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annisa_sarah
Community Member

Ending Fixed Price Contract for Unresponsive Client

Hi all!

I joined Upwork for almost 2 months. This is my first experience with an unresponsive client.

 

It's a fixed priced contract with no milestone. At first, before we start the contract, she gives me clear instructions about the work. Then she disappeared for two weeks and she came with NEW additional instruction. I work again for the revision and quickly turn around the result 1 day later. After that, there is no response up till now (more than 2 weeks). So I decided to close the contract so I can focus on another hourly contract (which is in a rush and long term).

 

My question is: after submitting the payment (and the work of course), the payment status is still pending. I've read several similar threads which said that the payment will be released in 14 days although the client doesn't respond at all? Is that right? Or the payment only could be released after the client approve the payment request?

 

However, before ending the contract I wrote:
Hi Client,

Herewith I attach my work for XXXX as you've requested on the last chat. Thank you for the opportunity you give to join this project. It means a lot for me.

By system, Upwork will give you 14 days to review my work. During that time, please feel free to discuss the work on message. I'll still give my full commitment on this project. I hope we can work together in the future. Thank you.

 

Is that polite?

Thank you for your thought!

ACCEPTED SOLUTION

re: "I just click the Reports Overview page you refer, I see it on 'In review' tab and under 'Fixed price milestones in review'. What do you think?"

 

This means you're doing the right thing.

 

Just be patient.

 

What I do with all fixed-price milestones:

I submit them using the official "Submit Work / Request Payment" button.

 

And then I do nothing further.

 

If the client is gone/unresponsive, then I just wait.

I don't send reminders. I don't click any buttons.

After 2 weeks, the money is released to me.

Then I wait some more.

 

I wait for the money to go "In review" and "Pending" stages, and finally arrive in the "Available" stage.

 

When the money becomes "Available," then I withdraw it to my own bank account.

 

AFTER that, I will close the contract myself.

But there is no rush.

 

It is always my preference that a client quickly review my submission, release payment, and then close the contract with a positive review. But Upwork has a very safe, sensible plan in place for situations when the client is NOT around. I can be patient and DO NO FURTHER WORK for a few weeks while my money makes its way into my account.

View solution in original post

16 REPLIES 16
g_vasilevski
Retired Team Member
Retired Team Member

Hi Annisa,

 

Yes that is correct, if no actions are taken the funds will be released to you after 14 days. Keep in mind that if you resubmit the work again you will reset the 14 days period. To learn more details about fixed price protection, check out this Help Article. Thank you.

~ Goran
Upwork


Goran V wrote:

 

Yes that is correct, if no actions are taken the funds will be released to you after 14 days.


NOT if she closes or has closed the contract. Which is what she says she wants to do. That sends any funds remaining in Escrow back to the client. Look at what she wrote:

 

"So I decided to close the contract so I can focus on another hourly contract."

 

Annissa, did you submit / resubmit the work using the "submit work for payment" button on the contract? When did you do that?


When you say the payment is "pending" - what do you actually mean? Has it been released by Upwork? Or by the client? In that case you'll find it under the Pending tab of your "Reports Overview" page.

 

If it is NOT there you must NOT close the contract as you  will NOT get paid.

 

Go to Reports Overview


Where is the money? Unless it is in Available or Pending, under NO circumstances close the contract!


Also, there is no need to rush closing the contract, why don't you leave it open for now?

 

 

Hi Petra,

 

Annissa, did you submit / resubmit the work using the "submit work for payment" button on the contract? When did you do that?

 

Yes, I did submit it using the "submit work for payment" button. After more than two weeks she didn't reply to my message about the revision. 

 

When you say the payment is "pending" - what do you actually mean? Has it been released by Upwork? Or by the client? In that case you'll find it under the Pending tab of your "Reports Overview" page.

 

I just click the Reports Overview page you refer, I see it on 'In review' tab and under 'Fixed price milestones in review'. What do you think?


re: "I just click the Reports Overview page you refer, I see it on 'In review' tab and under 'Fixed price milestones in review'. What do you think?"

 

This means you're doing the right thing.

 

Just be patient.

 

What I do with all fixed-price milestones:

I submit them using the official "Submit Work / Request Payment" button.

 

And then I do nothing further.

 

If the client is gone/unresponsive, then I just wait.

