The reality was that I already knew from stories I'd heard that they were terrible with renewing contracts - they always waited until your contract had expired,

The reality was that I already knew from stories I'd heard that they were terrible with renewing contracts - they always waited until your contract had expired, and then would have an expectation that after a few weeks of unemployment you'd be desperate to re-sign and come back. Knowing this I had another job already lined up ready to go as soon as my contract ended. If you treat staff like cattle, you reap what you sow.