Project delivered but payment not received

[c_zygakis]

Hello,

I delivered a project to a client. But not only is he unresponsive, but also he hasn't paid. And of course, I want to get paid for my work. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

[petra_r · Accepted solution]

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Christina Z wrote:

Hello,

I delivered a project to a client. But not only is he unresponsive, but also he hasn't paid. And of course, I want to get paid for my work. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

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Hourly or fixed rate contract?

If hourly, did you track your time?

If fixed rate, did you use the "submit for payment" button on the contract?

"Where is my money?"

[c_zygakis]

Thanks for the graph. It's a fixed-time rate. No, because I haven't seen any such button... I delivered the work through the message thread and on the side of the my job feed it reads "1 active candidacy", which I believe that it is about this exact project...

[petra_r]

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Christina Z wrote:

Thanks for the graph. It's a fixed-time rate. No, because I haven't seen any such button... I delivered the work through the message thread and on the side of the my job feed it reads "1 active candidacy", which I believe that it is about this exact project...

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That means you were never hired and do not have a contract.

An active candidacy means you are discussing a possible job with a prospective client. Nothing more.

Can you see a contract on your my jobs page?

If not, bad luck. You were not hired, you don't have a contract, and unless the client hires you, you won't get paid.

NEVER work without being properly hired with a contract via Upwork.

[g_vasilevski]

Hi Christina,

I`m sorry to hear about the bad experience you have with your client. I checked your profile and can confirm that you weren't hired on an official contract, this is why you`re not able to submit your work on your milestone if you were negotiating for a fixed price contract. 

Always make sure that you`re hired on an official contract before you start working, this is one of the criteria to be eligible for our Upwork Payment Protection as well.

When you`re working on Fixed price contracts always make sure that agreed budget is fully funded on your milestone. Promised funds and unfunded milestones are not protected under Fixed Price Protection. To learn more about this check out this Help Article. Thank you.

[c_zygakis]

Thanks for the the assistance, Goran! The article was very helpful indeed.

[florydev]

Petra...awesome flowchart!

Christina, sorry this happened.

[purplepony]

And yet again I'm just shaking my head. It sincerely amazes me when people just dive in here without learning how to swim first.

Of course I have a certain degree of empathy when this type of thing occurs. However, there's not much; if any, excuse when there's such a wealth of information within this Community and within Help and Support.

In the long haul it takes far less time; and anguish, to learn now rather than later.  Of course some need to learn the hard way; then they won't forget. Depending upon the subject matter I've been guilty of that myself throughout the years.    

[Anonymous-User]

I agree, Pat. I thought the required Readiness Test was supposed to ensure that newbies were ready to work.

With ALL the boards and Help section, they still think none of it applies to them.

I don't see a Client test. Is there one?
I think there needs to be a tougher entrance exam for new people.

[purplepony]

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Cairenn R wrote:
I agree, Pat. I thought the required Readiness Test was supposed to ensure that newbies were ready to work.

With ALL the boards and Help section, they still think none of it applies to them.

I don't see a Client test. Is there one?
I think there needs to be a tougher entrance exam for new people.

________________________________________________________________________

There's no Client test. I seriously doubt if UW would ever have that; if so I'm confident it wouldn't be mandatory. They do very little; if anything, to alienate Clients.

IMO both FLs and Clients should take responsibility for their own businesses. To me that includes educating oneself on as much about the UW platform as possible prior to beginning and of course continuing the learning process. 

Initially it was difficult for me to understand how Clients could attempt to operate on the platform and not understand it, and I found it frustrating. I didn't think it should be my responsibility to educate them.  

Since then I've had some Clients with exceptional understanding and some with absolutely none. I've come to more so view it as part of the service that I provide them; a service that I'm paid for. 

[kat303]

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Pat M wrote:

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Cairenn R wrote:
I agree, Pat. I thought the required Readiness Test was supposed to ensure that newbies were ready to work.

With ALL the boards and Help section, they still think none of it applies to them.

I don't see a Client test. Is there one?
I think there needs to be a tougher entrance exam for new people.

________________________________________________________________________

There's no Client test. I seriously doubt if UW would ever have that; if so I'm confident it wouldn't be mandatory. They do very little; if anything, to alienate Clients.

IMO both FLs and Clients should take responsibility for their own businesses. To me that includes educating oneself on as much about the UW platform as possible prior to beginning and of course continuing the learning process. 

Initially it was difficult for me to understand how Clients could attempt to operate on the platform and not understand it, and I found it frustrating. I didn't think it should be my responsibility to educate them.  

