Client is requesting a refund after I've been paid in full

[sydneyjowie]

I posted earlier about a client who had contacted me 5 months after I'd sent my work to them and they had paid me. To summarize what I said earlier:

"In February I did work for a client and was paid in full (no milestones, just fixed-price), but the contract was never closed. They said they needed to look it over and then would re-send for final editing. I got a message 5 months later (today) requesting the final edit. Now that it's been 5 months, I don't do much work on Upwork anymore because I am way too busy. However, I agreed to look over it once more, but that is when they started requesting other things too. Not only is the work they're requesting what I would consider outside the scope of the contract, but the new document sent looks completely different with additions, etc., and all my formatting is gone, meaning I'd have to completely re-organize it. It is not the document I sent before and was paid for; to me, it is a new project."

I ended up closing the contract and telling them this work was outside of the original contract, plus it had been 5 months and my availability was drastically different. It was a fixed-price project and I was sorely underpaid (I was a new freelancer back then), and now the client is requesting a full refund from me and is very aggressive/unhappy. Said they were willing to pay me $20 for my work, even though I spent a good 30+ hours editing and formatting the book. At this point, what can I do? I feel the client is in the wrong, and have never dealt with a refund situation or any situation like this before.

[roberty1y]

You need to refer this dispute to Upwork staff. Your client is, in effect, telling you to include a new job in the contract without extra payment. This is a breach of contract. I presume they think they can blackmail you with the threat of negative feedback. You should refuse to have any further contact with this client. They are breaking Upwork rules and need to be dealt with by the site's staff.

[sydneyjowie]

How do I reject the refund request? I do not see an option for that, it's only giving me the option to refund.

[prestonhunter]

I don't think this client's request has any teeth. I think it is just a request. Like if you ask your brother if he wants to go lunch with you, and he says "No, thank you."

You need to be polite and professional no matter what. But I don't think the client can do anything to force a refund.

At this juncture, if it was me, personally, I would ask the client why she wants a refund, and then I would describe what the client says and discuss what to do next here in the Forum.

You can read more about this here:

https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211062058-Get-an-Escrow-Refund

And I hope if somebody knows more about this, they will share what they know.

[sydneyjowie]

Don't I need to respond to the request though? When I click on the request it allows me to change the amount to refund, but not outright decline the request. I thought I had 7 days to make a decision, and then the client would get the refund, or am I mistaken?

[roberty1y]

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Sydney W wrote:

Don't I need to respond to the request though? When I click on the request it allows me to change the amount to refund, but not outright decline the request. I thought I had 7 days to make a decision, and then the client would get the refund, or am I mistaken?

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I'm not sure about that - I assumed you could decline the request outright. But, as the reason for the refund is unjustified, you should refer the matter to Upwork. The client is trying to add new work that wasn't in the original contract.

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[prestonhunter]

re: "Don't I need to respond to the request though? When I click on the request it allows me to change the amount to refund, but not outright decline the request. I thought I had 7 days to make a decision, and then the client would get the refund, or am I mistaken?"

I think you need to respond to the request.

But you don't need to say yes to the request.

Can you change the amount of the refund to zero?

(You're being faced with something I have never personally participated in.)

[JoanneP · Accepted solution]

Hi Sydney,

I can see that you already have an open ticket regarding this issue. One of our agents will update your ticket and assist you further. 

[sydneyjowie]

Thank you so much!

[a_lipsey]

I hope you leave an appropriate review so other freelancers can beware. 

Please come back and update us on the outcome. You will be helping others.