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renitanur93
Community Member

About Fixed-Priced Job

Hi, I would like to ask about how fixed-priced project funded is.. So, we (my client and I) agreed that $30 is for 1 week work. 

Then my client: "This is a fixed rate ongoing role, do you know how do i set this up on upwork?"

Me :  you could name the 1st milestone as 'week 1 (19/08 - 25/08) ' 2nd milestone week 2 (26/08 - ......)

And then he said ok. He sent me offer. I accepted. But then I realized that it's only funded $10 in escrow. 

What I know isn't supposed to be fully funded ($30)? 

I asked about this to my client but he said  '$10 is paid to you now. and you will received the remaining when you complete the job. I have never work with you and it doesnt make sense to pay you upfront now when you are not starting the job today' and he also said that Upwork should be able to hold the fund and release the full amount if I meet the requirement.

Is that how the fixed-priced and escrow work?

BUT What I know isn't supposed to be fully funded ($30)? SO that both client and freelancer are protected. I've tried to explain about this and my worries to him, and he said he flag it? and let upwork resolve it? (I'm not sure what he means by this, can client flag something to ask upwork help resolve something?)

I think my other clients before him always fully funded the escrow so I'm kind of worried here. Moreover I've accepted the offer so it makes me even more worried (yes I know it's my fault too for accepting it without checking the amount in escrow) He doesn't seem a new client in Upwork and I don't think he has any payment-related problem based on his review.... but still I'm worried... =(

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kat303
Community Member

Renita - This is a stranger from who knows where that you connected with on the internet. Are you really really sure you want to trust this internet stranger, who, IMO knows exactly what they are doing? I highly doubt that this client will pay you the other $20 when you complete All the work, You will only get $10. and will never get a response from this client about the $20 after he receives the work. I also IMO think that this client has done this many times to other unsuspecting freelancers. 

 

If you've explained to this client that the $30 will go into Upwork's escrow account and AFTER you deliver the work, and the client approves it, then that money will be paid to you. Another scenario might be, - if this client deposits the $30  you may be flooded with endless revision request. Your work will never be what the client needs and he will wear you down until you refund that $30 because the revisions will not stop until then. 

 

You might try, doing just 10% of the work. Just enough work to cover the $10 in escrow and if he asks you where the rest of the work is, you can tell him, nicely and professionally that once the remaining $20 is deposited into escrow you will then continue to deliver the rest of the work.  

 

 

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14 REPLIES 14
gilbert-phyllis
Community Member

It sounds like he doesn't understand escrow, or he's hoping you don't. He needs to fund escrow for the full amount of the milestone. When you complete the work and request payment, he has 14 days to review the work and ask for changes if needed. The funds transfer to you only when he approves the payment or, if he does nothing, after 14 days have passed. If he is not happy with the work, he can ask for revisions or he can approve payment of only part of the funds and ask you to refund the rest from escrow. 

 

You should not begin work until he places the entire $30 into escrow. Otherwise, you have no protection once you complete the work. He could pay you the $10 and vanish.

pudingstudio
Community Member


Renita Nur R wrote:

Hi, I would like to ask about how fixed-priced project funded is.. So, we (my client and I) agreed that $30 is for 1 week work. 

Then my client: "This is a fixed rate ongoing role, do you know how do i set this up on upwork?"

Me :  you could name the 1st milestone as 'week 1 (19/08 - 25/08) ' 2nd milestone week 2 (26/08 - ......)

And then he said ok. He sent me offer. I accepted. But then I realized that it's only funded $10 in escrow. 

What I know isn't supposed to be fully funded ($30)? 

I asked about this to my client but he said  '$10 is paid to you now. and you will received the remaining when you complete the job. I have never work with you and it doesnt make sense to pay you upfront now when you are not starting the job today' and he also said that Upwork should be able to hold the fund and release the full amount if I meet the requirement.

Is that how the fixed-priced and escrow work?

