Chap at a client rings up, asking if I'm interested in a piece of work. While I've worked for the company before, he doesn't know that and has, in fact, been given my name by someone at a third company. I tell him, briefly, about my past history with his company. We discuss some work. We agree that I could do it. He says he'll call back when the spec and sample data is sorted out.

Next day, rather sooner than I'd expected, another chap at the client rings. He's been given my name by the first chap. He talks other bits and bobs of work. Can I start Monday? I say yes, then we have a think about it and he says Tuesday instead. I say yes again. We agree a time to meet.

HR emails. Would the previous contract terms be ok? I reply with my current rate and payment terms, but otherwise yes. She quickly replies saying tough tits on the payment terms. I say nothing.

Sometime later, HR mail again - we checked what we paid you last time, which is less than you want now, which was more than we pay our other contractors. We thought it be that same as before.

Now this strikes me as a bit rude, really. Up to that point, nobody had asked me about how much I cost. The engagement is short, and I'm starting within four working days, at their convenience. I last negotiated terms with them a year ago, and haven't worked for them since the end of October last year. I, frankly, don't give a stuff about their other contractors. That's their business. If they were really worried about the price, they should have said so at the outset.

What's the etiquette here? Is it proper to bring this up now? Or am I get cheesed off for nothing?