Buyer doesn't want to pay for my work

860b49f2 · ‎10-18-2021

Hey, respected Upwork community! hope you are doing great! A few days ago, I landed a client who needs a copy for his Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign with the full SEO, audience research, market research, and keyword research. I hard worked day and night and provided him a quality work with full completion where I sent him 100% SEO report, Market and audience research report, and copy for the campaign with double extra words. When I submitted it, he said first there are so many Grammatical mistakes, but when I inform him, I have checked this copy on Grammarly Premium Account, then he turn the issue and said Grammar is OK, but English is bad while English was not bad, I used every triggered word and made it persuasive. After that I said him to make English better than that, he said no I want to refund my balance. Now, he doesn't want to pay for my SEO, audience research, market research, and keyword research, and saying your whole work is not good. First, he said about Grammar mistakes when I clear it, he said about English, When I clear it, he said at last, your research is not good. What is problem with him. So, please review my work, I have completed it in a very well manner after hard working of day and night. Now, when I deliver, he is making excuses to get his dollars. While everything is OK. So, please can you help me to get paid me for my work. Thanks Best Regards

PradeepH · ‎10-18-2021

Hi Muhammad,

Thank you for your message. I am sorry to hear about your experience with a client. I see that you have already initiated a support ticket here for the same concern. One of our team members will reach out to you via ticket as soon as possible and assist you further.

Thank you.

Pradeep

860b49f2 · ‎10-19-2021

Thank you so much! I just wanted to know why some clients do that and will I be paid for my work? while I have submitted my work on time and attached all the proof.

colettelewis · ‎10-19-2021

Muhammad,

If this was an hourly contract, and the client does not dispute the hours for a week's work, you will get paid.

If this was a fixed-price contract, and the client funded for a milestone or the complete job, you will get paid if the client agrees to release the money in escrow.

However, clearly your client is not happy with the work and has asked for a refund, which you can either accept or not. If you don't accept, the client can dispute this and could eventually take the dispute to arbitration which is expensive for the freelancer, the client and Upwork, and which you might not win, so you want to avoid this.

The client can also simply close the contract, which means you will get paid, but he is likely to leave bad feedback. I would suggest you try to reach some kind of compromise with the client, and agree for him to pay you for part of your work.

Try to remember though, that if a client is not happy, it is always best to try to offer a solution, rather than throwing a hissy fit and telling them they are wrong. I am sure your research is good, but your English is not good enough to challenge a client who was looking for someone who could advance their cause.

860b49f2 · ‎10-19-2021

Hey, Thanks for your response. It was fix contract of 140$. When I submitted, he said there were so many grammar mistakes while that was not and I cleared I have used Grammarly Premium then he said Grammar is OK, your English is bad. I said to revise the work, but he refuse and canceled the order and request me to refund. Now, 140$ is in my escrow fund. I disputed this because I had worked hard on Market research, Keyword research, Audience research, and a 100% SEO score, I said him to pay for my hard work.

I said him to clear everything by placing an order equal to my Market research, Keyword research, Audience research, and a 100% SEO score work, but he refused and called me a fraud man.

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

colettelewis · ‎10-19-2021

Muhammad Noman S wrote:

Hey, Thanks for your response. It was fix contract of 140$. When I submitted, he said there were so many grammar mistakes while that was not and I cleared I have used Grammarly Premium then he said Grammar is OK, your English is bad. I said to revise the work, but he refuse and canceled the order and request me to refund. Now, 140$ is in my escrow fund. I disputed this because I had worked hard on Market research, Keyword research, Audience research, and a 100% SEO score, I said him to pay for my hard work.
I said him to clear everything by placing an order equal to my Market research, Keyword research, Audience research, and a 100% SEO score work, but he refused and called me a fraud man.
**Edited for Community Guidelines**

I think it is fair to be paid for your research and the SEO. What about meeting him half way?

860b49f2 · ‎10-19-2021

Yes, either I want that. I said him to solve this issue by mutual agreement of placing an order equal to my research and SEO but once he placed an order and then immediately after one minute, withdrew it. I asked the reason he said that he didn't believe me and called me a fraud man. Now, he says that he will place an order after canceling the dispute from my side and refunding the money. Should I believe him?

colettelewis · ‎10-19-2021

Muhammad Noman S wrote:
Yes, either I want that. I said him to solve this issue by mutual agreement of placing an order equal to my research and SEO but once he placed an order and then immediately after one minute, withdrew it. I asked the reason he said that he didn't believe me and called me a fraud man. Now, he says that he will place an order after canceling the dispute from my side and refunding the money. Should I believe him?

_______________________

I haven't quite followed what your client is after, but if he agrees to pay you something, all he has to do if this is a fixed-price job is to pay you a portion of the money in escrow and then close the contract.

If the client has opened a dispute, then you must follow everything that Upwork's customer service tells you to do. If your client has not disputed, then you can either wait and see if he does, or refund him.

If you have pressed the submit button which will activate the payment, the client has 14 days to review the work, during which, he or she can ask for changes, pay you, or dispute if they are not happy with the work .If the client doesn't take any action then after 14 days, you will automatically be paid by Upwork.

If you refund him, he cannot leave public feedback, but he can leave private feedback which may impact your future JSS.

But whichever way you look at it, your ratings will not be good on this job.

860b49f2 · ‎10-19-2021

Thanks. In simple words, he didn't dispute while he has canceled the order and I didn't accept his cancelation and opened a dispute to get paid me for my work. Now, the order is in the dispute that I have made. The client didn't dispute, he just canceled the order.

I appreciate the help that you are doing for free.

So, just tell me, now what can happen during the situation, I have disputed? Now, the order is in the dispute from my side.

colettelewis · ‎10-19-2021

If you initiated the dispute, then you must follow everything Upwork's customer services ask you to do. An Upwork mediation specialist will contact the client. If, after Upwork has tried to mediate, the two parties still cannot agreee (you and the client), the next step is arbitration, which is expensive for you, the client, and Upwork, and you should try to avoid it as you are a new freelancer, inexperienced, and not in a very strong position.

I do recommend that you read Upwork's Terms of Service and the help pages. Here are some links to help you: https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211068528-Dispute-Non-Release-of-a-Milestone-Payment

https://www.upwork.com/legal#fp (see also section 7 on arbitration)

860b49f2 · ‎10-19-2021

Many many thank you.

a_lipsey · ‎10-26-2021

Muhammad Noman S wrote:
Many many thank you.

Muhammad, in the future I would be careful. Based on your writing here, your English grammar is not very strong. And Grammarly is meant as a guide, but it doesn't fix all or even most errors. In fact, it can create errors. I would encourage you to work with a human proofreader in the future who can help you in that matter.

5fc16e71 · ‎08-15-2024

Hi! How do I submit a ticket for the same issue? Thanks!

IvygailJ · ‎08-15-2024

Hello Luciana,

I saw your post in the community and would like to help. I checked your account, and it looks like you need assistance with your hourly contract. I see that you have one hour logged last work week and it is now being reviewed. If you were hired for an hourly contract, payments for the time you track are processed according to the Weekly Billing Cycle, and you can check this help article for more information about that. You can also check this article here for more information. Let us know if you need further assistance.

~Ivy

5fc16e71 · ‎08-16-2024

Thank you for recing out! I worked on a 1hr project asn this was done over 10 days ago. How to I obtain add assistance with my hourly contract? I reached out to the client twice and have not received an answer.