BUT What I know isn't supposed to be fully funded ($30)? SO that both client and freelancer are protected. I've tried to explain about this and my worries to him, and he said he flag it? and let upwork resolve it? (I'm not sure what he means by this, can client flag something to ask upwork help resolve something?)

I think my other clients before him always fully funded the escrow so I'm kind of worried here. Moreover I've accepted the offer so it makes me even more worried (yes I know it's my fault too for accepting it without checking the amount in escrow) He doesn't seem a new client in Upwork and I don't think he has any payment-related problem based on his review.... but still I'm worried... =(


You are correct.
Your client should fund whole milestone ($30 in this case, not $10).

'He said he flag it?' I am also baffled by that statement. Makes no sense.

You've encountered a bad person. That person happens to be a client.

You can walk away.
You can try to work.

You're (guessing) worried about you JSS. You will (guessing) try to make it work.

You should walk away.

It (UpWork) is SAME as anything else in life - you fall, you get up. You learn.

You will gain knowledge even if you don't walk away. Possibly more. Not sure it's worth it, that is why MY position is to walk away.

Please NOTE that I'm just a freelancer like yourself. I'm NOT in a position to give advice, only sharing thoughts.

Yes, true, I'm worried about my JSS. I'm also debating with myself here, should I try to trust what he said and work for a week, see what happen in the end whether I will received my $20 or not, if I don't received it then I can give him a bad review.

Actually what happened if I don't work on it? You guys said It's better to walk away or to not start working before he fully funded it... you mean give a refund? so that it won't really affect my JSS.... I haven't start working on anything.... I just received the contract 2 hours ago...


Renita Nur R wrote:

 

Actually what happened if I don't work on it? You guys said It's better to walk away or to not start working before he fully funded it... you mean give a refund? so that it won't really affect my JSS.... I haven't start working on anything.... I just received the contract 2 hours ago...


Have you accepted it? If you have, it will affect your JSS for better or for worse.


Just how many hours of work is that client expecting for his measerly $ 30... It better not be more than 10 a week.

@Petra : Unfortunately I've accepted it because I'm in hurry and failed to checked thoroughly the amount in escrow. I know it's my fault too. It's not a job that need my special skills though (I don't need to think about anything), it's a job that super easy but a little bit time consuming (like probably I will need to spend 2-3 hours a day), so I'm considering to try to trust him that he will send the rest of $20, to avoid my JSS going down because I cancelled a contract. But I understand well that I will have the risk of getting pay only $10.

 

If I decided to close the contract, the $10 in the escrow will refunded back to him right, then it will be a contract end with no payment, how badly it will affect my JSS? I know that I have a chance to remove 1 bad feedback to save my JSS, but with contract end with no payment both of us can't leave each other feedback right?

 

Actually when a client posted a fixed-price job, do they have to make any payment in upwork?

So what I get to understand is it seems he already make a $30 payment to the project but only funded $10 in escrow to me? That's why he said I will get the rest after I finish the job? Am I right? or wrong about this?  But whether I'm right or wrong about this, it still means that he doesn't understand how escrow work right?

 


Renita Nur R wrote:

Yes, true, I'm worried about my JSS. I'm also debating with myself here, should I try to trust what he said and work for a week, see what happen in the end whether I will received my $20 or not, if I don't received it then I can give him a bad review.

Actually what happened if I don't work on it? You guys said It's better to walk away or to not start working before he fully funded it... you mean give a refund? so that it won't really affect my JSS.... I haven't start working on anything.... I just received the contract 2 hours ago...


Your client didn't fund whole (agreed upon) milestone; they have insinuated (or just informed you) that they won't do it until work is done.

It's YOUR client, YOU are about to work with them. It IS all about you. Your work, your choices.

If it was ME, I would walk away.

What you've asked considering JSS - listen to Petra. She has ALL the knowledge (not being condescending, just truthful; Petra helped many).


Renita Nur R wrote:

Yes, true, I'm worried about my JSS. I'm also debating with myself here, should I try to trust what he said and work for a week, see what happen in the end whether I will received my $20 or not, if I don't received it then I can give him a bad review.

