Client asking for a refund

[#1]

Dear Community, I am facing a dilemma and would appreciate help urgently.

I am working on Upwork for about 1 year now and recently got my Top rated badge. I have had amazing clients and hence never faced the problem of a refund.

This new client asked for a blog article as a test project and has funded the project with $77. When I submitted the article for payment, he said it is well written but the tone is not what he is looking for so he needs his money refunded. I told him politely that I will perform a revision, but he is insisting on a refund. The contract is still active. I do not mind giving a refund as I prefer client satisfaction above money. 

Please help me out with the procedure that I should follow so that the client gets his money refunded and the job doesn't affect my JSS score. Should I end the contract or should the client end the contract? Please help. Thanks

I

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Mashal:
I feel like you are asking about procedure, rather than asking if you should give a refund or not.

I will offer my opinion that it is very inappropriate for this client to ask you for a refund.

I will point out that you are NOT required to give this client a refund. But offering a refund might be the right thing for YOU to do, even if it wasn't right for the client to ask.

If you cooporate with the client and quickly refund the money, the I see no reason why the client would leave negative feedback. And if the client doesn't leave negative feedback, then this project will not have any negative impact on your JSS.

Refunding the money is easy.

Navigate to the contract listing:

Upwork -> My Jobs -> My Jobs

Click on the contract listing.

Click on the "Three Dots" icon.

Click on the option to "End Contract."

If YOU (the freelancer) end the contract, then all money in escrow will be refunded to the client automatically. He will receive it in his funding account within five business days.

After you end the contract yourself, you can immediately send him a note:

"Patrick, I closed the contract and issued a full refund to you. You will receive the money back on your credit card account within 5 business days. You do not need to do anything else in order to get the refund."

[#3]

Dear Preston,

Thank you so much for the kind support. 

Yes, true I always try my best to choose the most ethical solution to any problem. 

I have ended the contract and have notified the client. The client will get refunded as you had suggested. 

I wanted to ask if the client will have the option to give public and private feedback for this particular project and will it affect my JSS?

Thanks a lot for your kind help. Thanks

[#4]

hi, i was hired by a client from india to upload 12apps to my console play account which i did, but after upload his apps before approving the payements i requested to be paid, he asked me to transfer the 12apps to his account and we agreed and he said after just done transfering the apps i will approve the milestone, but after  transfering the apps again he said wait for 2 to 4 hours once apps get transfered i will pay you i did as he said i send him a message about the apps are successfully transfered thats how he approved the milestone....now the contract ended and just yesterday he stated requesting for the review to give him but i was just quite until today i gave him good review nomatter all he did  but all i recieved from his review about my work was poor plus hate speech againest me so that i shouldnt get clients. now just after that he inboxed me again about the review and i asked him whats remaining? we have already done with  work...thats how he started sending hate text and now he got his apps transfer he said let me punish you i will request for a refund.. i have full evidence about the clients and all our conversations. please help hewant to get a refund after doing his work.
**Edited for Community Guidelines**

[#5]

Hi Mark,

I'm sorry to hear about the bad experience you've had. Our team will investigate your client further and will take proper actions.

Regarding the refund, I would like to clarify that you don't need to take any action on the requests unless you would like to issue a refund to your client. To learn more about how to protect yourself, check out our resources Here. Thank you.

[#6]

Yes I'm going to issue the refund. I'm newer to this site and don't want a bad review. I spent ALOT of time writing then editing this. It seemed odd because I submitted first draft thru Upwork and was told not to submit any work thru the site. They gave me an alternate email to send the work to. When I started to get an odd feeling I submitted all drafts and edits thru Upwork. I am very responsive as you can see in my message and history and I always mert deadlines even if it's last minute job.

[#7]

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Ashleigh B wrote:
Yes I'm going to issue the refund. I'm newer to this site and don't want a bad review. I spent ALOT of time writing then editing this. It seemed odd because I submitted first draft thru Upwork and was told not to submit any work thru the site. They gave me an alternate email to send the work to. When I started to get an odd feeling I submitted all drafts and edits thru Upwork. I am very responsive as you can see in my message and history and I always mert deadlines even if it's last minute job.

---

Some people intentionally hire freelancers who are new to the platform because they know that these freelancers cannot afford to have bad reviews. This gives the client leverage.

There's not much you can do if you have encountered a client intent on scamming you. However, when a legitimate client asks for items to be sent via email, you can also submit the work using Upwork's system to ensure that you have made a record. You should also understand the nuances of fixed versus hourly pay. Each one has different criteria by which it will be judged should something go wrong. 

