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Leo's avatar
Leo L Community Member

My client has proposed too many changes, some of which are not the same as before.

My client hardly put forward any requirements at the beginning, but said that he wanted to put his logo on, and asked for renderings of the two items from two directions, and then wrote a little introduction. Yes, he asked me to write a random introduction, I don't even know what it is. I haven't seen what he wants. I need to do research and build a 3D model, then render it, and then study how others introduced it. Then he asked me to make a few brochures. He even didn't know the size of the brochure. He didn't ask for the placement method, the content, or the quantity. I asked him several times if he had any specific needs, and he said that he didn't need details, just the ones mentioned above. Then tell me that others can do it soon. Based on the above requirements, I think two hours is reasonable. The price he set is $15/hour, so the fixed-price was $30. After that, it took me about three hours to complete, because I spent a long time doing research, but I think it's acceptable, and I was very satisfied with my work, which absolutely exceeded his requirements.

 

But after he received it, he sent me a few hundred words of modification instructions, very detailed and specific, accurate to every element, and some of them were completely different from what he said before. There are several compliments in it, which makes me feel like a professor's feedback. I suspect this is not a project, but a student’s homework. Then he didn't discuss with me that he remodified milestone, so he delayed the time and asked me to make several changes.

 

This is very rude. And it's a waste of my time. It is absolutely impossible for me to make any changes to him, because I did a good job from start to finish. But I can't find anyone who can help me at all.

10 REPLIES 10
Preston's avatar
Preston H Community Member

There is no such thing as "too many changes."


If a client hires you with an hourly contract, the client is allowed to request UNLIMITED changes. The client is paying you for your time. If the client wants to request 100 changes, that is fine, as long as you log all of the time you spend on the changes.

 

If the client hires you with a fixed-price contract, then the client may request ZERO changes. The freelancer is supposed to do ONLY what is specified in the original fixed-price task description.

Leo's avatar
Leo L Community Member

I agree with you 100%. But it’s obviously the client always want us to work more with limited budget. Is there anyway we can keep our right?
Preston's avatar
Preston H Community Member

Leo:
This client is not your aging grandmother who needs your help to keep the orphanage open or the baby seals will die.

 

This is a business arrangement.

 

You owe this client NOTHING.

 

The client needs to pay you for your time. Period.

 

If the client has allowed you to work for 5 hours this week, then work for 5 hours. And then STOP.

 

You can start doing more work on the project NEXT WEEk, when the time starts over.

 

It is unprofessional and unethical of the cilent to ask you to work for free.

 

If it takes you 2 hours to work on the A-38 File, then that is how long it takes you. The client can not "force" you to do it 1 hour. The client can not beg you to spend 4 hours on it but only log time for 2 hours.

Leo's avatar
Leo L Community Member

Thank you for your explanation, I agree with your attitude, it makes me feel very warm。

 

But the current situation is that the client is as you said, unprofessional and unethical. He just said that he did not make any changes and refused to pay more.
I just want to get the little money that belongs to me, but I don't know what to do.

Preston's avatar
Preston H Community Member

I can not tell you what to do.

 

If I was in your situation, I would not spend another minute working for this client. I would close the contract myself and post the work in my portfolio.

Leo's avatar
Leo L Community Member

Thank you, I will consider your suggestion, and putting it in the portfolio can indeed make up for my loss. You are really an experienced freelancer.

Aleksandar's avatar
Aleksandar D Community Manager

Hi Leo,

 

I'm sorry about the your experience on this contract. While I'm not familiar with the contract I can confirm that freelancers aren't required to complete tasks which have not been discussed and agreed at the start of the contract or during the contract, and aren't part of the contract terms. Note that we do have Payment Protection in place for Fixed Price contracts and in case the client declines the payment request that appears to have been submitted, the freelancer will be able to initiate a dispute and our team will follow up with both parties. You can find more information in these Help articles, here and here.

 

Thank you.

~ Aleksandar
Upwork
Leo's avatar
Leo L Community Member

Hi Aleksandar,

Thanks for help.

But I think you should check if the content of the link you sent me is valid. Because I can't find the content above.

" Go to My Jobs and click on View Request in Ended Contracts" 

I can't find VIEW REQUEST or ENDED CONTRACTS under My Jobs. Technically speaking, I can't find ENDED CONTRACTS anywhere.

Since the project is already ended, Now I don't even know where to go to get my money back.

 

Luiggi's avatar
Luiggi R Retiring Moderator

Hi Leo,

 

Sorry about any confusion that could've caused you. Please note that when the freelancer closes a Fixed-Price contract, they agree to refund the amount still in escrow to the client and, since there are no funds in escrow, the dispute process is not available. 

~ Luiggi
Jennifer's avatar
Jennifer R Community Member


Leo L wrote:

My client hardly put forward any requirements at the beginning, but said that he wanted to put his logo on, and asked for renderings of the two items from two directions, and then wrote a little introduction. Yes, he asked me to write a random introduction, I don't even know what it is. I haven't seen what he wants. I need to do research and build a 3D model, then render it, and then study how others introduced it. Then he asked me to make a few brochures. He even didn't know the size of the brochure. He didn't ask for the placement method, the content, or the quantity. I asked him several times if he had any specific needs, and he said that he didn't need details, just the ones mentioned above. Then tell me that others can do it soon. Based on the above requirements, I think two hours is reasonable. The price he set is $15/hour, so the fixed-price was $30. After that, it took me about three hours to complete, because I spent a long time doing research, but I think it's acceptable, and I was very satisfied with my work, which absolutely exceeded his requirements.

 

But after he received it, he sent me a few hundred words of modification instructions, very detailed and specific, accurate to every element, and some of them were completely different from what he said before. There are several compliments in it, which makes me feel like a professor's feedback. I suspect this is not a project, but a student’s homework. Then he didn't discuss with me that he remodified milestone, so he delayed the time and asked me to make several changes.

 

This is very rude. And it's a waste of my time. It is absolutely impossible for me to make any changes to him, because I did a good job from start to finish. But I can't find anyone who can help me at all.


Did it ever occur to you that there are different types of designers? You should have told the client that you are an industrial designer do not design brochures.