Actually what happened if I don't work on it? You guys said It's better to walk away or to not start working before he fully funded it... you mean give a refund? so that it won't really affect my JSS.... I haven't start working on anything.... I just received the contract 2 hours ago...


Renita,

 

You can do what you want but I would not let anyone disrespect me like that.  He already broke an agreement, why would he do it again?

 

As for your JSS...

 

Capture.PNG

 

You are top rated...even if your JSS falls ...

 

You always have this if you haven't used it:

https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/219801228

  • Requests may only be made every 3 months and after 10 or more completed contracts from the time you submitted your previous request

 

@Mark : Hi Mark, I haven't used that support before, but if I end a contract with no payment means that we can't leave feedback to each other, can I still use this support to save my JSS? 


Renita Nur R wrote:

@Mark : Hi Mark, I haven't used that support before, but if I end a contract with no payment means that we can't leave feedback to each other, can I still use this support to save my JSS? 


I haven't either.  I don't know, I am not sure about that specific sitation.  Hopefully someone will chime in.

 

I still would back out of the job and take the JSS hit whatever it is.

petra_r
Community Member

$ 30 a week - 2 to 3 hours a day, assuming 5 days a week, makes 10 to 15 hours a week at $ 2 to $ 3 an hour and that's not good (putting it politely...)

 

If you get rid of the contract it will affect your JSS but yes, you absolutely can use your perk even when nothing has been paid.

@Petra : yes it's not good if the job required more effort or skills for me, but the job isn't like that, so I'm ok with that amount 😃

 

After talk it out to my client, she (yes, I just found out, I thought he) agreed that I work for $10 worth first, and she will funded the rest of $20 in another milestone. It seems like she asked Upwork's support regarding this as well, she understand how escrow work now. So problem solved. Thank you so much for the help here! 

kat303
Community Member

Renita - This is a stranger from who knows where that you connected with on the internet. Are you really really sure you want to trust this internet stranger, who, IMO knows exactly what they are doing? I highly doubt that this client will pay you the other $20 when you complete All the work, You will only get $10. and will never get a response from this client about the $20 after he receives the work. I also IMO think that this client has done this many times to other unsuspecting freelancers. 

 

If you've explained to this client that the $30 will go into Upwork's escrow account and AFTER you deliver the work, and the client approves it, then that money will be paid to you. Another scenario might be, - if this client deposits the $30  you may be flooded with endless revision request. Your work will never be what the client needs and he will wear you down until you refund that $30 because the revisions will not stop until then. 

 

You might try, doing just 10% of the work. Just enough work to cover the $10 in escrow and if he asks you where the rest of the work is, you can tell him, nicely and professionally that once the remaining $20 is deposited into escrow you will then continue to deliver the rest of the work.  

 

 

@Kathy : Thank you for the opinion! Seems like she wasn't a bad person/client, she just didn't understand how escrow work, and now she understand about it. Seems like she also made the effort to ask to Upwork support about this. We agreed that I work for $10 worth first, and she will funded the rest of $20 in another milestone. Problem Solved. Thank you!


Renita Nur R wrote:

@Kathy : Thank you for the opinion! Seems like she wasn't a bad person/client, she just didn't understand how escrow work, and now she understand about it. Seems like she also made the effort to ask to Upwork support about this. We agreed that I work for $10 worth first, and she will funded the rest of $20 in another milestone. Problem Solved. Thank you!


Renita, I think I gave you bad advice and this thread made me think about it:

https://community.upwork.com/t5/Freelancers/Advice-on-dealing-with-change-in-scope-of-project/m-p/63...

 

Katherine has a resolution at the end and Petra in reply says:

 

I really believe that the vast majority of clients are not intentionally evil

 

I think I suggested that the client disrepected you and I am glad you were more patient with the situation.  I think the best advice is always to rescue the situation if you can and assume that both parties are negotiating in good faith but perhaps hampered by ignorance.

 

Thanks for providing the followup!

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