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Sara's avatar
Sara S Community Member

Unresponsive client

Hi,
I have been working with this client on a milestone basis. I have submitted the first part of the job and she said she loved it and asked for some more changes. But after that became unresponsive. I haven’t completed the project and the final files are not released. I’d like to know what I need to do at this stage?
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Nikola's avatar
Nikola S Retiring Moderator

Hi Sara,

 

If you are working with a client and they become unresponsive for a long period of time, it may be best to stop working on the project and wait for contact from the client. In some cases, you may also reach out to Upwork to contact the client on your behalf.

 

On a fixed-price contract, ending the contract forfeits any funds remaining in escrow. Instead, it is often best to complete your last milestone before you end the contract. If your client fails to respond to your submission, funds will be automatically released after 14 days. If they respond but refuse the work and you believe you have completed the work according to the agreed terms, you have the option to file a dispute.

 

You can find more information in this help article

 

~ Nikola

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241 REPLIES 241
Ranjit's avatar
Ranjit H Community Member

work Revision done and i am wait 14+  but blance not add

Luiggi's avatar
Luiggi R Retiring Moderator

Hi Shuvoraj,

 

Since you submitted the revision, the client will now have to review it to release the payment from escrow. If the client does not respond within the next 14 days from the date of the resubmission, the funds will be automatically released to you. 

~ Luiggi
Ranjit's avatar
Ranjit H Community Member

thanks 

Oktay's avatar
Oktay E Community Member

Hello,

I did a fixed price study 1 month ago. All stages have been completed. The client does not confirm my payment and does not respond to me even though he has made new work with other people on Upwork. What can I do?

Annie Jane's avatar
Annie Jane B Retired Team Member

Hi Oktay,

 

I'm sorry to hear about your unresponsive client. Your client may have times when they do not respond or communicate as quickly as usual for many reasons — busy on several projects, technical issues, a family emergency, etc. However, if you are working with a client and they become unresponsive for a long period of time, you may want to stop working on the project and wait for a response.

 

On a fixed-price contract, if you end the contract, you forfeit any funds that remain in escrow. Instead, we recommend that you complete your last milestone and submit the work for payment before you end the contract. If your client fails to respond to your submission, we will automatically release the funds after 14 days. If they respond but refuse the work and you believe that you have completed the work according to the agreed terms, you have the option to file a dispute.


~ AJ
Upwork
Prabuddha's avatar
Prabuddha B Community Member

Hello Upwork team

 

Refer to contract id 31353254. I completed the work for this contract and answered client's question as well. However, client has still not approved payment, after multiple requests and messages. Can you help? You can track and see my messages pertaining to this contract and make a determination.

 

 Thanks 

 

Prabuddha

Annie Jane's avatar
Annie Jane B Retired Team Member

Hi Prabuddha,

 

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. Once you submit your work, your client has 14 days to review and either approve the milestone or ask for changes. If they approve, the funds in escrow will be released to you. If your client takes no action for 14 days, the funds are automatically released to you. Looking at the contract, you submitted your work 6 days ago, and the client still has 8 days to approve it or request changes.

 

If the client refuses to release funds or requests an escrow refund for a milestone that you’ve completed, you can file an escrow dispute. The disputed funds will remain in escrow until a resolution is reached. To learn more about the escrow dispute process, click here.


~ AJ
Upwork
Nikita's avatar
Nikita S Community Member

Hello Upwork Team, 

I started working with a client on a logo project, we had a contract on a fixed price, and everything was moving great. We had good communication and talked about another project after the finalization of the current one.

After a few days of working on the project, the client closed the contract from nowhere, send me a request for a refund, and blocked me without saying a word. Now I'm in dilemma, can't even text the client and I don't know what I'm supposed to do.

This is the first time this has happened to me with a client. Аny advice is welcome. Thanks.

Muhammad Ahmad's avatar
Muhammad Ahmad H Community Member

My client disappear since 1 and half month

I had worked for him 

I was added on slack  to communicate with in a group..
few left group also..
I only manage to approach one..
but he said he can't also get response from him .
So I just submit the work i have done so far..
and request payment 
it' been 14 days but i haven't recieved any my amount yet please guide through

Annie Jane's avatar
Annie Jane B Retired Team Member

Hi Muhammad,

 

Thank you for reaching out to us. If you are working with a client and they become unresponsive for a long period of time, it may be best to stop working on the project and wait for contact from the client. In some cases, you may also reach out to Upwork to contact the client on your behalf.

 

On a fixed-price contract, ending the contract forfeits any funds remaining in escrow. Instead, it is often best to complete your last milestone before you end the contract. Generally, if your client fails to respond to your submission, funds will be automatically released after 14 days. If they respond but refuse the work and you believe you have completed the work according to the agreed terms, you have the option to file a dispute.

 

You can find more information in this help article

 

Could you please share the contract ID number so we can check?


~ AJ
Upwork
Irbaz's avatar
Irbaz S Community Member

Hello,
One of the clients was inactive and didn't reply my messages since more than two months. I want to end the contract with the client but  today I received a notification that the contract is suspended temporarily and upwork is investigating a problem with the client's account.
Still Can I end the contract and does it effect my JSS score ?

