Client Unresponsive and Not Releasing Content

[marksudell]

Hi - I am in a situation where I dont know how to move forward...

I was hired by a client to design a Wordpress website. I did it for a cheap price because I needed the work. The site looks great and all I need is the client's bio to complete the site and the third milestone.

But, the client has failed to give me the copy for his bio so I can't end the milestone and get paid. Its been over a month since the milestone was supposed to be completed and client is now not even answering texts or emails.

Also, the client has always come across as shady. For example, the name they have on Upwork is a woman's name. But when he agreed to take my phone call, it was as a man and he had a different name. 

I don't want to end the project. I want to get paid. The site is 95% done. But I only got paid for 50% of it. I want the remaining money.

Could Upwork attempt to contact him?

Also - if I had to go through a vetting process to work through Upwork, why shouldnt clients? (or do they?) **Edited for community guidelines**  That doesnt seem right.

[feed_my_eyes]

If the work is 95% done, submit for the remaining 45% of the payment. The client then has 14 days to ask for revisions, or it will be automatically released to you. You can leave them a polite message saying that you'll be happy to add the bio whenever it's ready, but you're requesting that they release the payment for the work done so far.

And what sort of a vetting process do you think that you went through before you joined? Upwork doesn't vet new freelancers any more than they vet clients - people can (and do) say whatever they want in their profiles. 

[marksudell]

Thank you for responding, Christine.

How do I submit for the remaining when the client marked the milestone 'INACTIVE' (see attached).

As for vetting, I had to go through a video conference call before starting on Upwork. Then, I had to go hrough it again after my first project was completed. Do clients go through that? Thats what I'm referrng to.

[marksudell]

I accidentally accepted Prestons answer as a solution. I dont know how to change that, so I am Replying here. I would like to hear Christine's response about how to submit for remaining milesone when Client marked job 'InActive'. 

How do we handle a situation like that?

[feed_my_eyes]

---

Mark S wrote:

I accidentally accepted Prestons answer as a solution. I dont know how to change that, so I am Replying here. I would like to hear Christine's response about how to submit for remaining milesone when Client marked job 'InActive'. 

How do we handle a situation like that?

---

Preston's response was the correct solution - your milestone says "not funded", meaning that your client never put any money into the escrow account; therefore, there's no payment for you to request. It won't do any good for Upwork to contact your client, because your client can ignore them just as easily as they can ignore you. So I advise that you handle this by acknowledging that you made a mistake, and move on. If you try to sabotage the client's website for revenge, you'll only make things worse.

ETA: If we're talking about a substantial amount of money, and you and the client are in the same country, you could consider pursuing this in small claims court. But there's no solution to be had via Upwork.

[prestonhunter]

Mark:

The screenshot you shared says that the milestone is "not funded."

It is "inactive" and "not funded."

Not funded means not funded.

There is no money there.

This was back in September.

This is over.

Upwork will not do anything.

Close the contract today.

Or leave it open if you want to. But I don't think anything will come of it.

You made a mistake when you worked on an unfunded milestone. You are not supposed to do that.

[marksudell]

Whats the advantage of closing the contract?

[prestonhunter]

re: "Whats the advantage of closing the contract?"

It will help you to stop thinking about this contract.

That is the main advantage in my mind.

There may eventually be some small negative impact to JSS from having an inactive contract lowering your active contract percentage. But I think that is very small.

[marksudell]

LOL! No, I'm not ready to do that.

I'm going to put a screen over his site. Maybe that will get his attention.

[avirockx007]

I don't there are any advantages of closing the contract but it will help you to move foward and let you think that it was a bad experience. In my opinion forget everything & move on.

[prestonhunter]

re: "As for vetting, I had to go through a video conference call before starting on Upwork. Then, I had to go hrough it again after my first project was completed. Do clients go through that?"

No.

Clients are not vetted.

[avirockx007]

Hey Mark,

Feel sorry for you in this regard. In the SS it looks like the milestone on which you are working on is not even funded. You should have checked it before working because whenever a milestone is activated the payment is transfred to the escrow so that payment issues could be avoided. But there is nothing in your case,

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

re: "Could Upwork attempt to contact him?"

On rare occasions Upwork contacts people on behalf of the other party, but it really is not their intention to serve as a go-between.

I strongly advise you to resolve this matter without attempting to involve Upwork Customer Support.

I can't imagine Upwork directly intervening in a situation like this.

If this had been me, I would have never set up a milestone that required receiving something in the future from the client. That isn't how I do things. I receive all necessary ingredients before agreeing to the task.

In your situation, you should have asked for the info you needed once. Then wait 24 hours. Then click the Submit Work button. Then receive all pay automatically. Then close the contract. And if there is ever a time in the future when the client contacts and provides you with the content, you should upload it for no additional charge.

[marksudell]

Great tips, Preston. I'll do that moving forward.

[BojanS]

Hi Mark,

We strongly advise freelancers not to start working on a job without Escrow being funded for the Milestone they're working on, in order to avoid delays and potential problems.

You can keep trying to reach your client since there might some valid reasons for them not to be able to respond.

Thank you!