Should I open a dispute?

[alinaioana88]

Hi everyone, 

I would need your advice on this matter, on what is the better thing to do next.

I've got a contract with a client on a bigger project, but he ended up putting a burden of work on me (too much volume of work in a short time - I've worked for 8 days, 8-9 hours a day without a day off, even though we didn't agree like that), so considering that I am not a robot I decided that I will quit after I finish the first milestone.

Now, he is blackmailing me that he won't release the first milestone before I take the next one.

Isn't it my right to quit a project which is too exhausting for me? I always took all my collaborations seriously, never giving up on a project and I finished all the projects with successfully, but this one is too much for me.

[martina_plaschka · Accepted solution]

Of course you can quit any time you want to. The client doesn't have to release a milestone, it will be released automatically 14 days after you submit for payment. Yes, an unhappy client can leave bad feedback, but that's not worth your sanity. 

I see nothing to dispute here. Just tell the client very professionally that you are unable to further work on this, and then do nothing. 

[tlbp]

Don't close the contract until the payment for your milestone is released. If you close the contract during the 14-day wait, the money is returned to the client. One you receive the payment for the first milestone, you can close the contract. The client will be able to leave feedback.