I don't send reminders. I don't click any buttons.

After 2 weeks, the money is released to me.

Then I wait some more.

 

I wait for the money to go "In review" and "Pending" stages, and finally arrive in the "Available" stage.

 

When the money becomes "Available," then I withdraw it to my own bank account.

 

AFTER that, I will close the contract myself.

But there is no rush.

 

It is always my preference that a client quickly review my submission, release payment, and then close the contract with a positive review. But Upwork has a very safe, sensible plan in place for situations when the client is NOT around. I can be patient and DO NO FURTHER WORK for a few weeks while my money makes its way into my account.

Hi Preston, 

Okay, I'll be patient and wait up to 3 weeks later. Thank you for the solution!

Hi 

Can an unresponsive client Leave a feedback After he Comes back and see the Auto Payment 

Hi Numan, 

As long as the contract is not yet closed, the client will have the opportunity to close the contract and leave feedback for you. If the contract is closed, the freelancer will have to enable the client's ability to change the feedback for the contract. You can read more about it here

Just to add, the party who closes the contract will always be prompted to leave feedback for the other party. 


~ Avery
Upwork


Annisa S wrote:

 

I just click the Reports Overview page you refer, I see it on 'In review' tab and under 'Fixed price milestones in review'. What do you think?


In that case, whatever you do, do NOT end the contract as that would cause all the money in Escrow to go back to the client. Wait until those funds are released by Upwork 14 days after you submitted for payment. Under **NO** circumstances must you close the contract before that point.

 

Hello Petra,

I am having a similar issues here with 3 4 clients. i submit work for review and wait for 14 days to get the funds or to wait a client to respond during the time (i wait more then a month before submit work for review) but there are no response.

 

My concern is if i end the contract in this situation, does it effect on my profile ranking? As i beleive being a freelancer, i continuesly text the client for his availiblity and this is the only think i can do. so if i end the contract, i blv it shouldnt be an issue from my end.

Also, one of my client leave a bad review on my profile. (well i've solid prove available in upwork msgs which show the client is changing his mind and gambling with me to work on the following things which is not in the job description). this contract has already been completed but just wanted to know how can i ask any support from upwork to remove this or atleast if i am not on the mistake, why do freelancer only who get the bad impact?

Maruf

Hi Maruf,

 

Contracts without feedback won't affect your Job Success Score unless you have an excessive number of them. This applies to contracts you closed or left open and inactive.

I'm sorry to hear you received some bad feedback from a client. Your client's record of feedback is taken into consideration when weighing their interactions in your score. We know that not every contract will end perfectly, and your JSS won't be ruined by just one or two negative contract outcomes.

If you disagree with the feedback you received you have the option of Responding to Feedback within 28 days of the contract ending to offer clarification. 

 

Hope this is useful and please feel free to check out the help articles included for more information,

 

Thanks!

~Andrea
Upwork
florydev
Community Member

I think the way to look at this is that you did the work you should get paid.  It is the client's responsability to review the work in the allotted time but if they are too busy there is nothing you can do about it. 

 

They may come back with revisions after you got paid and then you should create another milestone to handle those.  They may get angry about it and you will have to handle that but we should not spend too much time worrying about what other people will do.

 

Leave the contract alone, it won't hurt you or your JSS, in fact I think it won't even go idle for quite some time (I want to say 3 months).  At some point in the future you can close the contract.

Annisa,

 

Just to clarify, when the two weeks is up, your funds will not be released for another five days or so as they are held back by Upwork for security purposes. In this scenario of disappearing client, you may have wait about 20 days before you see the money in your account. This is normal - so just sit it out until the money appears in your account. 

Thanks all!

So I conclude I'll get the money after about 3 weeks and nothing to do right now (and don't ever close the contract in 3 weeks later). I hope there will be a good sign from the client. Thank you!

Hi all,

 

Finally, the client responds to my messages and she looks satisfied with my work. She creates a new milestone (just change the date). Should I press the 'resubmit work' button? (screenshot attached)

 

Thank you for your help

Hi Annisa, 


Once you have revised the work according to what you and the client have discussed, you can resubmit the work by clicking on the "resubmit button" so that the client can review the edited work within the 14-day review period.


~ Avery
Upwork

Hi Avery, many thanks!

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