Client refusing to pay for work rendered.

[#1]

So I worked on my first project for Upwork, which unfortunately a terrible experience but the client is refusing to pay. Here is the situation:

According to the job description the job was to complete design / ui changes to an existing website. It mentioned that some of the changes were already implemented so the job would entail finishing this up. When I spoke to Ericka after she accepted my proposal she told me that the only work that needed to be done was to deploy the site to production, implement some custom tagging and look into an issue with emails not getting sent.

I told her that I did not know everything there was to know about implementing the tagging she was looking for and said I would try to look into the emails not getting sent issue. I was given access to the repositories that stores all the code, but I noticed that it was the code the currently sits on production not the development website which is what needed to be deployed. I told her that I could deploy it but I would not be able to look into any bugs with layout or the send grid issue. I still deployed that code. However I was asked to revert it back to what it was previously. And please keep in mind that there were bugs on production that were there before I was introduced to the project, by the previous developer.

She wanted the design changes applied to production. So I worked within the repository to match what everything looked like on development. I also went ahead and fixed some layout issues on different window sizes, performed some cleanup and made some optimization fixes in order to make the site run smoothly. However I was not able to look into the sending email issues. The other issue was that the code done to the backend by whatever developer originally worked on it never pushed the code up to the repository. So again I did not have any of those api changes made on the development site.

After I was complete with all those UI changes I pushed to a remote branch and submitted the work for payment. I wrote out a lengthy message that entailed the tasks I completed and bugs that needed to be worked on. Most of the bugs were around the backend work. And I wrote in the message that I would be more than happy to assist another developer when working on the backend code. Provide assistance on how to get everything up and running, as well as deploying the code. I did not deploy the code to production because it would not be right to deploy the UI changes without the API up and running.

The client  came back and requested more changes. Saying that I would be responsible for doing the backend updates. However nowhere on the job description does it say this would involve backend api work. I responded to her message, but I never heard back.

Now unfortunately the branch I pushed was removed by the client. She is requesting that the money in escrow is refunded to her? I have no desire to give her any money. The only way to prove proof of work is via my local computer. And this client has been extremely unresponsive. 

What do you suggest I do? Do I just give it up and refund her and leave a bad review? Or keep the dispute open? I have no desire to go to arbitration. I just know I have no desire to give her a refund on money in escrow. Any thoughts?

[#2]

You can only dispute and go into mediation if you don't want to refund. 

[#3]

Hi Michael,

I checked your account, and it looks like our disputes team is already assisting you directly. Our team will update you directly on your open ticket to help you further. 

[#4]

Yes, it is. However it seems to be going nowhere. Since the client is still refusing and lying.

[#5]

Do both the client and freelancer need to agree to arbitration or if the freelancer agrees the client is obligated to pay the other half? 

[#6]

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Michael L wrote:

Do both the client and freelancer need to agree to arbitration or if the freelancer agrees the client is obligated to pay the other half? 

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If you agree to arbitration and pay, and the clieent does not, arbitration does not happen, you get your arbitration fee back and get all the money in escrow.

If you are sure you did the work to the appropriate standard, completely and  in time, it's worth calling the client's bluff by paying for arbitration.

[#7]

So... this client hired you to work for her... you worked hard on her behalf... and then she wants to NOT PAY you for your work?

What kind of person would do something like that?

[#8]

Yes, it is pretty ridiculous.