Asking for additional work without extra pay on a project

[a_rockefeller]

I recently accepted an editing job with very specific details on how they wanted the video edited. I followed it exactly to their specifications and said I could obviously make any small changes after to their liking. They've sent me back a huge list that doesn't reflect at all what they originally asked for including audio clean up, color grading, animation, etc. I can easily do everything they've asked for but I would have never applied/accepted the job at the price of the project for this much work. I accepted it because they asked for an edit that was reasonable for the price. I asked for more compensation because of how much more they were asking for. They said no and will look for someone else. Since I'm fairly new on upwork, I offered to do it anyways for a nice review. They haven't replied. My question is if they go with someone else, I should still request payment for the work I've done since I did exactly what they asked right? If I do, will this effect me negatively for getting future work? What should I do?

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

Anissa: With a fixed-price contract, the client does not have the right to ask for more work, or for changes that are not specified in the original contract. The client can only ask you to do what was specified in the original agreement. Otherwise, the client is asking you to work for free, which is a violation of Upwork TOS.

So, no: You should not agree to work for free.

If a client wants something new, or different, they need to pay you for what you have already done and set up a new contract or milestone to do more.

You said you have done what was asked already. Then what you need to do is click the Submit Work and Request Payment button. You should NOT ask for permission to click that button. You should NOT wait for a client to respond. You click the button.

If the client does not respond, that is fine. All of the money in escrow will be released to you AUTOMATICALLY.

The client can NOT simply "go with someone else." The money funded in escrow is intended for you. There is no way for the client to unilaterally stop you from getting that money and give it to someone else. If the client tries to avoid releasing the money to you, you can say no and that triggers a dispute.

[a_rockefeller]

Thanks! I felt this was not right and needed some feedback.

[091f7192]

Hey Preston,

How do you prevent a client from leaving a bad review if they keep asking for more and you tell them sorry that is behind the contract? That's my deepest fear, I keep giving and giving in hopes they don't leave a bad review because I decided not to give more.

[wlyonsatl]

Anissa,

Preston is right - if you did the work, insist on getting paid,

If you haven't already, first things first - formally submit your completed work to the client using the "Submit" button on the project page. (The milestone has been fully funded, right?) That starts a 14-day countdown until payment is automatically released to you if the client doesn't object. Don't re-submit the work unless there is a good reason to do so - each formal submission re-starts the 14-day countdown for automatic release.

If the client wants more work, tell them you'll be happy to do it (assuming that's true) under a new and separate Upwork contract after funding for the completed work has been released to you by the client.

I'd advise against just adding new milestones under the existing project, if possible. Get the client to close the current project so you can see their feedback. After they close the project you can see if their rating of you and your work is accurate. If it isn't, you can then decide whether you want to work for them again.

[prestonhunter]

Excellent advice from Will.

I personally prefer single-milestone contracts.

I have worked with clients - clients I like and trust - and divided up tasks into a dozen or more separate single-milestone contracts.

It costs them no more to create a new contract than it does to create a new milestone.

The more a client is "sketchy" or "iffy".... the more you have reason to believe you can't fully trust that client to do the right thing - the more useful it is to have a contract FULLY CLOSED before agreeing to do the next task, using a SEPARATE contract.

[daniela_sauret]

I'm going through something exactly like this. For starters the description said it was a simple job of tracing a PDF blueprint into autocad...but when received the files it was a really complex and big floor plan that needed great detail and analysis...it took me 5 days for 100 dollars...and now the client asks for changes that were requested for him on a meeting and a whole information review of another file to adapt everything to that one...but I'm also new to upwork so want a good review.. thanks to the comments here I now know it's completely ok for me to be upset by this and is my right to ask for additional payment 

[prestonhunter]

Tell the client that you will do the changes.

After he closes the current contract.

After he closes the contact, then tell him you will work on those changes immediately after he creates an hourly contract to pay for the work.

Absolutely do not work for free.

I strongly advise against asking for additional payment as part of the current contract. This particular client has already demonstrated that he is incapable of using the fixed-price contact model.

This client is simply being silly be asking you to do the changes for free.

[daniela_sauret]

Hi! Thanks for your feedback Preston, 

He hasn't answered me, I politely offer him to make this a new milestone/project since is different from original objetive of the contract, it's been 2 days and the button for "submit work" for requested changes is active, what's your suggestion on this?

I have read that sometimes is better to let go the money and cancel the contract to protect my profile. 

[prestonhunter]

You should always click the "Submit work for payment" button once you have completed your assigned task. This means that you completed what was ORIGINALLY written down in the task description.

A client has no right to ask you to do anything beyond that. The client can ONLY ask you to do what was specifically written in the orignal task agreement.

Click the Submit button. If the client does nothing, all money in escrow will be released to you automatically.

If the client blocks payment by using the Request Changes button, then you will need to do this:

https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211068528-Dispute-Non-Release-of-a-Milestone-Payment

re: "I have read that sometimes is better to let go the money and cancel the contract to protect my profile."

Yes, that is a possibility. Nobody here can make that decision for you.

If the client is just wasting my time, then I may indeed close the contract myself and be done with it. How would I decide? How much money is involved? If it is a small amount of money, then it is easier to let go than if is a large amount of money. If a freelancer has a long, established work history, then one individuall job won't have much of an impact on the freelancer's profile. But if a freelancer is just starting out, then negative public and private feedback will be more significant. Is it possible to actually satisfy a client? Or is the client going to be negative no matter what? Is the client really trying to get specific work done? Or is the client simply trying to get work for free, by manipulating the system?