Problem with a bad client

[mahmud-rippy]

Hello moderator,

I am in a problem with a client. The task has two parts. We agreed $100 for the first part and another $100 for the second part of the project. We completed first part and he was very happy with the end result.

However, after 30 days to end the task (he is very slow to set his mind) now he wants to say he agreed with the total budget of $100 (for both parts). So I sent him snapshots of our previous conversation at the beginning. But still he looks unhappy. He took 30+ days and asked 12 times for revision of the $100 job. I helped him without a single argument or hesitation. However, he was happy with the logo but still not releasing the payment he funded.

I requested him 3 times to release the payment and now I am worried he won’t do it and he may give me a bad feedback unnecessary. How can I get the money and safe my JSS from being affected badly?

Thank you wiht the best regards,

[petra_r]

How much is the contract (!) for?

How much is in Escrow?

Did you use the "Submit for Payment" function on the funded milestone?

[mahmud-rippy]

Hi Petra, 

Here are the answers:

How much is the contract (!) for?

Ans: This was posted as an hourly job. I told him I need 3-4 hours (I charge $33/hour) but normally I do charge $100 for a logo when it is a fixed term contract. Then   he agreed.  

How much is in Escrow?

Ans: $100 in the escrow because he told he needs the logo first. If this goes well then he will ask for the rest of stuffs.

Did you use the "Submit for Payment" function on the funded milestone?

Ans: Yes I did

Thank you 

[prestonhunter]

Mahmud:

When you say that "this was posted as an hourly job" and then you say that $100 was in esrow and you used the "Submit for Payment" button...

I am confused, because escrow funding is not used for hourly contracts. Escrow funding is used with fixed-pice contracts.

The "Submit Work / Request Payment" button is only used with fixed-price contracts.

[mahmud-rippy]

Preston, sorry for your confusion. It was an hourly job when he made the post but like the many other clients, later he changed the term and sent me the offer in  fixed rate term

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

Ah... That makes sense.

Thank you for clearing up my confusion.

Mahmud, I'm sorry if you were disappointed by how things went with this job.

With fixed-price contracts, the key number is what is funded in escrow. If the client funded $100 in escrow, and you have received that money already, then the matter is over as far as Upwork is concerned.

The budget or any other dollar amound that was discussed is not something Upwork is going to get involved with.

If you want the client to pay you more money, you may ask him to do so. But Upwork will not enforce that.

re: "How can I get the money and save my JSS from being affected badly?"

Your money and your JSS are separate matters.

If you received SOME money for the contract, then you will not have a zero-pay contract. So that is good. You said that the client was happy with your work. Do you have a reason to believe he will give you poor feedback? Even if he does, star average feedback is NOT the major factor in calculating JSS. And you have not even seen his score for you yet, right? Maybe you have nothing to worry about in that regard.

If my primary concern is JSS, then I am going to accept the payment I received and not pester the client for more money. If my primary concern is money, and I'm not concerned about JSS, I can continue to go after the money... but if more money was not funded in escrow, and if the client does not want to pay more, then there may be nothing I can do to actually force the client to pay more.

[mahmud-rippy]

Thank you Preston. I wil accept this as solution.  I got your points and  now I know what I need to do. Thank you so much again.