Comments on: When a client won’t pay http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/ Web, design, and web design Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:24:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Stephen http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/comment-page-1/#comment-184146 Stephen Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:09:18 +0000 http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/#comment-184146 I'm not a lawyer, so I would always advise you to find a good one and ask them for advice. It could be that trying to get the money you're owed will cost more than the amount due. Your lawyer can advise you on this and more. In my case, I ended up hiring a lawyer and having to pay them as well as never getting the money I was owed (the client had covered his tracks with all kinds of legal tricks). Small consolation: he never got the site—although he did hire someone to try and make a design that looked somewhat like ours. I doubt that firm ever got paid, either. Just be careful and get legal support if you're not willing to just cut your losses. I’m not a lawyer, so I would always advise you to find a good one and ask them for advice. It could be that trying to get the money you’re owed will cost more than the amount due. Your lawyer can advise you on this and more. In my case, I ended up hiring a lawyer and having to pay them as well as never getting the money I was owed (the client had covered his tracks with all kinds of legal tricks). Small consolation: he never got the site—although he did hire someone to try and make a design that looked somewhat like ours. I doubt that firm ever got paid, either.

Just be careful and get legal support if you’re not willing to just cut your losses.

]]> By: Some Guy http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/comment-page-1/#comment-183838 Some Guy Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:06:49 +0000 http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/#comment-183838 I have a client, a big fashion brand. They asked me to develop something for them. So I did, and worked in a tight deadline. I got about 90% done and had to stop the job because of a family emergency. Now they said they used my budget to pay another developer to finish the job. I said I don't care, pay me for the hours that I worked. We are going back and forth now. Should I get a lawyer? I am angry because these guys screwed me many times before with their tight budgets... And underpaid me many times. I don't want to let this go, and want to squeeze the last penny from them. I have a client, a big fashion brand. They asked me to develop something for them. So I did, and worked in a tight deadline. I got about 90% done and had to stop the job because of a family emergency. Now they said they used my budget to pay another developer to finish the job. I said I don’t care, pay me for the hours that I worked. We are going back and forth now.

Should I get a lawyer? I am angry because these guys screwed me many times before with their tight budgets… And underpaid me many times. I don’t want to let this go, and want to squeeze the last penny from them.

]]> By: Stephen http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/comment-page-1/#comment-179510 Stephen Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:23:09 +0000 http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/#comment-179510 @David: Isn't keeping the site up like giving them free hosting? You can show a portfolio without having the project public. (e.g. private server or something). If they <strong>have</strong> paid for the site but not the hosting, you could just give them the files and cancel the hosting account. But as long as you're doing what's best for yourself given the circumstances, then you're fine. @David: Isn’t keeping the site up like giving them free hosting? You can show a portfolio without having the project public. (e.g. private server or something). If they have paid for the site but not the hosting, you could just give them the files and cancel the hosting account.

But as long as you’re doing what’s best for yourself given the circumstances, then you’re fine.

]]> By: David Alley http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/comment-page-1/#comment-179467 David Alley Mon, 04 Jul 2011 14:02:34 +0000 http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/#comment-179467 I built a nation specific news portal for the new nation of South Sudan. After months of wrangling I was paid for the site but its been nearly a year and I still haven't been paid for the hosting even though I've asked numerous times. In my last email to him I said that if I was not paid within a week I would reposess the site. Normally when hosting is not paid the site is removed. However I thought the site would be worth more to me up (as its an example of my portfolio work and I control the hosting). I have since reposessed the site and own it. Has anyone else reposessed a site like this. I built a nation specific news portal for the new nation of South Sudan. After months of wrangling I was paid for the site but its been nearly a year and I still haven’t been paid for the hosting even though I’ve asked numerous times.

In my last email to him I said that if I was not paid within a week I would reposess the site. Normally when hosting is not paid the site is removed. However I thought the site would be worth more to me up (as its an example of my portfolio work and I control the hosting).

I have since reposessed the site and own it. Has anyone else reposessed a site like this.

]]> By: Matthew http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/comment-page-1/#comment-16896 Matthew Sat, 06 Oct 2007 20:39:36 +0000 http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/#comment-16896 Get all the money up front if the project is under $2500. If it's over $2500 then take a $2500 deposit. Once you do $2500 of work make them pay more before you go forward. Needless to say we've never been beat out of a job. Get all the money up front if the project is under $2500. If it’s over $2500 then take a $2500 deposit. Once you do $2500 of work make them pay more before you go forward.

Needless to say we’ve never been beat out of a job.

