Supposing you don't want to work for a client any more..

[roberty1y]

...and you want to tell them so when you've finished your contract, but you're afraid of negative feedback. If the client has left feedback before they get the news that you won't work for them any more, how long would they have to change the feedback in retaliation? In other words, when is it safe to tell a bad client that you don't like working for them and never want to hear from them again?

[petra_r]

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Robert wrote:

If the client has left feedback before they get the news that you won't work for them any more, how long would they have to change the feedback in retaliation?

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Once left, feedback can't be changed at all without the other party's permission.

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In other words, when is it safe to tell a bad client that you don't like working for them and never want to hear from them again?

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Why would you tell them? Why not just decline any future offers?

[roberty1y]

Petra said:

Once left, feedback can't be changed at all without the other party's permission.

Thanks, I've heard of them changing it, but didn't realize there had to be bilateral consent. 

I guess you and the other freelancers are right in saying it's best just to decline further offers. "Hiking in Nepal" can be private code for "Get lost".

[02d3e798]

Personally I think its best to just end the contract agreeably if they are happy with what you have provided and not accept any future contracts. I'm sure you would just be very busy if they needed more work in the future, not able to start it for a few weeks and they might want to consider some other Upwork talent.

[martina_plaschka]

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Robert Y wrote:

...and you want to tell them so when you've finished your contract, but you're afraid of negative feedback. If the client has left feedback before they get the news that you won't work for them any more, how long would they have to change the feedback in retaliation? In other words, when is it safe to tell a bad client that you don't like working for them and never want to hear from them again?

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You don't tell them that. Do this: Dear Susie, I'd love to work on your next task, but unfortunately I'm trekking through Nepal at the moment.  

[gilbert-phyllis]

The freedom to choose not to work with a particular client is one of the reasons most of us work as independent contractors. Telling that client how we really feel is utterly unnecessary and can blow back on us in various ways -- whether on UW or another platform or in the b&m world. If you absolutely must get it off your chest, write a message and file it under "Never, Ever Send" (somewhere on your hard drive, not in your email client where you could accidentally send it) with a reminder to delete it in a few weeks.

[e825750a]

Hello,

I think it depends on the way you tell him that you no longer want to work with him. If you tell them politly he will probably be comprehensive, you don't risk to have bad feedback. You just need to complete the contract in progress. 

But if you tell them in a way that his think his is disrespected, he can for example give you bad communication in feedback.

thanks