Ending a contract .

[Linda J]

I sent a deposit for a project and now the freelancer is telling me their computer is broken and they cannot do the job.  Do I just end the project? Or what?  I would like my money back.

[Preston H]

Yes. Close the contract, while asking for a full refund.

The freelancer will approve the refund.

Then you will automatically receive all your money back in five business days.

[Jennifer M · Accepted solution]

You can tell them that you're closing and asking for a refund. It's not a guarantee that they won't dispute, but it would be silly and unlikely.

Just tell them that you need to have it done, so you are going to find another contractor. Flakey freelancers are a problem especially if they are new. I always found that if you go with people who regularly work on the platform then they are a lot less likely to be a flake.

[John K]

Aside from Jennifer's excellent advice, I suggest you avoid the cheapest freelancers, if you want timely results. You can't get fast, cheap, and good at the same time. 

[Linda J]

Thanks for the suggestion.  The freelancer finally graciously closed the contract and returned my deposit.