Client added new milestone but doesn't fund escrow

[sandyphucvu]

I'm having a client who set a fixed-price contract with me. The client breakdown the work into 4 milestones, 1st milestone already funded in escrow, I've already submitted work for payment. The client now added 2nd milestone without adding fund to escrow neither approve the 1st one. I completed the 2nd one but haven't submitted and asked the client to approve the 1st, fund escrow for the 2nd, then I will submit the work. My questions:
- Is it true that client cannot fund second milestone if the 1st one haven't approved?
- If client doesn't fund escrow for next milestones, may I risk for unpaid work?
Thanks for your reading and advises.

[prestonhunter]

re: "Client added new milestone but doesn't fund escrow"

That means that the client doesn't want me to do the work.

No escrow = no work.

Not complicated.

[wlyonsatl · Accepted solution]

Before you begin work on any milestone, you should confirm it is showing as fully funded on the project page on Upwork. No money in escrow should usually mean you will not begin work on that milestone - Upwork cannot help you get paid if you deliver work to the client for an unfunded milestone.

Always use the green "Submit" button on the Upwork project page to send to the client milestone-related work you expect to be paid for. It doesn't need to be 100% complete- the client has 14 days from the date of your submission to review the work and ask you for any revisions.

However, if you submit completed or near-completed work to a client via email they can close the contract on Upwork and never pay you for your work. Always using the green "Submit" button on the project’s Upwork page for a fully-funded milestone is a key to getting paid on fixed price contracts.

The client can then release payment on a funded milestone to you at any time or wait 14 days to allow Upwork to automatically release payment to you. Do not submit the work a second time, as that re-starts the 14-day waiting period.

Do not begin work on any subsequent milestone until a) Upwork tells you thqt milestone is fully funded and b) payments on all previous milestones have been released to your Upwork account.

[sandyphucvu]

Hi Will,

Thanks for your detailed explanation that help a lot. I just cannot imagine this kind of tricky client still available (I experienced twice)...a bit sad! 

[martina_plaschka]

---

Duc Hoa Phuc V wrote:

Hi Will,

Thanks for your detailed explanation that help a lot. I just cannot imagine this kind of tricky client still available (I experienced twice)...a bit sad! 

---

There is nothing tricky about it. Any serious client knows that he will not get work that is not covered by an active milestone, and will not expect a freelancer to break the rules and do that. 

[wlyonsatl]

Yes, Duc Hoa Phuc V, there are too many clients who try to use tricks to get work they don't have to pay for. Not most clients, by any means, but far too many.

If you follow Upwork's rules and procedures, some of these tricks can be overcome. And many clients just can't be bothered to really understand how Upwork works, so we freelancers have to guide them through the process.

[rajenderchandel]

Hello,

I have a non responsive client who has not been responding for many months. I have already completed the work and have been asking for payment. The payment[$200] is in escrow but there is no way I can request it. Please advise how can I get this payment lying in escrow.

Contract ID - 31620173

Please help.

Thank you.

[ashrafkhan81]

You do not need the client's response as long as you followed the correct process. If the work is completed please proceed to submit the work, if the milestone is funded and activated, you should receive the funds in 14 days whether or not the client responds. 

Do not submit the work in Upwork messenger that will not trigger the payment request process. 

Reports->Overview-Work in progress->Select your contract->Submit work and wait for 14 days, once you submit the work forget about it do not come back after 2 days to resubmit it again...if you resubmit the 14days timer will be reset and you have to wait again 14 days...

[568023ed]

Greetings Sir,
Same as it is happening with me Right now! The job started on 11 January 2024 and 1st Milestones due date was 16th. I Submitted it then the payment came into my available balance but since the 16th January, client did'nt funded the milestone and yet asking me to work on that!

I'm Proposing him myself and asking him to fund the milestone so that I can begin working on it right away!

[tlsanders]

I haven't posted a job for a while, but the last time I did you could fund as many milestones as you wanted when you set up the contract, but once you'd set up the contract you couldn't fund new ones while the first was in progress. 

That doesn't mean you should work on another milestone before it is funded.