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connie-hall
Community Member

How do I dispute a refund request

I did a job for a client a few weeks ago, and have already been paid for it. Now, he is requesting a refund because he says that wasn't what he wanted me to do. When I uploaded the work, two weeks ago, his response was "Ok thanks". 

Now, I have a message that he has requested a refund, and I can't figure out how to dispute it.
Connie

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petra_r
Community Member


Connie H wrote:

I did a job for a client a few weeks ago, and have already been paid for it. Now, he is requesting a refund because he says that wasn't what he wanted me to do. When I uploaded the work, two weeks ago, his response was "Ok thanks". 

Now, I have a message that he has requested a refund, and I can't figure out how to dispute it.
Connie


1) Is the contract still open?

2) Hourly or fixed rate contract?

3) When were the funds released to you?

4) Did you do what was specified in the contract as agreed?

 

There is no way (or need) to dispute a refund request (which is not a dispute yet) so it would be best to politely and briefly and professionally send a message to the client explaining why you are not prepared to refund.

 

 

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7 REPLIES 7
gilbert-phyllis
Community Member

You can refuse the refund. Then it is up to the client to dispute or not. If he does, then the first step is Mediation during which an UW representative encourages the two of you to reach a compromise. At that stage, you might want to try to learn why he is unhappy with the work, if it's something you can fix easily/quicky and satisfy him. Or consider refunding some part of the fee in the interest of not investing time/energy in a dispute. All of that depends on several variables, of course--how much money is at stake, your JSS situation, whether you feel you did your absolute best work or if a request for revision would have been reasonable if he'd made it in a timely fashion, i.e. within 14 days after you submitted the work.

 

If Mediation fails, then the client can choose Arbitration. In that case, he puts up $291, UW puts up $291, and you put up $291. An outside arbitrator makes a binding decision. If the client won, you'd have to refund the full amount. If you won, you would not. In either case, nobody gets their $291 back. If the client files for arbitration and you refuse to enter into it, then he automatically wins--gets his $291 back and the full refund.

 


Phyllis G wrote:

You can refuse the refund. Then it is up to the client to dispute or not. If he does, then the first step is Mediation during which an UW representative encourages the two of you to reach a compromise. At that stage, you might want to try to learn why he is unhappy with the work, if it's something you can fix easily/quicky and satisfy him. Or consider refunding some part of the fee in the interest of not investing time/energy in a dispute. All of that depends on several variables, of course--how much money is at stake, your JSS situation, whether you feel you did your absolute best work or if a request for revision would have been reasonable if he'd made it in a timely fashion, i.e. within 14 days after you submitted the work.

 

If Mediation fails, then the client can choose Arbitration. In that case, he puts up $291, UW puts up $291, and you put up $291. An outside arbitrator makes a binding decision. If the client won, you'd have to refund the full amount. If you won, you would not. In either case, nobody gets their $291 back. If the client files for arbitration and you refuse to enter into it, then he automatically wins--gets his $291 back and the full refund.

 


None of that applielies for hourly jobs at all.

Only the work diary counts. No mediation, no arbitration, no chcking quality of work.

Only

  • was the time logged with the tracker
  • were there decent activity levels
  • were all screenshots work related
  • were there meaningful work memos

On an hourly contract, if all the above apply, the freelancer wins the dispute

If one of them does not apply, the client wins the dispute for all hours it does not apply for

 

I think it was an hourly contract as the OP has only hourly contracts showing on her profile

How do I refuse the refund, if I am so inclined? I've looked for that option, but I haven't found it anywhere. 


Connie H wrote:

How do I refuse the refund, if I am so inclined? I've looked for that option, but I haven't found it anywhere. 


There is no such function, you do it in writing in messages, but pay attention to my previous response as the client may be able to dispute and if he does, and if it was an hourly contract, who wins depends on how the time was logged

petra_r
Community Member


Connie H wrote:

I did a job for a client a few weeks ago, and have already been paid for it. Now, he is requesting a refund because he says that wasn't what he wanted me to do. When I uploaded the work, two weeks ago, his response was "Ok thanks". 

Now, I have a message that he has requested a refund, and I can't figure out how to dispute it.
Connie


1) Is the contract still open?

2) Hourly or fixed rate contract?

3) When were the funds released to you?

4) Did you do what was specified in the contract as agreed?

 

There is no way (or need) to dispute a refund request (which is not a dispute yet) so it would be best to politely and briefly and professionally send a message to the client explaining why you are not prepared to refund.

 

 

No, the contract is closed. 
It was an hourly rate (4 hours total)
It was for a "door hanger advertisement" for an upcoming event. 

I was paid on the 27th.

Yes, I believe I did.
When I finished it, I uploaded it to Upwork, and he responded with "Ok, Thanks". 
I had worked with him before, so he had my cell#. The next week, he sent me a text wanting to know why I had charged him so much for the work. I told him that was how long it took me. (Yes, I used the Upwork tracker and have screenshots, etc). Then he said, he never asked me to make one, he just wanted me to proofread one.  When I asked him why he didn't say that the week before when I posted the work, he said that he hadn't even been on Upwork.  That was Aug 23rd.  

Then Saturday (Sep 7), I get a message that he has requested a refund.

Ok, thanks! 

 

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