Client asking refund for completed work

parth3rdeye · ‎06-22-2020

I had one contract, hourly. I've done all the tasks and client ended the contract from his end and gave me 5 stars and payment. After that he requested me to resolve some other bugs which was already in the site from previous developer. All errors were there from previous developer. Client wants me to resolve previous developer's bugs for free of cost. So i declined his offer because the bugs are big and lots of, so now he is forcing me to give refund. My work was done 100%, tested 10 times by client and me together and he only appeared the completion of my work. So my work is done 100% and i won't give refund.

Now client want me to refund money, what should i do?

wlyonsatl · ‎06-22-2020

Parth,

Did you track all your work time on this client's project client using the TimeTracker app with descriptive memoes for each work session?

If so, the client has no way under Upwork's rules to force you to refund any of the payments to you.

If you manually added any time to your work time on this project, that could be a different story.

As Preston pointed out on another thread, "...the client can dispute your hours during the first five days after a work week has ended. That is the dispute period. If a client disputes your manually-logged hours during that time, Upwork WILL remove those hours.

But after that time period, the client cannot dispute your hours. After that, the client is just 'requesting' a refund. And as a freelancer, you can and should ... politely decline."

parth3rdeye · ‎06-22-2020

Hello Sir,

This is the contract id: 24460175

I have added 10 hours manually only. No tracker.

I have just replied the client as below:

"

1) If work was not done, why you've completed the contract from your end?
2) If it was not done, why you gave payment?
3) If quality of my work was not good,why you gave 5 stars and good feedback?

Sorry but i decline this refund. I got money for what and how i worked for your site as we agreed in contract. Now if you want other extra work then it will cost extra, not free.

"

Will client's request to refund will effect my JSS?

Will upwork do any action on my profile about this action?

prestonhunter · ‎06-22-2020

re: "Will client's request to refund will effect my JSS?"

No.

re: "Will upwork do any action on my profile about this action?"

No.

colettelewis · ‎06-22-2020

Parth P wrote:
Hello Sir,

This is the contract id: 24460175

I have added 10 hours manually only. No tracker.

I have just replied the client as below:
"
1) If work was not done, why you've completed the contract from your end?
2) If it was not done, why you gave payment?
3) If quality of my work was not good,why you gave 5 stars and good feedback?

Sorry but i decline this refund. I got money for what and how i worked for your site as we agreed in contract. Now if you want other extra work then it will cost extra, not free.
"

Will client's request to refund will effect my JSS?
Will upwork do any action on my profile about this action?

__________________________

The request to refund will not affect your JSS.

I don't think a client can dispute manual hours once you have been paid and the contract closed. Worst-case scenario: a client could effect a chargeback, which is against Upwork's terms and conditions, but not cut in stone.

petra_r · ‎06-22-2020

Nichola L wrote:
Parth P wrote:

Will client's request to refund will effect my JSS?
Will upwork do any action on my profile about this action?
__________________________
The request to refund will not affect your JSS.
I don't think a client can dispute manual hours once you have been paid and the contract closed.

They can, up to 30 days after payment.

BUT at this stage the client hasn't disputed and hopefully he won't-

petra_r · ‎06-22-2020

Will L wrote:

As Preston pointed out on another thread, "...the client can dispute your hours during the first five days after a work week has ended. That is the dispute period. If a client disputes your manually-logged hours during that time, Upwork WILL remove those hours.

But after that time period, the client cannot dispute your hours. After that, the client is just 'requesting' a refund. And as a freelancer, you can and should ... politely decline."

Actually, it's not as simple as that. The client can request dispute mediation after the 5 day review has passed, within 30 days of the last payment. During mediation Upwork reserves the right to refund the client for any hours that were not logged in accordance with the terms for protection. They will only look at hours logged during the 30 days prior to the dispute being raised.

So yes, he can refuse to refund, but the client CAN dispute and we have seen such cases not end well.

parth3rdeye · ‎06-22-2020

I think upwork should take some serious action for this type of spam clients. Freelancers are all day working hard to get job, money and JSS and these kind of clients are spoiling the profiles.

I just ask 3 questions:

1) If work was not done, why you've completed the contract from your end?
2) If it was not done, why you gave payment?
3) If quality of my work was not good,why you gave 5 stars and good feedback?