Have you had a bad experience with an Umbrella company? Are you feeling let down by their false promises and mistakes? Read on to find out more about Olivia Johnson, who tells us about her decision to leave her Umbrella company and move over to another provider...

"It was my first time contracting and it was a fellow contractor who recommended my very first Umbrella company to me. As I had never contracted before I thought it was a great idea; my friend told me I could take home more money, and everyone wants to take home more money so I signed up.

I was led to believe that I could claim up to £36 per day expenses, for subsistence, and meals on top of my mileage and parking expenses. Like a fool I did not question this and went ahead anyway. I soon discovered that the customer service was poor; when I called I never received a call back. I was never able to speak to anyone who knew the particulars of my account and sometimes I wouldn't even get a response to emails I sent.

After visiting the Contractor UK website I became wary of the expenses that they were allowing me to claim. I decided to contact the Inland Revenue directly for some unbiased advice, as expenses seem to be a bit of a grey area. One umbrella will tell you one thing and another will tell you something completely different. The Inland Revenue confirmed my fears, and then I immediately requested my P45 from the umbrella company.

I looked around on the internet and came across numerous umbrella companies advertising that you can claim X amount per day. For contractors who do not know the facts, I can see that this is extremely inviting.

After a quick search in Google, I found ContractorUmbrella. This time I was extremely careful, I took my time and went through their website with a fine toothed comb. I spoke to one of their consultants at length, and then I was presented with the facts. What I was told over the phone, was backed up by their Myths and Facts page. Reassuringly this also matched what the IR had advised me. Their website is extremely easy to use and informative, not in the slightest bit misleading and their staff are extremely knowledgeable. The best thing I ever did was to move from my previous Umbrella who were not compliant with the IR and whose customer service was extremely poor, over to Contractor Umbrella. Now I have peace of mind, and an impressive money backed customer charter. Also with my previous Umbrella company I submitted my timesheets on a weekly basis, but only receiving payment on a monthly basis. I now receive my payments on a weekly basis which is much better because I benefit from the interest and not them. I especially liked their online portal for timesheets & expenses, previously I was having to fax timesheets and expenses which was a pain, as then it was down to the umbrella to raise this on my behalf. On several occasions this had not been done or delays were caused, CU's is instant and I receive a copy of the invoice once it is sent.

The difference between Contractor Umbrella's website and the other umbrella companies websites is that Contractor Umbrella present pure facts and don't get involved with false advertising and pushing un-receipted expenses. 

At the end of the day, I know now its not who can offer the best quote, it really is all about which umbrella can offer the best service and keep you wholly compliant with the IR." Olivia Johnson 07/09/2007

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If you have any questions about contracting or would like any further advice please call our New Clients helpdesk on 01206 713680 or e-mail info@contractorumbrella.com