Timesheets rule?

Agency being a bit tight?

Hi,

I had a contract through a big Agency for a well known bank. I subsequently left this contract 1 month early before the due end date due to family bereavement. This rendered me in breach of contract.

I had 5 weeks’ timesheets outstanding which I got signed but the agency ‘lost’ these soon after. Subsequent events rendered the originals (and copies) to be lost forever.

It had been agreed that the agency should be compensated to the tune of 1 week’s work for my early departure. (This was written into the contract)

The agency is now saying that they need signed timesheets from the end client before they can pay any money out to me.

I have resubmitted timesheets but the end client is dragging their heels relentlessly and will not sign anything because there was no capability to record times in the office (they had an archaic swipe in-out system and thus can not verify that the times I have submitted are the correct ones). So they have decided not to sign anything at all.

The agency is saying that they have not been paid for these 5 weeks and thus will not pay me until “they” can get the timesheets signed. (Am not allowed to speak to the end client)

I have rung them every week for the past year and they say “we are looking into it”.

Reading my own letter here makes me feel how on earth I could have let them walk all over me with this but I don’t know what else to do apart from employ a £400/hour lawyer.

My question is, “Does the Agency have the right to NOT pay me for these 5 weeks in the absence of said ‘signed’ timesheets.”

Regards,

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TM