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dncampbell
Community Member

Client added a milestone after the agreed-upon work was completed

Hi,

I agreed to a fixed price contract with a client for an agreed upon price. The client created the first milestone and funded a portion of the total price we discussed. After completing the first draft and submitting it, he created and funded a second milestone with the remainder of the funds.  I completed the work as agreed. Instead of closing the contract, the client released the funds from the last milestone and added and funded another milestone.

 

I gave him two options when we were negotiating the original contract. The option he chose was the cheaper of the two and did not include what he is asking for now. The other option did include this, but at a higher cost than what he has now added to this third milestone.

I have not agreed to do more work for the client, but he was able to create a third milestone without proposing this addition to me? What are my options here? 

 

Thanks!

3 REPLIES 3
petra_r
Community Member


David C wrote:

 

I have not agreed to do more work for the client, but he was able to create a third milestone without proposing this addition to me? What are my options here? 

 


Negotiate with the client to see if there is a way to make this work for both of you.

If not, you can politely decline and end the contract, which will send the funds in Escrow back to the client.

 

Thanks, Petra! I've started negotiations with him. 

 

I just didn't realize that a client could add an additional milestone, at a price they determine on their own, without both of us agreeing to it beforehand. It didn't seem like a proposal from him to do additional work, in that UpWork didn't give me an option to decline the adjustment/addition to the contract. Unless I'm just not seeing that option.


David C wrote:

Thanks, Petra! I've started negotiations with him. 

 

I just didn't realize that a client could add an additional milestone, at a price they determine on their own, without both of us agreeing to it beforehand. It didn't seem like a proposal from him to do additional work, in that UpWork didn't give me an option to decline the adjustment/addition to the contract. Unless I'm just not seeing that option.


Your not missing anything. It can become a Catch 22. Close the contract and risk a negative feedback or complete the milestone not knowing what will happen after that.

 

You are acutally in the lucky situation that the client funded the amount you had defined before for the extra work. Consider it an extention to your current contract and work comming to you instead of you chasing after it, but make sure to tell the client that additional milestones should be discussed and agreed upon beforehand in the future.

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