Client asking for amends after contract ended and bonus and feedback given

[alysegoody]

I worked on a large fixed price project for a client recently. The job was closed with 5* feedback and a bonus.

The client messaged today that they had got the original design size wrong and it needed to be changed to match the correct versions.

This job has already taken me a lot longer than initially thought and being a fixed price job it ended up being quite low paying hourly. I am not really sure about what to go back to the client on this as in my view the work was approved and 5* review given, it was client error on the initial messages as to the size of the design. 

What I am asking is, do I have to respond and do this work even after the job being closed and positive feedback given - is there any negative consequence to not doing the work?

[colettelewis]

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Alice G wrote:

I worked on a large fixed price project for a client recently. The job was closed with 5* feedback and a bonus.

The client messaged today that they had got the original design size wrong and it needed to be changed to match the correct versions.

This job has already taken me a lot longer than initially thought and being a fixed price job it ended up being quite low paying hourly. I am not really sure about what to go back to the client on this as in my view the work was approved and 5* review given, it was client error on the initial messages as to the size of the design. 

What I am asking is, do I have to respond and do this work even after the job being closed and positive feedback given - is there any negative consequence to not doing the work?

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There will be no negative consequences, but if you had a good working relationship with the client, you could reply and say that you would be happy to do the work; and that your fee for doing it would be XYZ. You are not in any way obliged to amend work already paid for. 

[alysegoody]

Thanks for responding! It was a one-off job so in terms of the working relationship it wouldn't have an effect as this was closed just over a week ago with no upcoming work. 

I am just worried to incase he requests a refund? The work was done as per his original brief but this brief has now changed after he realized the error in dimensions he had given.

Thanks for your help!

[colettelewis]

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Alice G wrote:

Thanks for responding! It was a one-off job so in terms of the working relationship it wouldn't have an effect as this was closed just over a week ago with no upcoming work. 

I am just worried to incase he requests a refund? The work was done as per his original brief but this brief has now changed after he realized the error in dimensions he had given.

Thanks for your help!

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Alice, I may be quite wrong, but if this were me, I would reply and suggest a new contract and a fee to cover the amendment. I don't think the client can ask for a refund, when the mistake was his. 

[prestonhunter]

re: "The client messaged today that they had got the original design size wrong and it needed to be changed to match the correct versions."

Are you saying that the client contacted you about a CLOSED contract and asked you to do some additional work on the project, but did NOT proactively ask to hire you again?

That is kind of messed up.

As a client, my projects are important. I don't have time to waste.

Of course any time I contact a freelancer I have worked with before, I make sure it is clear - in the start of any new communication, that I want to hire them to do some more work for me. Of course I always make it clear that I plan to pay them for any additional work that they do.

I certainly don't have time to waste with freelancers working for free, or with freelancers who resent working for me. That is a recipe for failure.

[zoeadel]

Hi Alice,

from your message the client has no grounds for a refund - 'they had got the original design size wrong'. Since they have written this to you, even if they contested the job I don't think they'd win a case. Hopefully, they're nice reasonable humans and it won't come to that.

It sounds to me like you completed the task to brief and the client was happy.

It happens in design, and if I were in your shoes I'd be polite about it and quote the job.

I'd spin it positively too if you can! Maybe you can deliver it in the day because you have all the files organised or you're so sorry to hear that the sizes were wrong and you'll move another job to prioritise their task as you loved working with them and appreciate this is increasing in urgency.

You're within your right to charge and I don't think you should let fears of a refund devalue your time 🙂

Good luck!

[alysegoody]

Thank you!

I’ve gone back to him as you advised and we’ve agreed on an hourly contract to amend the work with the changed directive.

I suppose I was just a bit gutted to see something I’d worked so long on come back again! Thanks again for your help!

[alysegoody]

Hello, I am still fairly new to this site so please bear with if I have misunderstood anything!

I started a project almost a month ago for a client, was going well with one of his last messages being positive but that he wanted to speak to his team before coming back with revisions. I touched base two weeks ago to see if he had spoken to his team so I can go ahead and make any unnecessary revisions and complete the job and he had not. I haven't heard from him since. I don't want to pester but the contract is way over the agreed delivery date and with no end in sight I am not sure what to do?

I am still awaiting some final copy from them to finalize this work - otherwise, I would have submitted the current version for payment but as it's unfinished without their copy it doesn't feel right to do. 

Can anyone advise? This was a high paying fixed-price contract but at this point, I feel like I am holding off starting new work with clients in case he comes back and I don't have the time to manage all.

[prestonhunter]

re: "Unresponsive client, what do I do?... I touched base two weeks ago..."

Clients are not required to be unresponsive.

As a freelancer, I get paid whether or not clients are responsive.

If you have finished the work, then click on the "Submit Work and Request Payment" button.

Then you will receive your payment AUTOMATICALLY.

Had you done that, you would have ALREADY received your payment.

re: "I am still awaiting some final copy from them to finalize this work - otherwise, I would have submitted the current version for payment but as it's unfinished without their copy it doesn't feel right to do."

You did the work that you could. You should be paid. That is how Upwork intends the system to be used.
You chouls have clicked the button. If you really, really, really feel that you needed something from the client, then you could have sent a message, waited 24 hours, and THEN clicked the button.