Finally, if you were not paid for a piece of content, it belongs to you. Refine the piece and remove anything that was related to the non-paying client, publish it and use it as a writing sample. (Some of my best writing samples started as paid projects.) 

[#8]

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Mark S wrote:

hi, i was hired by a client from india to upload 12apps to my console play account which i did, but after upload his apps before approving the payements i requested to be paid, he asked me to transfer the 12apps to his account and we agreed and he said after just done transfering the apps i will approve the milestone, but after  transfering the apps again he said wait for 2 to 4 hours once apps get transfered i will pay you i did as he said i send him a message about the apps are successfully transfered thats how he approved the milestone....now the contract ended and just yesterday he stated requesting for the review to give him but i was just quite until today i gave him good review nomatter all he did  but all i recieved from his review about my work was poor plus hate speech againest me so that i shouldnt get clients. now just after that he inboxed me again about the review and i asked him whats remaining? we have already done with  work...thats how he started sending hate text and now he got his apps transfer he said let me punish you i will request for a refund.. i have full evidence about the clients and all our conversations. please help hewant to get a refund after doing his work.
**Edited for Community Guidelines**

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Did he write somewhere in his messages that he will give you the poor feedback unless you refund him?

I am trying to get the job itself. He developed an app and wants you to publish it? Why? Sorry, I work in a different field and it feels like I am missing something.

And is it just coincidence that you work for another client from the same location? Was one of these contacts an invite?

You should make up your mind. Is your time worth $18, then make sure the fixed rate jobs reflect that as well. Right now, your work history says: I would work for free but I have to charge at least $5 to create the illusion I am making money with freelancing.

[#9]

no it was a job post and i have to apply, himself he developed his apps and he was looking for someone to upload on google play tore which i did but at last alot of thing come up from him. what has suprised is that today after work done with him, he started messaging me to give feedback review. after giving him a very good one and he gave back a bad review to me over all jis good work i did for him. and now he said i will punish you am going to request a refund. i have full evidence

[#10]

Mashal, I would not let the client get away with that sort of behaviour... 

You are top rated and unless you have used it in the last 10 contracts and 3 monts, you can zap a poor outcome (poor feedback, private and optionally public) from your profile from time to time by using your top rated perk.

We should not work for free, or train clients to pull this stunt every time they fancy free work.

Mashal M wrote:

The client will get refunded as you had suggested. 

---

That is so unfortunate and unneccessary.  It is such a crying shame that you were advised to refund a client for work you did honestly. And so terribly wrong. Why not tell you to send the client a gold watch along with a full refund?

Not only does it hurt you because you worked for free, it hurts all other freelancers because it teaches clients how they can get work without paying.

---

Mashal M wrote:

I have ended the contract and have notified the client. The client will get refunded as you had suggested. 

I wanted to ask if the client will have the option to give public and private feedback for this particular project and will it affect my JSS?

---

The client can still leave private feedback which is what affects your JSS.

It is so sad that freelancers like you are wrongly advised to throw away their work for free needlessly and clients are taught how to get free work. It's actually an absolute disgrace.

There was no need for you to refund. None at all. You followed very poor, if not outright malicious advice.

[#11]

Dear Petra,

Thank you so much for your kind support and encouragement. 

Yes, very true this kind of behaviour is outrageous and made me realise I should call them out. I have deleted the file of Google docs for that particular work so the client has no access to it now and can not use it. The client has lost me as a writer so it is their loss in the long run 🙂

Yes, I have not used the remove feedback option but I am saving it for the rainy days, as I would want to use it for a bigger contract if any such situation arises. 

This is my first post here and I am so glad that we have a supportive community that is here to help each other. Thanks again. 

[#12]

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Mashal M wrote:

I have deleted the file of Google docs for that particular work so the client has no access to it now and can not use it.

---

Chances are they've long downloaded it...

Either way, even if they totally hated it and have no intention of using it, ultimately they were taught how to get free work.

We don't want to teach bad clients how to scr*w freelancers over by throwing refunds at them for no rational reason at all.

Telling freelancers who did their work to refund in full needlessly is nothing short of malicious sabotage.  It is beyond me why someone would want a fellow freelancer to be working for free for absolutely no reason whatsoever at all.

[#13]

I have a client who asked me to take payment out of Upwork. I refused.

He got angry, hurled insults at my work and asked for a refund. He has not paid for the second half of my work but asking refund from the first half, which he did 15 days ago. By this time, Upwork has already released that money to my bank after the customary 6 day period.

Now that client has filed a falls compliant against my work and my finacial account has been restricted.

