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jonathancastro39
Community Member

cancel contract

Hello, I have a doubt I have my first contract for hours, this client just wants to talk and talk at all times, every moment wants to change technologies in the project going around in one place and delaying his own project, my question is I can cancel the contract and receive my payment for hours worked ?, used at all times the tracking tool, thank you for your comments, good day

ACCEPTED SOLUTION

I don't see why you need to walk out on the contract. Tell the client that you charge a consulting fee for phone calls and if he wants to discuss the project, then you will need to track the time using the time tracker. Of course, he'll need to agree to this first, but it seems reasonable to me. He must be getting some value out of your conversations or he wouldn't keep calling you.

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18 REPLIES 18
wlyonsatl
Community Member

As long as the client is paying you for your time, is it really important to you to stop working for them?

 

They may have hired you because they see you as an expert and want your advice and input. That sounds like easy money to me.


Will L wrote:

As long as the client is paying you for your time, is it really important to you to stop working for them?

 

They may have hired you because they see you as an expert and want your advice and input. That sounds like easy money to me.


I agree, although at $ 3 an hour it seems hardly worth it...

 

Of course the problem is that the OP is new and this is his first and so far only contract.

The client is not abusive, just a bit of a pain, and frankly getting poor feedback for walking out on a contract midway just because the client chats too much, and when this might result in poor feedback acting as a barrier to winning another contract, seems short-sighted.

 

ok, thanks


Jonathan C wrote:

 currently the contract is paused by the client


Then you don't talk to the client because you can not track time.

 

A friendly hint: You need to up your rate. If you have the skills you claim to have you must not work that cheap. You will only attract the worst of the worst clients that way.


Petra R wrote:

Jonathan C wrote:

 currently the contract is paused by the client


Then you don't talk to the client because you can not track time.

 

A friendly hint: You need to up your rate. If you have the skills you claim to have you must not work that cheap. You will only attract the worst of the worst clients that way.



ok, thanks for your advice, good day

I don't see why you need to walk out on the contract. Tell the client that you charge a consulting fee for phone calls and if he wants to discuss the project, then you will need to track the time using the time tracker. Of course, he'll need to agree to this first, but it seems reasonable to me. He must be getting some value out of your conversations or he wouldn't keep calling you.

jonathancastro39
Community Member

hello good day, I have a doubt, I am currently in a contract with a low rate, and I am doing full stack level applications, after 1 month this fee pareeces me very low for this type of applications, I can cancel the contract at any time ? or should I wait for the contract to end? It's a contract for hours, thank you.

You can cancel it but beware of a few things:

1. You might want to carefully review the proposal before taking it, if it seems to low, try skipping it, i know we are urgent to take any jobs, but dont do that, earn what your value is.

2. Reputation for us is everything, if you cancel the contract, be sure that client wont be very happy and he might rampage on your review, and will affect your score... so maybe... MAYBE... try finishing the job? so you can keep up a good score, next time... dont take jobs you dont like.

So you accepted a contract for a low fee, and now you're upset because you accepted a contract for a low fee.

 

Right - well, before you just outright quit the job, you could try talking to your client. If they've been employing you for a month now then they must be satisfied with your work, so they might be willing to negotiate. If not, then perhaps you could agree on a deadline, instead of working for them indefinitely? (How much longer are we talking about, anyway?)

 

re: "...I can cancel the contract at any time?"

 

Putting everything else aside... such as whether you should cancel, etc.

 

The simple answer to your question is: Yes.

 

A freelancer may cancel a contract AT ANY TIME.

For ANY reason.

 

The freelancer does not need to provide a reason.


Christine A wrote:

So you accepted a contract for a low fee, and now you're upset because you accepted a contract for a low fee.

 

Right - well, before you just outright quit the job, you could try talking to your client. If they've been employing you for a month now then they must be satisfied with your work, so they might be willing to negotiate. If not, then perhaps you could agree on a deadline, instead of working for them indefinitely? (How much longer are we talking about, anyway?)

 


hello, in the initial publication mentions 3 to 6 monthsProject Length, and constantly add new technologies that are not mentioned in the initial offer, in addition to the constant telephone meetings with the client that takes a lot of time every day, I do not see much sense to continue with the initial rate, to a project that is becoming increasingly complex, that's why it's my doubt, thank you.


Jonathan C wrote:

hello, in the initial publication mentions 3 to 6 monthsProject Length, and constantly add new technologies that are not mentioned in the initial offer, in addition to the constant telephone meetings with the client that takes a lot of time every day, I do not see much sense to continue with the initial rate, to a project that is becoming increasingly complex, that's why it's my doubt, thank you.

Okay, that's a different story - you shouldn't have to complete any tasks that you didn't initally agree to. But I still think that the first step is to communicate with your client. Clearly explain exactly what you can do for him, for what rate and for how long, apologise for underbidding, and tell him why you think that you're worth more money. Also tell him that you're going to need to hit that "start timeclock" button during your daily phone calls, because that's time spent working on his project as well. Then see what he says. Most clients aren't jerks (despite what you may have read in other forum posts), so he might very well agree with you. If not, THEN you could cancel.

Just curious... has anything changed since you got the same answers to the same question a week ago?

Do you think anything will change if you ask the same question again next week?


Petra R wrote:

Just curious... has anything changed since you got the same answers to the same question a week ago?

Do you think anything will change if you ask the same question again next week?


Actually, if he asks the same question again next week, then my response WILL change to "yes, you should just quit."


Petra R wrote:

Just curious... has anything changed since you got the same answers to the same question a week ago?

Do you think anything will change if you ask the same question again next week?


the content of the 2 questions is different, and this is a forum to clarify doubts, especially to the new community.


Jonathan C wrote:

Petra R wrote:

Just curious... has anything changed since you got the same answers to the same question a week ago?

Do you think anything will change if you ask the same question again next week?


the content of the 2 questions is different, and this is a forum to clarify doubts, especially to the new community.


Your two threads have been merged now, so it looks like Upwork also thinks that you asked the same question twice. Both times, you asked if you could cancel the project, and you were given advice on how to deal with the situation. If things still aren't clear, then feel free to ask for clarifications. But if you're looking for someone to just say outright, "Yes, you should definitely cancel" - sorry but that's something only you can decide.

 

Nobody is denying that it sounds like you have a difficult client, but if you cancel projects every time you face challenges, you're going to hurt your JSS and your future prospects. That's not a good way to run a business - it would be better to learn how to deal with these situations, don't you think?

 


Christine A wrote:

Nobody is denying that it sounds like you have a difficult client, but if you cancel projects every time you face challenges, you're going to hurt your JSS and your future prospects. That's not a good way to run a business - it would be better to learn how to deal with these situations, don't you think?

 


choice.jpg


Petra R wrote:

Christine A wrote:

Nobody is denying that it sounds like you have a difficult client, but if you cancel projects every time you face challenges, you're going to hurt your JSS and your future prospects. That's not a good way to run a business - it would be better to learn how to deal with these situations, don't you think?

 


choice.jpg


The wisdom of your words almost makes up for your typesetting. (Sorry - force of habit.)

 

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