How do you deal with a client who changes job requirements

[achikuta]

Its barely 2 days since I finished working on some client, the client keeps on demanding more, and asks me to continue working even if I finished what he asked me as per the job description. He claims that he will give a bonus for this, while I said he should first release release the payment for the work I just finished. Up until now he just cant release the payment. What do you do with such clients??

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

No.

A client can NOT change requirements for a fixed-price contract milestone task.

Honestly, the client SHOULD NOT EVEN BE TALKING TO YOU while you work on the task. The client should let you do the task, and submit it. Then he needs to pay you. Period.

Do NOT allow this sort of thing. It IS A VIOLATION OF UPWORK TOS for a client to ask a freelancer to work for free. When a client changes ANYTHING, the client is asking you to work for free.

What should you do?

IMMEDIATELY stop working on the project.

Send a short, polite message to the client:

"Yes, I will be happy to make any changes you need and continue working on this. You may release the current payment and close the contract. After that, I will be able to continue work using an hourly contract."

After that, DO NOT RESPOND to any messages. Wait to get paid. Make sure you clicked the Submit button.

If the client does not release payment, then do this:

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

[achikuta]

IMMEDIATELY stop working on the project.

Send a short, polite message to the client:

"Yes, I will be happy to make any changes you need and continue working on this. You may release the current payment and close the contract. After that, I will be able to continue work using an hourly contract."

Exactly what I did, I wrote that polite message, then up till now, he is failing to release payment and still online without response.

Thanks for the dispute link. Its just unfortunate that people act this way. I sacrificed the whole 3 days non stop to meet up with his deadlines. Now that his part has been done, he chose to act sour, like seriously.

[prestonhunter]

Got to wait the time.

I NEVER check to see if a client is "online". That has nothing to with this.

I DO NOT send messages to the client.

I click SUBMIT and wait.

If the client DOES NOTHING for 14 days, then that is GOOD. You will get all money in escrow, released to you automatically.