Hello Community,
I'm facing a perplexing situation with a client on Upwork and would appreciate any insights or similar experiences you might share.
Background:
- I recently worked on a project where the client decided to migrate to a third-party platform, rendering the last 38 hours of my work (which was billed) irrelevant.
- The client has not paid the last invoice, now overdue by over 50 days.
- Despite my efforts to resolve this amicably, the client initiated a mediation process, falsely claiming that I never delivered any work over the past six months.
- I have provided detailed evidence of my work and correspondence during mediation, which clearly demonstrates the acceptance of my work on previous projects.
Current Challenge:
- Upwork's mediation team has proposed that I refund two invoices dating back over 90 days. This is baffling, as these invoices pertain to work that the client had already accepted and paid for.
- My understanding, based on Upwork's Hourly, Bonus, and Expense Payment Agreement with Escrow Instructions, is that clients have a responsibility to dispute invoices within a 5 day Dispute Period following the billing cycle. Once this period passes, the work is considered accepted.
Concerns:
- The client's claim not only disregards the evidence of completed and accepted work but also undermines the integrity of the hourly billing system on Upwork.
- There's documented acknowledgment from the client about the impact of their decision to switch technologies, necessitating rework, which I was prepared to undertake.
- The sudden claim for a refund on work that was completed and paid for months ago seems to be an attempt to exploit the system.
Questions:
- Has anyone faced a similar situation where a client has disputed work long after the standard Dispute Period?
- Given the terms of Upwork's agreement, should it even be possible for a client to dispute or request refunds for invoices that were paid months ago and for work that was subsequently built upon?
Any guidance or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated as I navigate this challenging scenario.