Best regards,
--Irbaz

Annie Jane's avatar
Annie Jane B Retired Team Member

Hi Irbaz,

 

Thank you for reaching out to us. When a client becomes unresponsive and the contract has been idle for a while, we suggest that you stop working on the contract and communicate with the client whether further work is needed. This is so both of you are on the same page when you end the contract. 

 

Even if the client's account is suspended, you can end the contract but please know that clients can still leave public and private feedback which has a direct impact on your JSS. You may get in touch with your client to give them a heads up and end the contract on a positive note.


~ AJ
Upwork
Md Monir's avatar
Md Monir H Community Member

I have already submitted my milestone by project on dated 22/09/22. But unfortunately until now client unresponsive and didn't release payment. What should I do now?

 

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

Mykola's avatar
Mykola A Community Member

Wait. Funds will be released after 14 days from last milestone submittion.

Annie Jane's avatar
Annie Jane B Retired Team Member

Hi Md Monir,

 

Thank you for reaching out to us. When a client becomes unresponsive and the contract has been idle for a while, we suggest that you stop working on the contract and communicate with the client whether further work is needed. This is so both of you are on the same page when you end the contract. 

 

On a fixed-price contract, ending the contract forfeits any funds remaining in escrow. Instead, it is often best to complete your last milestone before you end the contract. Generally, if your client fails to respond to your submission, funds will be automatically released after 14 days. If they respond but refuse the work and you believe you have completed the work according to the agreed terms, you have the option to file a dispute.

 

You can find more information in this help article


~ AJ
Upwork
Ailiya's avatar
Ailiya R Community Member

The best way is to only accept those clients who put the full amount in escrow. In that case, even if the client gets unresponsive, upwork would pay you the escrow amount on the 15th day. 

Moses's avatar
Moses D Community Member

Hi, I worked for a client who like the job, and the payment was protected. then he disappeared after a while and he is not responding. I have waited 14 days now and the payment is yet to be released to me. Please what can be done

Bilal's avatar
Bilal M Community Member

Check under Overview. Has the payment moved from the 'In review' section to the 'Pending' section?

 

Once payment moves to the Pending section, it will be available to you in 5 days.

Shaman Das's avatar
Shaman Das K Community Member

ask to upwork support they will help you better than us

Annie Jane's avatar
Annie Jane B Retired Team Member

Hi Moses,

 

Thank you for reaching out to us. When a client becomes unresponsive and the contract has been idle for a while, we suggest that you stop working on the contract and communicate with the client whether further work is needed. This is so both of you are on the same page when you end the contract. 

 

On a fixed-price contract, ending the contract forfeits any funds remaining in escrow. Instead, it is often best to complete your last milestone before you end the contract. Generally, if your client fails to respond to your submission, funds will be automatically released after 14 days. If they respond but refuse the work and you believe you have completed the work according to the agreed terms, you have the option to file a dispute.

 

You can find more information in this help article


~ AJ
Upwork
Ayhan's avatar
Ayhan K Community Member

Hey i hope you are fine 🙂

 

My client has been offline for 6 days I sent the graphic design he wanted, but he has been offline for a long time

I want the money in escrow to be credited to my account

 

Thank you 🙂

 

- Ayhan K

Sophie's avatar
Sophie A Community Member

Did you submit your work with the Submit work for payment button?

Annie Jane's avatar
Annie Jane B Retired Team Member

Hi Ayhan,

 

Thank you for reaching out to us. When a client becomes unresponsive and the contract has been idle for a while, we suggest that you stop working on the contract and communicate with the client whether further work is needed. This is so both of you are on the same page when you end the contract. 

 

On a fixed-price contract, ending the contract forfeits any funds remaining in escrow. Instead, it is often best to complete your last milestone before you end the contract. Generally, if your client fails to respond to your submission, funds will be automatically released after 14 days. If they respond but refuse the work and you believe you have completed the work according to the agreed terms, you have the option to file a dispute.

 

You can find more information in this help article


~ AJ
Upwork
Osman's avatar
Osman A Community Member

i submitted my work on NOV-7 and as today (NOV-9) it been two days and the client wasn't replying to my message and the contract is still left open, and suddenly today morning he said that

 

Client said: Hello osman I cant access the payment right now because of some changes in the setting made by the senior manager. But i already tell him. Sorry for the delay and i will update you soon about that.

 

and don't know wheter to believe him or not think I got scammed in my first day.

 

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

Annie Jane's avatar
Annie Jane B Retired Team Member

Hi Osman,

 

While we hope that all freelancer and client relationships and projects will run smoothly, we understand that occasionally you may have a disagreement with a client about the work you submitted and your payments. We encourage you to always try to work things out with your client first. However, if you do need to take further steps, we created Upwork Fixed-Price Protection to allow freelancers and agencies to file disputes under these two circumstances:

  1. A client ends the job with an escrow balance
  2. A client fails to release a milestone payment despite the delivery of work

You can check this article for more information.


~ AJ
Upwork