Hello all,
I'm currently facing a problem with a client who isn't sending the payment. Now before going into the details, I would like to draw the kind attention of Upwork Support and the related to this topic to help me out with this issue.
Long ago, I worked for a client on a contract of 40$. It was a regular process just like another, and the job was completed successfully. After some months, the client came back again with a project worth 1300$. It was a fixed-price contract and was placed successfully. Previously, when working with him on his 1st contract (of 40$), it was a fixed-price too, and this client usually doesn't place the funds in escrow, instead he likes to pay all at once, when the job is completed.
The same thing happened with the next contract, he didn't placed any funds in the escrow. At first, it was decided to complete the task in the milestones. I want to mention here that the client stated he wanted the work within 2 weeks which was very quick given the work that the job had to offer. The milestones were of 4-5 days each, and when I completed the first milestone, and asked the client for the payment the client was unresponsive. At this point, I thought that instead of wasting time, I should proceed with the second milestone to make sure that the work is completed within the deadline. I consider this as my first mistake.
Since, I was also excited as I never had the opportunity to work on a big project, I completed all the milestones and the job at once in the deadline. After checking and going through the work, the client asked for edits. When I asked him for the payment, he said that he would send it all at once. I thought it would be like the previous contract he did with me, and proceeded with the work further. I need to mention here that the client often remains unresponsive, and mostly reply on Tuesdays or Sundays. That might be his work hours.
After and after, the edits continued coming over a long period of 4 months since the project started and I did them in the hope that these might be the last edits. The client stated that he is an agency owner and the job was of his client and that client is not very co-operative. I believed him, as I had no reason to doubt him as well. Within this period, he sometimes was also like I'm going to send the payment and end the project in morning, or after I've talked with client, etc. But at the appointed time, he always remains offline and comes online after a long period.
Similarly, 2 weeks ago he said that he would end it for all on the next day, when he has to finalize everything with the client. And after 14 days, he is still offline. Now, I'm really frustrated and over this journey, I had realized my big mistake of not ensuring that the client funds the payment in escrow. But at that moment, all the work had been done (On the client's website) and what was coming was just a few minor edits.
I don't have at all a problem with the work done, or the edits he sent. I still believe that what he is saying is PERHAPS true, and he might send the payment one day. But all this wait, is very very irritating for me and now it has become unbearable whenever the client comes, types 2 sentences and goes offline for 2 weeks or more straight. I don't want to delete all the work I did on the client's website, neither do I expect that Upwork will transfer the money from the client's bank to my account. I know that this is my mistake at total, for working without the funds in escrow but being a newbie, I hate to accept but I did that. All I want is advise from the veterans in this industry, for what I can do now to make sure my payment gets to me safely.
Any help in this account is much much appreciated from the very bottom of my heart. Whether it is in the form of an advise, or if the Support can help me contact the client by any way.
Thanks a lot for reading all the way down here!
P.S: I forgot to mention, that the client once even asked for my account to do all the payments outside of Upwork. But I denied, making sure that all the payments are made within the platform. Since then, he hasn't payed me yet.