Since then I've had some Clients with exceptional understanding and some with absolutely none. I've come to more so view it as part of the service that I provide them; a service that I'm paid for. 

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IMO I don't think Clients need as much information as freelancers do. I think all a client needs to know is not to pay a freelancer unless they see and test out the work they receive and to know that they shouldn't continue to work with a freelancer if they aren't producing work, if work has gone on for weeks or months past a deadline or if work is full of errors. Just those 3 things. 

Whether this client was a scammer, or just someone who doesn't know how to use this site, if a freelancer is performing a service, I think it's up to the freelancer to know what should be done in order to be paid. Mainly, not to work without a contract here, to make sure escrow is FULLY funded for each milestone and the scams going on. The OP should have had enough knowledge to let the client know she will not be able to start a job until she's officially  hired here and escrow fully funded. If the client is new and didn't know that, then the OP or any freelancer should know what to do in that case and get paid for her work. and if the client was a scammer,the OP and any freelancer would know what and how to protect themselves. 

[purplepony]

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Kathy T wrote:

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Pat M wrote:

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Cairenn R wrote:
I agree, Pat. I thought the required Readiness Test was supposed to ensure that newbies were ready to work.

With ALL the boards and Help section, they still think none of it applies to them.

I don't see a Client test. Is there one?
I think there needs to be a tougher entrance exam for new people.

________________________________________________________________________

There's no Client test. I seriously doubt if UW would ever have that; if so I'm confident it wouldn't be mandatory. They do very little; if anything, to alienate Clients.

IMO both FLs and Clients should take responsibility for their own businesses. To me that includes educating oneself on as much about the UW platform as possible prior to beginning and of course continuing the learning process. 

Initially it was difficult for me to understand how Clients could attempt to operate on the platform and not understand it, and I found it frustrating. I didn't think it should be my responsibility to educate them.  

Since then I've had some Clients with exceptional understanding and some with absolutely none. I've come to more so view it as part of the service that I provide them; a service that I'm paid for. 

------------

IMO I don't think Clients need as much information as freelancers do. I think all a client needs to know is not to pay a freelancer unless they see and test out the work they receive and to know that they shouldn't continue to work with a freelancer if they aren't producing work, if work has gone on for weeks or months past a deadline or if work is full of errors. Just those 3 things. 

Whether this client was a scammer, or just someone who doesn't know how to use this site, if a freelancer is performing a service, I think it's up to the freelancer to know what should be done in order to be paid. Mainly, not to work without a contract here, to make sure escrow is FULLY funded for each milestone and the scams going on. The OP should have had enough knowledge to let the client know she will not be able to start a job until she's officially  hired here and escrow fully funded. If the client is new and didn't know that, then the OP or any freelancer should know what to do in that case and get paid for her work. and if the client was a scammer,the OP and any freelancer would know what and how to protect themselves. 

____________________________________________________________________

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Kathy, it's been my experience that some Clients need far more assistance than others. I've assisted with: Offers/Contracts, Paying-Hourly/Fixed Rate and Bonuses, Allowing Manual Time... Of course those are all areas which they need to know and understand.

I totally agree with your statements regarding FL's responsibilities. However, I'm still somewhat empathetic regarding the OP. My bet is that she's learned an extremely valuable lesson throughout this and will never repeat these errors. I further bet that she does review much information within Help and Support and this Community so that she'll be at the top of her game moving forward.   

[c_zygakis]

I actually took a readiness test far before ODesk became UpWork, and my result was excellent. I also avoided a client who back then was consuming my time while he was keeping me on candidacy status for months.

I considered the present case a bit different, because the client said he was an MA student (therefore quite busy) and, since we are still in an exam period, I thought he had been unresponsive because just didn't have the time to log in. Sometimes I too have disappeared from the world because of the requirements of my MA degrees. Problem is, it's been too long since I haven't heard from him and I've worked too hard for the money that he supposedly invested. -_- I guess that I need to sharpen my anti-scam skills...  

[petra_r]

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Christina Z wrote:

I actually took a readiness test far before ODesk became UpWork...

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whilst I, too, sympathize.... if you have been here that long you really, REALLY should know better...

[c_zygakis]

True...

[bundie702]

I'm empathetic, but I continue to be floored by the constant number of postings by freelancers looking for pay when they weren't officially hired...

[Anonymous-User]

It's their own fault. The information and the advice are all right here in front of them from the moment they sign up.

If they choose to ignore it all, their choice. No sympathy.