I mailed the support three days agao, no reply.

Can anyone tell me, if Upwork has jurisdiction over the money it released to me a week ago, after the 6 day mandatory period of keeping it locked?

In other words, can anyone tell me if the client can demand refund long after the payment has been released from Upwork?

Please help.

Thanks.

[#14]

Hi Jyoti, 

I'm sorry to learn about your issue with your client. I looked into your ticket and can see that it has already been escalated to the Mediation Team. Please know that they will be able to respond within two business days. On my end, I'll also let the team know that you have reached out and intend to get this resolved. 

I hope this gets resolved amicably. 

[#15]

Hi Avery,

Thanks for your kind reply. Much appreciated.

Regards

Jyoti

[#16]

Hi Avery,

Today, 8 hours ago refund was deducted from my account and returned to the client in question.

But my financial account is still blocked. Can you please help?

Thanks.

Jyoti

[#17]

Hi Jyoti, 

Please note that the team will respond within one to two business days. However, I have followed this up with the team handling your case, and I have let them know that you are waiting for an update. 

I appreciate your patience. 

[#18]

Thanks so much, Avery.

[#19]

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Mashal M wrote:

Dear Petra,

Thank you so much for your kind support and encouragement. 

Yes, very true this kind of behaviour is outrageous and made me realise I should call them out. I have deleted the file of Google docs for that particular work so the client has no access to it now and can not use it. The client has lost me as a writer so it is their loss in the long run 🙂

Yes, I have not used the remove feedback option but I am saving it for the rainy days, as I would want to use it for a bigger contract if any such situation arises. 

This is my first post here and I am so glad that we have a supportive community that is here to help each other. Thanks again. 

---

I agree that this client is not behaving appropriately as a trial implies that they understand the risk that they are purchasing an article they might not want to use. However, I have chosen to keep my work and drop the client in similar circumstances. The article is of value to you as a sample and if you are paid, the client can leave public feedback. (I have my TR perk available in case I don't want to exercise my option to keep the work.)

One of the benefits of being a freelancer is that you can choose what you value most. Some clients just aren't worth your time. The problem, as Petra points out, is that far too many clients leverage their position as the deliverer of feedback to manipulate freelancers into refunding. 

It's $77 and you are Top Rated. Don't sweat your decision, move forward and publish that piece yourself. 

[#20]

I agree with Tonya. Our work is more important than any client. I have worked, and am working with some of the best clients (call them Charile's angels🙂). 

At the same time, recently, there have been so many refund requests that now I feel, is there a refund scam going on?

In the last one month, I have received 3 refund demands from clients. One of them explained what was lacking in the article and why they can't use it. They paid for my article and asked refund for extra money from the escrow, which was genuine. I refunded the extra money.

The other two did not give any specific reson, just said they don't like it and demanded refund.

• One of them had not funded escrow with the agreed amount in the contract. Perhaps he intented not to pay.
• The other did not pay or refunded for my second batch of articles, came back after 20 days and demanded refund for the first batch. Again, he did not give any specific reason what was wrong with the articles, although he had praised them earlier and paid for them

Is it my overactive mind, or is it a "refund racket" going on to get content and not pay for it?

[#21]

Hi All,

A few posts have been removed from this thread as interpersonal disputes, personal attacks, and other disparaging comments are not permitted by our Community Guidelines. I would like to remind everyone to: 

Keep it professional. While it is understandable that Community members may have differing opinions and approaches to running their business on Upwork, or resolving issues when they arise, we ask that everyone conduct themselves in a professional, respectful manner in these forums. Please stay professional when communicating information and refrain from violating Community guidelines when participating in these boards.

Be clear when expressing an opinion versus Upwork policies or practices. We like to nurture a helpful environment—some great ideas come out of these forums! However, we ask that you make it clear where information is coming from. Please state in your posts when you share your opinion or personal approach so that others understand when you’re sharing your opinion versus information about Upwork processes or policies. 

We appreciate all who come to the Upwork Community and contribute to creating a place where professionals can learn, share, and be informed! Help us stay that way with professional and respectful conduct in these forums.

[#22]

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Mashal M wrote:

I do not mind giving a refund as I prefer client satisfaction above money. 

---

I hope the bank allows you to pay your bills in client satisfaction then... lol

If I feel I made a mistake or didn't do my best, I may give a partial discount. Other than that, any client asking for a total refund like this is straight up trash and a bad person.

[#23]

just sit tight, upwork will subtract the funds during your second job payment and use it to refund the client. I'm not sure but i beleieve that is what they can do.