Cost and fees
What is a rebate period in recruitment?
A rebate period is the window after a candidate starts during which you get some of the fee back if they leave. It is usually 4 to 12 weeks and usually tapers — 100% in the first fortnight, falling to nothing by the end. It is not the same thing as a refund if the role is never filled, and the two get confused constantly: a rebate protects you against a hire who leaves, not against a search that produces nobody.
Two different protections, often confused
| Risk | What protects you |
|---|---|
| The role is never filled | A refund term, or contingency (where you never pay) |
| Someone starts and then leaves | A rebate period, or a free replacement |
They cover completely different failures, and a provider can offer one without the other. Ask about both separately.
What a typical rebate looks like
A taper is standard: full fee back if they leave in the first week or two, then declining — say 75% to week four, 50% to week eight, nothing after twelve. Some agencies offer a free replacement search instead of money, which is worth more if the role is still live and less if you have changed your mind about it.
The conditions that usually apply
Rebates are commonly void if the candidate is made redundant, if the role changes materially, or if you have not paid the original invoice on time. None of that is unreasonable — but it is worth reading, because a rebate you cannot claim is not a protection.
Where we sit, plainly
Guaranteed Hire publishes a 100% refund if the role is not filled. That is a refund term, not a rebate: if we place someone and they later leave, replacing them is a separate piece of paid work.
We would rather say that here than let the word "guarantee" do work it has not earned. If a free replacement matters more to you than a refund, that is a legitimate reason to choose someone else, and worth asking every provider you speak to.
Want the fixed price for your role?
Advertise it yourself from £399 +VAT, or hand the whole search to a dedicated recruiter — a flat fee by salary band with a 100% refund if the role is not filled.
See Guaranteed Hire Advertise a job
Or call 0161 327 2895.