A payment of $155.20 has been applied to your financial account. 11:06 PM

[vaporalight]

I'm a client that recently hired a freelance developer for a fixed price contract and not hourly rate. I saw a notification with this piece of news and checked my transaction history. How did I get charged and how to refund it? 

[812dd08c]

Hi Miguel Gabriel,

Thank you for reaching out to us and reporting this. However, I believe you're referring to the hourly billing processed for your freelancer under your client profile. I've also looked closely at the contract and can confirm that it's an "hourly" one and not a "fixed-price" one. Allow me to explain how this works. 

Your freelancer will log hours in their Work Diary, and you'll receive one invoice per freelancer each week for your hourly contracts on Upwork. Here's how it works:

• Every Monday, we'll invoice you for the previous week's hours based on your freelancer's Work Diary
• Your default billing method will be charged automatically for the balance due
• If you need to file a dispute, you must do so before Friday of the week you received the invoice

Learn more about the timing of the billing cycle here. You may also check this help article for more details about paying for hourly contracts. Let us know if you need further assistance. 

[ldalpatadu]

As a client on Upwork who hired a freelance developer for a fixed-price contract, it's essential to understand how the billing process works and how to address any issues or disputes. Here's a step-by-step guide on how you might have been charged and how to initiate a refund if necessary:

1. Milestone Creation: When you and the freelancer agreed on the terms of the project, including milestones and payment amounts, you or the freelancer would have created milestones in the Upwork platform. These milestones represent different phases of the project.

2. Escrow Payment: To ensure the safety of funds for both parties, you would have funded the agreed-upon milestone(s) upfront. Upwork holds this payment in escrow until the freelancer completes the work and you approve it.

3. Work Completion: The freelancer works on the project and submits the completed work for your review. You have the option to review and request revisions if necessary.

4. Approval: If you are satisfied with the work, you can approve the milestone, releasing the funds from escrow to the freelancer. This action is irreversible.

5. Dispute Resolution: If you're not satisfied with the work and believe it doesn't meet the agreed-upon terms, you can dispute the milestone. This initiates a dispute resolution process where Upwork mediates between you and the freelancer to reach a fair resolution.

6. Refund Request: If the dispute process results in a decision in your favor, you can request a refund for the milestone in question. Upwork support will assist you in processing the refund.

To address your specific situation:

Check Milestones: Log in to your Upwork account and go to the contract you have with the freelance developer. Check the milestone(s) in question and review the work's status.

Review Work: If the work is not to your satisfaction, consider discussing the issues with the freelancer first. They might be willing to make revisions or address your concerns.

Dispute: If the issue remains unresolved, and you believe a refund is necessary, initiate a dispute through Upwork's platform. Provide detailed information about the problem and any relevant evidence.

Contact Upwork Support: If the dispute doesn't lead to a resolution, or if you have concerns about the billing process, contact Upwork support for assistance. They can guide you through the steps necessary to request a refund and address your specific situation.

Remember that Upwork has a support team to assist clients in such matters. It's essential to keep communication within the platform, as this will help in resolving issues more effectively and provide a clear record of all interactions.