Client Requested a refund on a closed contract.

[hamza0005]

Hello 🙂 
Recently I worked on a project and client wanted me to show him the files side by side , so that the process is smooth , I shared with the client as soon as I completed the files , there were 36 files in total, so after some time the client was angry that he cannot go through files side by side , I then shared all the files together , and there were a few things that needed tweeking a little , I made the changes and then asked him if everything is ok? The client was very happy and told me to make the final submissions, 
He ended the contract gave me a very good feedback , But now after a week the client contacted me and is demanding me to redo all the work on all the 36 iamges , and sent me the ss of the file where he messed with all the arranged ICONS and TEXTS, I have done everything write and I still have files as a proof. 
Long story short , the client wants me to do it all again without paying me more, and says he was too busy to check files then ( although they are all according to clients' requirements , at my end, I did everything alright ) .
After that when I said that it isn't my fault and I have met all the requirements and I made sure that the he was happy and I showed him the files before making final submission . The client has sent me a refund request , and I get the message that "can't send a message in archived room" . 
Now what should I do? 
If I leave it as it is, like moving on and keep following my daily routine , will it effect my profile anyway ? 

It would be really great if someone can help me deal with this matter . 
Thankyou 🙂 

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

re: "Client requested a refund on a closed contract."

Um... No.

That is not acceptable.

The time for a client to deal with something is while a contract is still open.

YOU must be polite and professional ALWAYS.

Don't argue with the client.

But also, you don't need to give the client a refund.

It was inappropriate for the client to ask for a refund.

Most of the time when something like this happens it is simply a matter of a client finding a button that says "refund" and the client thinks "Oh, free money!" In these situations, the client doesn't actually have any reason for asking for a refund, other than perhaps greed and total disrespect for you as a human being. They have a "video game" mentality. They would not have asked for a refund if they were sitting in the same room as the freelancer.

Typically if you send a short note to the client...

"It looks like some sort of refund request was generated by the system. If that was generated by accident, don't worry about it. If you had a question, feel free to let me know."

...then usually the freelancer will never hear back from the client.

Because what is a client going to say? "Oh, yeah, I just wanted money. I want to buy new shoes for my dog."

Typically a client who clicks the button that generates an automated refund request will be too embarrassed to reply when a freelancer asks about it.

[kbadeau]

"Most of the time when something like this happens it is simply a matter of a client finding a button that says "refund" and the client thinks "Oh, free money!" In these situations, the client doesn't actually have any reason for asking for a refund, other than perhaps greed and total disrespect for you as a human being. They have a "video game" mentality. They would not have asked for a refund if they were sitting in the same room as the freelancer."

I love that. Total desrespect. But it sounds like he tried to respond to client and can't? And I feel like the Petra response would be... don't waste your time responding. He has no basis for asking and the contract is closed.

[prestonhunter]

It is fine for any client to reach out to a freelancer to ask that freelancer to help him again.

But the first thing the client says needs to clearly show that the client intends to pay the freelancer for additional work.

A client can say: "Justine: Thank you again for your work on my project last month. Can I hire you to make some changes to these files? I can hire you usng an hourly or fixed-price contract, as you prefer?"

For a client to contact a freelancer with a CLOSED contract and ask that freelancer to do something is wrong. It is a violation of Upwork ToS. And MORE IMPORTANTLY: It hurts the client.

Asking for freel work hurts the client.

There is no contract in place.

There is no arrangement to pay the freelancer.

There is no motivation on the freelancer's part to do anything.

Here is what happens in real life: Freelancers are NICE. Freelancers want to HELP clients.

So a lot of times a freelancer actually agrees to something.
But when is the freelancer going to do that?

Not before the freelancer's other priorities.

Not before the freelancer works on paying jobs.

And not before the freelancer does his laundry.

And not before the freelancer catches up on the latest episodes of that TV series he is watching on Netflix.

The client is likely to end up thinking that something will get done, which never gets done.

And what is the client going to do about it?

Complain to Upwork?

"Hello, Upwork Support: This freelancer said he would redo 36 files for me, but he never did it."

Well, there's no contract in place. Of course he didn't do it.

Clients should AGGRESSIVELY check their entire operation to make sure that there is no "free work" going on. The last thing I need on my important project is people "working for free."

[hamza0005]

Thankyou Kelly 🙂 
I will not reply even if he contacts me again . Even now , I checked the files and went through all the files and everything was according to the agreement. 

[feed_my_eyes]

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Kelly B wrote:

And I feel like the Petra response would be... don't waste your time responding. He has no basis for asking and the contract is closed.

---

If it was a recently closed fixed price contract and the client requests dispute mediation or arbitration, the freelancer can't refuse to respond.

[kbadeau]

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Christine A wrote:

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Kelly B wrote:

And I feel like the Petra response would be... don't waste your time responding. He has no basis for asking and the contract is closed.

---

If it was a recently closed fixed price contract and the client requests dispute mediation or arbitration, the freelancer can't refuse to respond.

---

I feel like it's more common for clients to either ask for "free" revisions or request a refund without doing it officially because they know they'd lose in a dispute, and I seem to be incapable of not responding, but I always dream about being a no nonsense take no guff kind of freelancer. Even as top rated plus, I feel like I live in constant fear of the JSS and the client's power over it.

It never occurred to me that it's a violation of the ToS.

[hamza0005]

Thanks alot Mr. Preston , Its a relief finding your reply. I was so worried since its the first time I have encountered such an issue . I am very much thankful to you 🙂 
When the client first messaged me , I simply expalined him that how I checked before submission and how it is unfair to ask me to redo everything again . But now, I can't even reply him . so I will leave it as it is. 

And I love the way you realted it with the dog example , lol. 
I just wish to have a good professional relationship with everyone and I hope no such thing happens again . I will be more careful from now on. 
Thanks alot 🙂  It really was comforting at helpful at the same time. 

[prestonhunter]

re: "If it was a recently closed fixed price contract and the client requests dispute mediation or arbitration, the freelancer can't refuse to respond."

Excellent point.

There are certain types of refund request which trigger a "formal" procedure, which is what Christine is referring to. And there are buttons that clients can click which generate an automated "informal" refund request, which is nothing more than a message that has no "teeth" and causes no action.

My recomendation is to always respond to any refund request. But if the request is an "informal" message such as the original poster described, the freelancer does not need to say much. And the freelancer does not need to engage in an verbose, ongoing dialogue.

A single polite response that asks a question ("Can you explain why you are asking this?") or declines the refund request can suffice.