council were still fucking about, and that Arsehole Boss was looking likely to stay with the company for the forseeable future, it all got just a bit depressing and demoralised. We were both pissed off by it, because we’d got to a point where it all seemed like it was coming together, where the plans were happening, and then they were all falling apart again, and none of it was through any fault of our own. And whenever that happens, it sucks.
So yeah, having this week off has come at just about the perfect time, as it happens. It also means we get to spend some time figuring out just how everything will work out with regard to me doing this new job, and the necessary travel and domestic arrangements, as well as sorting out company stuff, payment details etc., and also telling the council (and the current job) where to stuff it.
All told, it should be a good week!