]]> By: Tanya http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/comment-page-1/#comment-15085 Tanya Wed, 26 Sep 2007 21:40:34 +0000 http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/#comment-15085 Thank you for your advice - it really helps to talk to others that have been there and know what it feels like. =) Tanya Thank you for your advice – it really helps to talk to others that have been there and know what it feels like. =)
Tanya

]]> By: Stephen http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/comment-page-1/#comment-15062 Stephen Wed, 26 Sep 2007 19:14:50 +0000 http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/#comment-15062 @Tanya: Sorry you're in that situation. I've been in your shoes. I've found the following practices helpful: <ul> <li>Quoting up front</li> <li>Getting written acceptance of the quote before beginning work (yes, a contract)</li> <li><em>Any</em> work not explicitly mentioned in the quote has <em>not been quoted</em>, and is therefore additional work which will be quoted separately as above.</li> <li>The site goes live only after written acceptance of the work provided. After all, if they're unhappy with the site, there's no reason to go live, is there?</li> </ul> Unfortunately, I had to discover this through trial-and-error, as I tend to trust people too easily. The above is a pretty effective filter against the unscrupulous. @Tanya: Sorry you’re in that situation. I’ve been in your shoes. I’ve found the following practices helpful:

  • Quoting up front
  • Getting written acceptance of the quote before beginning work (yes, a contract)
  • Any work not explicitly mentioned in the quote has not been quoted, and is therefore additional work which will be quoted separately as above.
  • The site goes live only after written acceptance of the work provided. After all, if they’re unhappy with the site, there’s no reason to go live, is there?

Unfortunately, I had to discover this through trial-and-error, as I tend to trust people too easily. The above is a pretty effective filter against the unscrupulous.

]]> By: Tanya http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/comment-page-1/#comment-15026 Tanya Wed, 26 Sep 2007 13:41:50 +0000 http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/#comment-15026 I am in this situation now. I created a site for a client... had them sign a contract and they paid all but $50.. while developing that site - he asked me to make a mini site for them, Its not included in the original contract. well , we finished the mini site, I give them a quote, posted it live... then started receiving emails saying they wanted documentation, and training, and would not pay me till they got that. (I never considered that in my quote). Well they changed the FTP information and now I feel like there is nothing I can do. I tried to be persistent, but now they are saying that they don't owe me anything, and that it was in the original contract! So I ended up getting a lawyer. Its obviously not in the contract - and especially because they are planning on reselling my work! This makes me never want to do freelance work again! =( I am in this situation now. I created a site for a client… had them sign a contract and they paid all but $50.. while developing that site – he asked me to make a mini site for them, Its not included in the original contract. well , we finished the mini site, I give them a quote, posted it live… then started receiving emails saying they wanted documentation, and training, and would not pay me till they got that. (I never considered that in my quote). Well they changed the FTP information and now I feel like there is nothing I can do.

I tried to be persistent, but now they are saying that they don’t owe me anything, and that it was in the original contract! So I ended up getting a lawyer. Its obviously not in the contract – and especially because they are planning on reselling my work! This makes me never want to do freelance work again! =(

]]> By: Jack http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/comment-page-1/#comment-5343 Jack Thu, 31 May 2007 17:08:17 +0000 http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/#comment-5343 I thaught that this would never happen to me. I worked 2 full weeks on a website for a client that asked to be online asap. Though the client is satisfied with my work (I know because the person that referred the client to me told me), I still haven't received the check a month after. I called the client 2 weeks ago to ask him in a polite manner if he unsertood the bill that I had sent him. He then told me he would send the check the week after. Still, nothing. It is very frustrating. People don't realize the effort and money you put to create website. I will never work again without being paid upfront. I thaught that this would never happen to me.

I worked 2 full weeks on a website for a client that asked to be online asap. Though the client is satisfied with my work (I know because the person that referred the client to me told me), I still haven’t received the check a month after.

I called the client 2 weeks ago to ask him in a polite manner if he unsertood the bill that I had sent him. He then told me he would send the check the week after.
Still, nothing.

It is very frustrating. People don’t realize the effort and money you put to create website. I will never work again without being paid upfront.

]]> By: Stephen http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/comment-page-1/#comment-2949 Stephen Mon, 26 Feb 2007 13:47:40 +0000 http://www.the-haystack.com/2006/07/31/when-a-client-wont-pay/#comment-2949 @Jim: I'm not sure what could happen, I only know that in my situation, it was completely appropriate to remove the site in question. Some clients can get quite nasty; I would consult a lawyer when in doubt. @Jim: I’m not sure what could happen, I only know that in my situation, it was completely appropriate to remove the site in question. Some clients can get quite nasty; I would consult a lawyer when in doubt.

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