Client won't respond or pay for the work I completed.

[laila-raza]

Hi,

I have been working with this client (on two projects) for more than three years without any issue but after some changes in the client's team (new assistant), I haven't received payments for the past 2 months and also for another articles related project.

I waited two months because:

1) I have never faced any issue with them and all previous two assistants were amazing to work with.

2) Got paid late for the month of May so thought that they would pay me even if it is a bit late.

Before, an assistant would set up a milestone or I would do it and they would approve it but now after writing to them many times, they wouldn't even reply back. Will I recieve my payment as the client hasn't even approved the milestone this time?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Laila

[prestonhunter]

Clients don't need to respond. Clients don't need to approve payment.

I click the "Submit Work for Payment" button.

Then if the client DOES NOTHING, I get paid automatically. (In 14 days.)

[laila-raza]

Thank you!

Please correct if I am wrong, but does't the client need to approve the milestone (I created that shows up as "change request") first? As for some reasons I can't see the "Submit Work for Payment" button. It's either the "propose milestones" or "propse a new contract". I have already created a milestone but seems like the client needs to approve the "change request" first and then I will be able to submit my work.

[prestonhunter]

Clients need to approve the creation of new milestones.

This is not an issue, because I don't work on unfunded milestones.

Clients do NOT need to approve milestone work.

If I am hired to do a fixed-price contract, then the client sets up a milestone and funds the milestone.

Then I do the work and submit it.

Then, if the client does nothing, I get paid automatically.

Change requests?

Typically I think of "change requests" as what happens when a client clicks a button to request that a freelancer make changes to the work they submitted.

That is different than what happens when a freelancer wants to change or add milestones.

If a client is non-responsive - doing nothing - then a client is not making change requests.

If a client is actively using the "Request Changes" button in order to block a freelancer from receiving payment, then this is what I refer to as the "fixed-price loophole."

If a client does that, then the freelancer may need to dispute the client's intentional non-release of payment:

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

A client who "doesn't respond" and a client who "requests changes" are two different things.

[laila-raza]

Thank you Preston and Andrea.

It's unfortunate, I have worked with many clients including this for years and never ran into such issue, but you never know.

I guess there's nothing else I can do except for a miracle to happen and the client contacting me. I am not sure if the client is not recieving my message or the assitant deliberately ignoring my message.

Anyways, thank you again for the assistance.

[AndreaG]

Hi Laila,

Please note that only the money that's held in escrow is secure. Upwork can't help you collect any funds that have been promised but not deposited to escrow. Therefore, it's important that the amount held in escrow is appropriate for the work you will perform for that milestone. You can learn more about this here.