Client changes his requirements after I've completed his work. I

[rishivara]

Hiii, I'm New to upwork. Just completed 3 jobs & now it's 4th job. It was a photography job. I've to take 2500 photos of container truck from the front & 30 to 40 feet height. But now I've submitted my work & my client wants photo from the backside of the containers too. He doesn't mentioned it in a requirements or any sample photos. Even I've submitted my 100 sample but he agreed with that samples. Now he is denying the work. What should I do??

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

Don't work for free.

Just don't.

This client is violating Upwork ToS by asking you to do something that was not part of the original task description.

Tell the client:

"Yes, I can do that. Would you like to release the current escrow payment and then create a new hourly contract so that I can do that? Or would you like to release the current escrow payment payment and set up a new milestone for $200 for this additional work?"

And that's it.

The client has THREE choices:

- set up an hourly contract

- set up a fixed-price milestone or contract

- you don't do the work

Don't argue with the client. Don't negotiate. Don't budge.

The client needs to first release your money to you or NOTHING ELSE happens.

This client needs you a lot more than you need him.

[rishivara]

Hii Preston thanks for solving my doubt. the client also called me to take another 1000 photos without sending me an offer. is it normal or he will send me after some time or he is a fraud?? should i made any mistake??

[prestonhunter]

re: "the client also called me to take another 1000 photos without sending me an offer. is it normal or he will send me after some time or he is a fraud?? should i made any mistake??"

Is it normal?

No.

Is it okay?
No.

Does it happen?

Yes.

Are there people in the world who kick kittens for fun?
Yes.

Is THAT okay?
No.

But does THAT happen?
Yes.

Ultimately it doesn't matter if this client's BAD BEHAVIOR is "normal" or "not normal." It doesn't matter HOW MANY CLIENTS do it. It is bad. It is against Upwork ToS. And most importantly: YOU don't put up with it.

Your task here is very simple:

Do ONLY the task you agreed to do.

Submit.

Get paid.

The client can't get ANYTHING else from you until he releases payment.

THEN, after he releases payment, he needs to set up an appropriate hourly contract or fixed-price milestone (with fully funded payment) before he gets more work done.

You should MOSTLY IGNORE anything else he says until he RELEASES payment.

In fact, I don't see any reason at all for you to respond to anything he says, unless it is a simple:

"Okay. After you release payment for the current milestone, we can discuss that further."

[prestonhunter]

I can NOT make a decision about what YOU should do.

It IS POSSIBLE to file a dispute if a client hires you to do a task, and then you do that task, and then the client doesn't release payment. There is a BUTTON for that.

YOU NEED TO BE FAMILIAR with this:

https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211068528-Dispute-Non-Release-of-a-Milestone-Payment

"Dispute Non-Release of a Milestone Payment"

But are you REQUIRED to dispute?

No.

Here is a fictional story to think about, a story which has nothing to do with you or your client:

Client hired me to take 2500 photos of container.

I took the photos and submitted them to the client.

I clicked the "Submit Work for Payment" button.

The client said he wanted me to take another 1000 photos, from a different angle.

I told the client: "Yes, I can do that if you create a new hourly contract or set up a new fixed-price milestone for $200."

The client didn't release payment. He asked me to take 1000 photos of chairs.

I told the client: "Yes, I can do that if you create a new hourly contract or set up a new fixed-price milestone for $200."

I stopped responding with the client except with very short responses: "Thank you for your note. I'll get back to within 3 days with a response." Then after 3 days, my response was: "Thank you for waiting for my response. I will be able to do the work that you need. I'll send an update to you soon."

I was telling the truth when I said I will be able to do the work. I really was planning to do the new work as soon as the client released the current escrow money and set up a new contract or funded milestone to pay for the new work.

But the client did not actually do what I specifically asked him to do. So the new work didn't actually get done. That was the client's choice, not my choice.

14 days after I clicked the Submit button, all of the money in escrow was released to me automatically by Upwork.

Then I closed the contract.

=========

In this story, I was able to get paid even though the client was exhibiting bad behavior by asking me to work for free.

Note that I did NOT end the client reminders about releasing payment. I did not want him to think about that. I wanted him to forget about that and let 14 days go by so that I can get paid.

BUT: What if the client BLOCKED payment by clicking the "request changes" button?

What then?

I have options:

- I can click the "Submit Work for Payment" button AGAIN.

- I can file a dispute (see link above)

- Or I can simply CLOSE the contract myself. This will relase the escrow money BACK to the client.

I need to decide: How much time do I want to waste with this client?

The truth is, I have PERSONALLY closed contracts and refunded money back to clients because they were wasting my time. MY time is very valuable. I have plenty of clients who are waiting to pay me money for my time. So if a client is wasting my time by not releasing a fixed-price payment to me, or asking for ANY changes... Then I can just walk away.

[prestonhunter]

re: "the client also called me to take another 1000 photos without sending me an offer"

Maybe the client forgot to make the offer.

Tell the client:

"Yes, I can take another 1000 photos. Would you like to set up an hourly contract for that? Or would you like to create a new fixed-price milestone for $200 to pay for that? You can do either one - the choice is yours - after you release the current escrow payment.

[bavshehata]

Hi Preston,

I'm facing a similar issue where a client's boss has been asking me to do more than what I and the client agreed on doing. Can you link the part in the ToS that's being violated? That'd be very helpful,

Thanks in advance!

[prestonhunter]

re: "I'm facing a similar issue where a client's boss has been asking me to do more than what I and the client agreed on doing. Can you link the part in the ToS that's being violated? That'd be very helpful"

There is no such thing as "a client's boss."

If a client hired me, then that is my client.

If a client hired me to process 10 files, then I will process 10 files.

If the client asks me to then process 20 files, the answer is:
"Yes, after you release the current escrow payment for processing 10 files, you can set up a new hourly contract or fixed-price contract to process another 10 files."

I am immovable. You can't force me to do free work by claiming "your boss" is asking for more, or by claiming that a magical mermaid is asking for more.

These are basic concepts. Nobody should "need" to see something written in ToS. But in case you want to see it, it is here:

https://www.upwork.com/legal#terms-of-use

3.1 EXAMPLES OF PROHIBITED USES OF THE SITE

The following are examples of uses that are prohibited on or when using the Services:

Requesting or demanding free services, including requesting Freelancers to submit work as part of the proposal process for very little or no money or posting contests in which Freelancers submit work with no or very little pay, and only the winning submission is paid the full amount;