Cancelling project

[fd42c1cc]

Hi, 

I have started a project with a freelancer a few months ago, i ran into big family problems where i have explained to him and asked if we could put the project on hold or just end the contract as it was two milestones and i already have paid him one milestone; I even offered him to keep the first milestone as I took his time and he did half of the project. 

Now he's asking me to end the contract and pay him the full amount even the project isnt finished. 

How can i get my money back as the project is not finished yet? 

[prestonhunter]

You should simply release whatever money is currently in escrow to the freelancer, and then close the contract. There is nothing he can do to stop you from doing that. You can do that right now, and this will be over.

[fd42c1cc]

but then i fully pay him like this and i wouldn't be getting any results? 

[prestonhunter]

re: "but then i fully pay him like this and i wouldn't be getting any results?"

That's correct. You are allowed to do that.

The fastest way to end this is to simply release any remaining escrow money to him and end the contract.

You are not required to balance his karma by making sure he isn't paid for work that he didn't do.

How much money is in escrow right now?
If it's not that much, it's probably not worth worrying about.

Alternatively: You may ask him nicely to agree to a refund of the escrow money. If he agrees to do that, then you can close the contract while editing the amount of money to be released, and he'll agree to give that amount back to you.

Instructions are here:

https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211062058-Get-an-Escrow-Refund

[fd42c1cc]

the project was for $3000, i paid half and got half in escrow and I dont want to pay that as the project isn't finished. 

[prestonhunter]

Maybe you should have used an hourly contract, because then you would not have had to put any money into escrow.

Or you should have used smaller milestones.

As things stand, you need to ask the freelancer to refund escrow money to you if you want to get that money back. There is no button that clients can use to unilaterally get escrow money back.

[colettelewis]

If the freelancer did not complete the work on the funded milestones, and refuses to release that amount back to you, then you can dispute it.  

[fd42c1cc]

so i should pay him fully then dispute it? 

[prestonhunter]

re: "so i should pay him fully then dispute it?"

If you release the money to him, it is theoretically possible to get money back. But highly unlikely.

If you don't want all of this money to go to the freelancer, then you really do need to ask him, via messages, if would be willing to come to some sort of settlement.

Perhaps you can offer to release half of the money to him, if he agrees to let you keep half, and you can conclude your business immediately.

If he won't negotiate, then you can try to dispute. But first try to negotiate. It doesn't cost anything to do that.

If the freelancer does not come to an agreement with you, you may initiate closure of the contract.

Then, when presented with the amount of money to release, you may click a button to EDIT that amount. You may then change the amount to ZERO.

The freelancer will then ACCEPT your request for a complete refund, in which case you have what you want. Or the freelancer will NOT accept your refund request, which means the case goes to dispute. If the case goes to dispute, there is a chance for you to get some money back. Maybe even all of your money. Not a guarantee. But a CHANCE.

Follow these instructions:

https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211062058-Get-an-Escrow-Refund

[fd42c1cc]

The freelancer agreed to end the contract where he keeps half and i keep the other half, now my money is still in escrow so how do i get it back to my account? 

[fd42c1cc]

[prestonhunter]

I am the client.

I set up a contract for a freelancer to work on.

The budget was $3000.

That means nothing.

It could have been $3 million.
It could have been "3 frogs".

Budget doesn't count.

What counts is how much money is in escrow.
I funded an escrow payment of $1500.

I wanted to end the contract. I asked the freelancer if he would refund some of the money.
He agreed to refund half of the money to me.

I clicked the button to CLOSE the contract.

Then I clicked the edit button, and I CHANGED THE AMOUNT OF MONEY to be released.
The default value was $1500.
I changed this to $750.

Then I clicked the button to finish closing the contract.

After I did that, the freelancer received a request to refund $750.

The freelancer clicked the button to accept that refund request.

Within five business days, $750 was returned to my bank account automatically.

[fd42c1cc]

what if the freelancer cancels the project from his side? 

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

re: "what if the freelancer cancels the project from his side?"

A freelancer is indeed allowed to cancel a project from his side.

If a freelancer closes a contract ("cancels a project") then all money in escrow automatically goes back to the client.