Problem with a client

[fbernotti]

Hello guys,

Last week I started a fixed-price contract with a client (3 milestones: $390/$150/$150), after submitting the first milestone the client told me that he didn't want to continue to work with me because of communication problems (in his opinion, of course).

This sounded like an excuse to me, maybe he just wants to use my proposals on his own because we really haven't any other issues. This is not a problem though, the only thing that scares me is my JSS so I'm trying to mediate with him.

He said to me that he still wants to pay me $150 for my time, so my questions are:

- Can he modify the contract and only pay me that amount of money?
- If the contract is going to be modified like this, it is going to affect my JSS?

This would be absurd because how could I know that he was going to react like this? This is absolutely the first time that something like this is happening to me.

Thanks for your help,
Federico

[prestonhunter]

re: "Last week I started a fixed-price contract with a client (3 milestones: $390/$150/$150), after submitting the first milestone the client told me that he didn't want to continue to work with me because of communication problems (in his opinion, of course)."

Clients have a right to close a contract at any time. So do freelancers. We should all respect that.

re: "This sounded like an excuse to me"

Maybe it IS an excuse.

But clients don't need to tell you why they want to close a contract.

Think of it like this: You go to a restaurant and order a steak, and tell the waiter that after that you plan to order dessert, but you don't order a dessert yet...

After you eat your main course, you receive a text from your pet sitter, telling you that your pet snake has died. You don't want to talk about it. So you don't tell the waiter why you are leaving, but you just say you changed your mind. Or maybe you make up an excuse. You end up NOT ordering dessert. The waiter should respect that.

re: "Can he modify the contract and only pay me that amount of money?"

Yes. If there is any money in escrow, then the client can ask you to agree to any amount LESS than the full amount. As long as you agree, the client can indeed pay you less.

re: "If the contract is going to be modified like this, it is going to affect my JSS?"

No, not at all.

re: "This would be absurd because how could I know that he was going to react like this?"

It is not absurd.

You were paid for the work that you did. The client simply did not want to have dessert.

[tlbp]

IMO, the more difficult you make it for the client to end the contract when they wish to, the more likely it is that they will give you a bad review. It doesn't pay to be annoying.