What to Do When Freelancer Vanishes/Fails to Complete Task According to Deadline

[#1]

Hi all,

We've been using Upwork for a long time, admittedly less in recent months, and we have a new task that was agreed with a writer who then failed to produce the content by the deadline date and hasn't responded to any messages.

When we view the contract we can't see the relevant button/area to cancel and therefore get the funds back so we can assign to a new writer on Upwork. 

What is the best route to take in these circumstances? 

[#2]

Hi Mark, 

I'm sorry to hear about your experience with this freelancer. You can cancel the contract and it will automatically request a refund for the amount held in Escrow. 

To request an escrow refund:

1. Go to My Jobs to locate the contract
2. Choose the (...) options menu and select End contract
3. Choose Pay nothing and request a refund or Pay another amount when ending the contract

   

If your final payment is less than your escrow balance, an escrow refund request will be sent to your freelancer or agency. They will have seven days to respond.

Note: This process only applies to Fixed-Price Contracts with amounts still in escrow. For refunds on fixed-price contracts where the funds have been released, go here. For refunds on hourly contracts, take a look here.

You can also check this help article for more information.