Client asking for refund on already completed job

[ahmedrazach]

Hi all gurus!
Hope you're all doing great.

Recently, I had a fixed-pirce (divided in 4 milestones) project. First three milestones went okay. But for the fourth milestone, the client delayed the payment for more than a month with so many excuses (i'm away from home, i'm sick for days, my card got stuck, deliver the work first etc etc etc.). After more than a month, I made him pay by saying straight forward that final work will not be delivered untill the payment is deposited in escrow.

Finally he made the payment, and I commited the work (source code) on github. And left him a message on upwork to review the code but he didn't respond on upwork but checked the github repository. He requested many revisions in github' comments and issues sections which I completed all. He was satisfied.

After many days, the milestone got approved automatically by upwork since the client did not respond to the project delivery or my messages on upwork. But after 3 days of project's automattic approval, the client showed up out of nowhere and requested a refund for the last milestone by saying that the freelancer did not deliver the work. I'm still bieng polite with him, and asking him for any revisions/modifications required.

My question is:
- If I leave his refund request without accepting/rejecting it, will upwork automatically approve his refund request after some days?
- The job is not terminated yet and from his messages, i'm assuming that he will leave a bad review when terminated even if I give a refund. It's my third job and I'm a rising telent. What shall I do to save my profile from such a person?

Your response will be appreciated.

Thanks

[sbilu131521]

Hi Ahmed,
Sorry to hear that. Let's answer your question:
- If I leave his refund request without accepting/rejecting it, will upwork automatically approve his refund request after some days?

In that case, Upwork can not automatically approve the refund if your fund has less amount. But Upwork provides mediation assistance for a refund if the payment was made in the past 30 days. Means Upwork will contact you for the refund if you don't respond.

- The job is not terminated yet and from his messages, i'm assuming that he will leave a bad review when terminated even if I give a refund. It's my third job and I'm a rising telent. What shall I do to save my profile from such a person?

As you already took 3 milestones payment, so if the client put bad review it will be on your profile. You can request for review changing what I think may become worst. Anyway, if you are a top-rated freelancer, you can remove the review from your profile.

My suggestion is to refund the amount and manage the whole thing soft and politely.

I know nad thing happens, but you must keep going.

Thanks
Sagar

[petra_r]

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Sagar S wrote:

But Upwork provides mediation assistance for a refund if the payment was made in the past 30 days. Means Upwork will contact you for the refund if you don't respond.

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Wrong. The client only requested a refund. NOTHING happens if the freelancer ignores that. AT ALL. It does not create a dispute or trigger mediation.

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Sagar S wrote:

My suggestion is to refund the amount and manage the whole thing soft and politely.

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If the OP's account of what happened is correct then this is poor advice. Harmful to the OP and harmful to all freelancers. Why should people complete work for free? How does that even make sense? 

[sbilu131521]

Thank you, Petra for your correction. I should be more careful in the future. Duly appreciated.

[petra_r]

If the client has not disputed, but merely requested a refund, if you do nothing, nothing happens (unless the client disputes).

If you have done the work, do not just cave in, roll over and refund. Not only does that mean you don't get paid, it also teaches clients such behaviour, which hurts all freelancers.

Communicate with the client to bring the contract to a good conclusion. 

[ahmedrazach]

Thank you Petra for your good advice.

Although, i'm trying my best to resolve the matter as politely as possible and  hoping that the client will come to an understanding. But hypothetically speaking, if the client still leaves a negative review, is there somthing the freelancer can do? Considering that the freelancer is Rising Talent and not top-rated, he cannot remove a negative review.