Client is not satisfied with the work and asked for refund.

[humarani85]

Hi Everybody

I am facing an issue with a client which I started working with a couple of weeks ago. I sent him the work against the first milestone, he approved and released the payment for that. He said, the work needs a lot edits, let us hold for now, we will get back to you once we review them all.

I requested his detailed feedback, so that I can amend the documents to meet his expectations. Few days later, he responded that the work is so generic and does not fulfill our needs; he ended the contract and asked for refund (which I did). I tried to do my best to get a nice review, did a lot of home work, studied material and was still reading through the relevant content to move forward. But I feel there was lack of communication and inadequate information from client side.

This was my 4th job on up work, I got very positive feedback from my previous clients. I am scared to give him feedback and worried what feedback he would have given me. Is it ok if I don’t give my feedback? In that case, would his feedback show up on my profile?  What feedback I can expect from him? Is refund justified?

Thanks in advance for your guidance.

Huma R.

[martina_plaschka]

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Huma R wrote:

Hi Everybody

I am facing an issue with a client which I started working with a couple of weeks ago. I sent him the work against the first milestone, he approved and released the payment for that. He said, the work needs a lot edits, let us hold for now, we will get back to you once we review them all.

I requested his detailed feedback, so that I can amend the documents to meet his expectations. Few days later, he responded that the work is so generic and does not fulfill our needs; he ended the contract and asked for refund (which I did). I tried to do my best to get a nice review, did a lot of home work, studied material and was still reading through the relevant content to move forward. But I feel there was lack of communication and inadequate information from client side.

This was my 4th job on up work, I got very positive feedback from my previous clients. I am scared to give him feedback and worried what feedback he would have given me. Is it ok if I don’t give my feedback? In that case, would his feedback show up on my profile?  What feedback I can expect from him? Is refund justified?

Thanks in advance for your guidance.

Huma R.

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Have you refunded the whole amount? Then no feedback will ever appear on your profile. If you have been partly paid, his feedback will appear after 14 days if you don't leave your own feedback. 

[humarani85]

I refunded the whole amount which he paid against the first milestone. He didn't assign another milestone and ended the contract. It means his feedback will never appear on my profile?

[prestonhunter]

re: "I refunded the whole amount which he paid against the first milestone. He didn't assign another milestone and ended the contract. It means his feedback will never appear on my profile?"

This job will NOT appear on your profile. Feedback for this job will not appear on your public profile page.

[prestonhunter]

re: "Client is not satisfied with the work and asked for refund."

You don't know that the client is not satisfied with the work.

Perhaps the client SAID that he was not satisfied. Unfortunately, he may not be telling you the truth.

We have seen many reports of clients trying to manipulate the system, by claiming that they don't like a freelancer's work and asking for a refund. That way the client gets the work for free.

Claiming to be "unsatisfied" with the work is not a valid reason for getting a refund.

If a freelancer does the work that she was hired to do, then the client needs to pay the freelancer for her work. To do otherwise is theft.

If a client is truly not satisfied, then he may choose to no longer work with the freelancer. He may choose to leave accurate, appropriate feedback. It is NOT Upwork's intention that clients steal time and money from freelancers by claiming they are not "satisfied."

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

re: "I am scared to give him feedback and worried what feedback he would have given me."

If you are scared to give him feedback, then don't give him feedback.

You are not required to give him feedback.

re: "Is it ok if I don’t give my feedback?"

There is no rule that says you must give him feedback. The user interface does not require you to give him feedback. Nothing bad will happen to you if you don't give him feedback.

re: "In that case, would his feedback show up on my profile?"

If you refunded all money so that you earned zero dollars on this contrat, then his feedback will not appear on your profile page.

re:"What feedback I can expect from him?"

We will probably never know. He may have given you good feedback because you were nice to him. He asked for all of his money back and you gave him all of his money back. What does he have to complain about?

re: "Is refund justified?"

No.

The refund is not justified. You were hired to do a task. You did the task. The client should have paid you for your work. The cilent took time and money from you. If I had hired you to do that same task, and if I absolutely hated the work that you did, then I would have released the full escrow payment to you, but I would not have had you continue working on the project. After releasing the first escrow payment to you, I would have thanked you for your time and closed the contract.