Refund request

02d3e798 · ‎05-04-2021

Hi For the first time I have a refund request this week which is several weeks after an hourly contract (all done on the offical timer) has finished. It looks like a generic request with no required answer and the options appear to be to pay it or ignore it. If I decide not to pay it does anything happen, their is no timescale put onto respond by? Thanks

petra_r · ‎05-04-2021

Andrew M wrote:
If I decide not to pay it does anything happen, their is no timescale put onto respond by?

Tell the client (in messages) politely but firmly that you won't be refunding. The client is out of time to dispute, so there is nothing to worry about.

prestonhunter · ‎05-04-2021

Andrew:

I believe you are referring to a request that was generated by a button clients can click.

From what I have read in the Forum, I have come to believe that the vast majority of clients who click this button do so without having an actual reason for requesting a refund. They simply see the button and think "free money."

Such people do not think about the freelancers as fellow human beings. They are treating this like a video game or something. Most of the time, if the freelancer asks why the client is asking for a refund, the client won't even reply. They are too embarrassed to even answer. So they just let the matter drop.

02d3e798 · ‎05-21-2021

Interestingly a mediation request turned up in my inbox this week. I queried how under part 7.2 of the terms of service this is allowable after 55+ days beyond the last payment, and I was told it is flexible.

petra_r · ‎05-21-2021

Andrew M wrote:
Interestingly a mediation request turned up in my inbox this week. I queried how under part 7.2 of the terms of service this is allowable after 55+ days beyond the last payment, and I was told it is flexible.

The time for when a client can request mediation is "flexible" but mediation (as opposed to a dispute) has no teeth. Basically, all you need to do is reiterate politely and firmly that you are not prepared to refund because the work was done as agreed. The dispute period is well and truly over, so neither the client nor Upwork can force you to refund anything. Don't waste much time on it. Say as much as necessary but as little as possible.