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Arsalan's avatar
Arsalan K Community Member

Refund on Approved Payment

Hello All,

I am in a quite weired situiation where client asking for refund amount which he approved three weeks ago. I logged the hours properly with upwork time line guide. So is this possible? Please guide me

 

Thanks

10 REPLIES 10
Preston's avatar
Preston H Community Member

re: "So is this possible?"

 

Is it possibe for a client to ask for a refund on hours that you worked so long ago?

Yes. It is possible for him to ASK.

 

But that request has no power.

 

You can politely decline that request.

 

If the client simply sent you a message, than you may ask him to explain why he is asking for a refund.

 

In most cases, clients know full well that their refund request is inappropriate. They're just clicking a button to see if they can get some free money. If they are actually asked to explain themselves, most clients are too embarassed to even reply.

 

If the contract is already closed, the request is even more silly and powerless. Because the client can't give you any feedback at this point. If the contract is OPEN... the fact that the client can still leave feedback for you is something you may need to consider.

Arsalan's avatar
Arsalan K Community Member

Thanks for the valueable response. Yes requested refund for last month hours and another refund request of the past six months hours...

Arsalan's avatar
Arsalan K Community Member

I just received an email from Upwork mediation team, they said I have a problem with my client and they would like to resolve the issue.

But I don't have an active contract with him now. Nor i left any pending payment with him. all of the payments were approved by my client and transfered by upwork through its holding period.

So now what kind of this dispute it is, and why they are contacting me.

 

Can you please guide me?

Petra's avatar
Petra R Community Member

 

It was an hourly contract? The client can't dispute  months worth of hours. The client can dispute last week's hours, and if you correctly tracked your time with the time tracker, with proper memos and activity levels, you will win that dispute automatically. In very rare cases, Upwork may look at the work diary for the last 30 days.

 

Realistically, all Upwork can do now is try mediation. This is non-binding and all you need to do is keep saying that you are not willing to refund and that by the terms of service you aren't required to refund either. That'll be the end of it.

Arsalan's avatar
Arsalan K Community Member

Yes, Its was a hourly job. He is claiming for the second and third week of March 2021.

 

Which were approved. and for the fourth week of March I already deleted the hours locked by me, and Day before yesterday I closed the contract as well.

 

I read his saying, he is claiming for the whole money that he approved me. 

Petra's avatar
Petra R Community Member


Arsalan K wrote:

Which were approved. and for the fourth week of March I already deleted the hours locked by me, and Day before yesterday I closed the contract as well.


Clients do not approve payment on hourly contracts. They are charged automatically on Mondays. USUALLY the client would only be able to dispute last week (which I understand you have already deleted the hours of?) and Upwork would only very rarely, in exceptional circumstances, look at the work diary of hours further back )maximum of 30 days). If your hours were fully compliant with the terms of the hourly protection (tracked, meaningful work memos, fair activity levels), you have nothing to fear.

 

Anything further back than 30 days won't even be entertained. Simply play it cool, al, and professional and don't cave in.

Arsalan's avatar
Arsalan K Community Member

Thank you, for the suggestion, I think he is claiming for the second and third weeks hours, as fourth week I already deleted. so let see. as per your saying only last week entertain in rare cases upwork deals in the past 30 days.

Jennifer's avatar
Jennifer M Community Member


Arsalan K wrote:

Hello All,

I am in a quite weired situiation where client asking for refund amount which he approved three weeks ago. I logged the hours properly with upwork time line guide. So is this possible? Please guide me

 

Thanks


He can only dispute the previous week. It seems that upwork will do some kind of mediation resolution but you don't have to refund if you don't want to.

Arsalan's avatar
Arsalan K Community Member

Yes, I just received an email from Upwork mediation team, they said I have a problem with my client and they would like to resolve the issue.

But I don't have an active contract with him now. Nor i left any pending payment with him. all of the payments were approved by my client and transfered by upwork through its holding period.

So now what kind of this dispute it is, and why they are contacting me.

 

Can you please guide me?

Arsalan's avatar
Arsalan K Community Member

Thanks Preston and Jennifer for your valueable answers... Thanks once again