Requesting advice on my first dispute case

[c93567d7]

After 3 years on upwork a client is filed a dispute case against me -

I had stated on chat to client that i would provide refund if i did not make progress on some day. Client is now demanding full refund. However I had made progress that day which can be verified by the time tracker, the client is denying this to the upwork reprersentative. All hours were tracked by the time tracker.

Do you guys have any advice for me on this matter? Client seems vengeful and trying to hurt me anyway he can.

[25005175]

I actually won my first arbitration case (hopefully my last) less than a month ago.

Is this an hourly contract or a Fixed-Price in which you opted to use Time Tracking?

[c93567d7]

Its hourly - the client is crazy I have better things to do but this guy just wants to hurt me anyway he can. I have easily spent 10+ hours outside the contract dealing with his BS and not being compensated and he is asking for refund wow wow.

I am not entirely innocent, I agreed to put in 10-20 hours per week before accepting the contract and ended up only putting in in 12 hours over 3 weeks due to personal reasons - but he is going too far just trying to hurt me in anyway he can....

[25005175]

I sympathize. My experience was similar - the client had unreasonable expectations and I underestimated time requirements. Client also refused to take responsibility for their own components not working.

The dispute system is different on hourly than it is in fixed-price, in that you have built-in evidence of work activity, and deliverables are not really part of the equation. Check these articles for the Hourly Dispute process and criteria.

If it somehow escalates to mediation (not sure it can), then be respectful and diligently and thoroughly lay out your case with any and all evidence. Expect to be smeared by your client and be prepared with evidence to counter them - don't stoop to their level.

If it somehow escalates to arbitration (not sure it can), then act quickly to submit everything requested (and offered) of you, because there are time limits. Again, be respectful in all correspondence.

[prestonhunter]

re: "I agreed to put in 10-20 hours per week before accepting the contract and ended up only putting in in 12 hours over 3 weeks due to personal reasons - but he is going too far just trying to hurt me in anyway he can...."

But that is something that can happen with EVERY FREELANCER a client hires.

Any informed client should know and understand this.

This is why clients hire more than one person to work on their important projects that have impending deadlines. They assign work to the freelancers who finish tasks.

So if a client hires Allan, Betty, Cynthia, David and Eric... And then Allan does nothing, Betty does a little bit, but Cynthia, David and Eric get the most done and finish tasks on time, then the client knows who to assign most of the work to. And the client gets the project done on time.

This is basic project management. And this is how real clients accomplish their goals. Seeking revenge against a freelancer who doesn't work as many hours as you had hoped he would work is simply childish.