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Elianna's avatar
Elianna W Community Member

Raising a Dispute

(If you don't want the context, the question is at the end.)

So I had an incredibly difficult client. He asked me for a "summarization" of a partner's "offerings." He then gave me an incredibly comprehensive website and expected me to read through all of it, sift through the technical terminology, and somehow understand his vague definition of summarization and offerings (which apparently turned out to be products instead of services? I still have no idea what he means with products because the products provided are services) in three days.

I have had several clients--some tough ones included. The way he was treating me was not normal. He had poor, vague communication and was borderline rude a number of times.

After I submitted the first article, he gave me a bunch of reference files (which he should have given in the first place) and asked me to write the article again. This included stock images and an in-depth deconstruction of the technical concepts (borderline white paper level), which I had not agreed upon when I started the contract.

Even then, I rewrote and submitted a new article. He told me that it was "confusing." I had very clear bulletpoints and an organized flow. When I tried to ask him to tell me the specific issues with the article, he continued being vague. He told me to cancel the contract.

Because I was pretty upset (and at the moment, started thinking it was my fault), I cancelled the contract. However, looking at other forum posts, I am starting to realize that I was right in that he did not treat me properly, and that even if I did not satisfy his poorly-communicated vision, I do deserve compensation for the work I did.

 

 

Is there any way I can request payment, even after I have cancelled the contract?
Thank you!

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Preston's avatar
Preston H Community Member

re: "Is there any way I can request payment, even after I have cancelled the contract."

 

Yes.

Even though the contact is now closed, you are still able to communicate with the client. You may ask the client to pay you money. The client is able to use the client-side "Send bonus" tool to send you any amount of money that he wants to send you.

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Preston's avatar
Preston H Community Member

re: "Is there any way I can request payment, even after I have cancelled the contract."

 

Yes.

Even though the contact is now closed, you are still able to communicate with the client. You may ask the client to pay you money. The client is able to use the client-side "Send bonus" tool to send you any amount of money that he wants to send you.

Elianna's avatar
Elianna W Community Member

Thank you for your response! Unfortunately, I don't believe he will accept my request. Could I raise a dispute to have Upwork look into it?

Preston's avatar
Preston H Community Member

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

 

Traditionally we always advise freelancers to dispute while a contact is still open.

 

But Upwork documents the following which MIGHT work... I don't know.

 

To file a dispute on an ended contract

  1. Go to My Jobs and click on View Request in Ended Contracts
  2. Choose Do Not Approve and click Next
  3. Specify a reason for the dispute and give details to support your claim that the work is complete and payment due. Explain the situation so the dispute specialist understands your claim
  4. Click Continue and review what it means to initiate a dispute. If you agree, click Continue to Dispute

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Edited to add:

Petra provided important clarification and useful advice.

This snippet about a way to file a dispute on a closed contract does not apply to this situation.

 

And I would add: In any situation, with any contract type, if you intend to get more money out of the contract, you should try to take of that while the contract is still open. This goes for clients who want some money back as well as freelancers who want to collect more money.

Petra's avatar
Petra R Community Member


Preston H wrote:

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


This isn't Non-Release of a milestone payment and she closed the contract already, even confirming that she wants to return the escrow funds back to the client. It is over.

 

Elianna W wrote:

 Could I raise a dispute to have Upwork look into it?


No, you can't. You could have done after numerous "request changes" requests from the client, but by ending the contract you confirmed that you want to send the money back to the client.

Preston's avatar
Preston H Community Member

I agree.

It is over.

Petra's avatar
Petra R Community Member


Elianna W wrote:

Is there any way I can request payment, even after I have cancelled the contract?


The client is obviously not willing to pay, so asking them to pay a bonus is clearly pointless.

 

On the plus side, by ending the contract yourself you may have saved yourself from poor feedback and the loss of your Rising Talent Status.

Elianna's avatar
Elianna W Community Member

I agree! It was one of my smaller projects payment-wise anyway.