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mkalacheva
Community Member

Do Upwork assist to resolve disputes if payments are made and dispute period expired?

Hello,

I'm working on Upwork as an agency for a long time. It's the first time I met this situation. Everything started as usual: we started hourly contract, there were no disputes, all work diaries were approved in time, client made payments regularly. Disagreements appeared from time to time, but were resolved amicably. Then the contract was closed.

In a few months client contacted us, wrote he wasn’t satisfied with result, asked to make fixes for free or give payments back, mentioned he could go to court. 

We’re in touch with him, continuing to discuss the situation and trying to resolve it.

Could you please clarify if Upwork can provide freelancers and clients with any help in the situations when client isn't satisfied with quality of work, contract is closed, all payments are made and dispute period expired? Or we need to resolve this kind of disputes by ourselves?

8 REPLIES 8
prestonhunter
Community Member

If a freelancer has been paid, and the contract is closed, and the dispute period is resolved, then the client has no leverage. The matter is over.

 

It is unprofessional, unethical and immoral for a client to try to get a refund aftter the contract is over.

 

If the client mentions "going to court", then he is simply being a bully. Ideally, he should be kicked off of the platform. He is simply trying to scam you out of money or free work. You probably don't even live in the same country, and it is highly unlikely that he could do anything in "court" over such a small amount of money.

 

My advice to you: block the client in your Upwork Messages tool and email so that he can't contact you. He is wasting your time and causing you stress and has no way to do anything to you if you don't talk to him.

wlyonsatl
Community Member

And report the client's abusive behavior to Upwork. 

 

 

re: "And report the client's abusive behavior to Upwork."

 

Completely in agreement.

Clients like this should be removed permanently from the platform.

dacyboy
Community Member

I have to agree with Preston and Will on this mater.

Something similar happend to me but I started new contract with client, even if it was new work and not related to that previous contract client provided bad rating.

So my advice would be to just report that guy and get it over with!

I want to say something that may sound like it is coming out of left field, but I think it is important to point out:

 

The overwhelming MAJORITY of clients who use the Upwork platform are genuinely good people and good clients. Most clients here WANT to do the right thing and they want to treat freelancers fairly.

 

But we read about bad clients in the Forum because freelancers don't come here to complain about or ask for help regarding the clients.

 

(I never see freelancers saying: "My client paid me on time and treated me fairly. What should I do?")

 

Upwork is the industry-leading platform in large part due to the CLIENTS.

 

But bad clients do drag the platform down for everybody. Which makes it all the more important for freelancers to handle such situations in a professional, appropriate way, and for Upwork to take action against clients who are just here to scam the system.

 

Even if a client is not here purely to scam people, but simply has deeply inappropriate ideas about how the platform works, it is important for Upwork to deal with them firmly and decisively. Not ever bad action by a client necessitates kicking them off the platform, but they should be at least warned and not given many chances to do the same bad things repeatedly.

.... and there are always two sides to every story. Rarely are both told in any given forum thread,

Anonymous-User
Not applicable

When you play tug-of-war, what happens if you let go of the rope?
That's right. The other person falls on their backside. 

Let go of the rope, report & block. 

kat303
Community Member

Upwork does provide help, For hourly jobs they have Time Tracker, and a 5 day review period for review by the client. For fixed rate jobs they have escrow, a 14 day review period and even after that an additiional 30 day period in which to file a dispute. They also have a mediator and arbitration services.

 

After all of that has passed, there is NO need for help. The period to do all of that has passed.There is NO need to resolve this, The job is done, you've been paid, and the review and dispute days are long gone. and the contract is closed. It's over. 

 

There is no need to get in touch with this client, There is no need for continued discussion. There is no need to try and resolve this situation. Block this client, report him for his threats. And don't worry about this client taking you to court especially if they are from another country. 

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