Client is asking for a refund for part of a canceled project she doesn’t want to continue. But I don’t do refunds. What should I do?

[Anonymous]

[rosemilk]

i had some questions myself for your question, and read some comments below. so you had her sign a contract, she agreed to the "no refunds" thing. and if she's asking for a refund, you can kindly show the contract that she signed. there is nothing she can do about that. the most she could do is take you to court, but... again, the contract states what it states, and she'll lose and waste time and more money.

[Asker]

My other concern is that the $1500 was for 8 weeks of work and now she’s stopped and started it up again for like months without giving me the things I need. Literally in March she said “I’ll have a better idea of when I’m ready to resume in June” then it’s June and she’s telling me she might not need a website anymore. Now it’s July and she’s asking to modify the contract so I can make her a landing page as 1 of the 3 pages of the website. I told her I charge that separately and when she wants to resume site she has to give me a time frame and stick with it. Anything outside of new time frame I’ll have to charge. She’s being bitchy and told
Me she can’t pay me anymore cuz she’s in a bind.

[rosemilk]

she should consider herself blacklisted from commissions then. that is ridiculous. you need to end this job, tell her why you can no longer continue, and wish her the best

[Asker]

Ugh I felt so uncomfortable that I gave her one last chance to tell me when she’s ready to complete it and we can revise the agreement. If she doesn’t comply I will have to end the relationship. I am being taken advantage of. I’ve done a lot of free work as well (giving her business advice, advice on her surveys, landing pages) and she doesn’t honor my deadlines. As I mentioned. Lol.
My BIGGEST worry is her talking shir about me and hurting my reputation. How can I work around that?

[rosemilk]

do not tell her you will revise the agreement. she could use that against you. i'd just let her be. 1 bad review out of how many? i don't think it'll hurt you much. this happens to people who work for themselves all of the time. the moment you're uncomfortable, you need to stand up for yourself and let this job go. you're dealing with a karen, there's no way you will get the last word so i'd just drop her

[Asker]

I am worried she might demand her $$ back if I cancel, since I would cancel and not her.
She holds that money over my head constantly as a way to overstep my boundaries. She’s abusive.

[rosemilk]

but she still signed the contract stating no refund. i'm sorry this is happening to you, i don't think you have much to worry about and she'll fizzle out eventually

[Asker]

I asked her today to let me know by next Wednesday about new timeline or if she doesn’t want to move forward together. She basically responded saying that she’s at work and asked if we could meet up today. I initially agreed and then she told me her shift actually is running late.
I swear I had a mental breakdown earlier.
The biggest concern is I didn’t complete the project by the contract deadline (because she wanted to regroup later) and she’s so scummy she could use that against me like that she paid in full and I didn’t deliver (she could exaggerate or lie about it legally)

[integrale77]

From what I've read you have a contract drawn up and it's clearly stated and agreed then you have 2 options: -
1) Stick to your guns and remind her of the contract. You might not work with her again but do you want to.
2) As a gesture of good will offer a small refund. Make it clear this isn't normal but your doing it for good relations.

If she is behind on payments option 1 seems better you could go to court for anything owed but it might cost more than it's worth. You could point out in ending the contract with outstanding payments your doing that in goodwill.

Sounds like she has done things that breach contract and it's a big mess.

[Fatoumamoud]

Is there's any contract between you and your client?

If your contract says that you can't refund her if they cancel the project then you can mention that to her.

[Asker]

Yes and she signed it. It states client is liable for all agreed payments in contract even if went to cancel.

[Fatoumamoud]

You can refer to this contract clause to explain your position to the client.

[Paris13]

As long As Stipulated in the Beginning, She ain't Winning. lolxxoo

[slatyb]

Would you work for her again?

[Asker]

No I hate her.
I’ve never encountered someone so manipulative and disrespectful and not willing to comply with project deferment fees. I have no idea what to do.

[slatyb]

Do you have a contract? Hold her to the letter of the contract.

[Agape93]

Did you make it known you don't do refunds?

[Agape93]

Like before work was started

[Asker]

Contract says that client is liable to make all payments even if went to cancel project.

[Agape93]

Then don't issue a refund. If she refuses to pay, consider things like a contractors lein, debt collectors or small claims court

[Asker]

She did pay in full. Now she’s wishy washy about wanting to continue the project. She’s dragged it out half a year and doesn’t send me things by the deadlines I ask for them by. And then I told her I will have to charge fees if she continues pushing the project off without a time frame. Outside the 8 weeks I’ll have to charge because it’s excessive.

[Agape93]

Let her bitch. Just collect your money

[Asker]

I’m also searching for full time roles and can’t drop things because she wants me to work on this project, and holds the fact that she paid for it over my head constantly.

[Agape93]

She can suck it up. She has to pay now and the longer she drags it, the more she's gotta pay.

[Asker]

We’ve met a total of 10 hours this year and each meeting she tells me she’ll be ready the next time we meet…still nothing. And she said she’s not able to pay me anything additional at all.

[Asker]

She paid already for the originally agreed contract (1500$) but that was supposed to be for 8 weeks of work. And she wasn’t sending me things so I could complete it. Then she asked to complete it again in March. Now it’s July. Still nothing. So I told her when she’s ready to resume (8 weeks of work) let me know and that’s free of charge since she paid ($1500 originally) but anything beyond that I will charge.

[Agape93]

That's why I suggested looking into a contractors lein, debt collectors or small claims court. If she signed that contract and refuses payment several times, she's breaking the contract.

[Agape93]

I had a church refuse to pay me for months over a pressure washing job. They only paid once I threatened to lein the property until the debts paid.

[Asker]

Read what I messaged. She paid. But now it’s taking longer. She won’t let me charge her cuz she complains and starts telling me she already paid. But yeah lol

[Agape93]

It's not up to her. If it's in the contract she signed, she has to pay it.

[Asker]

Well the project also isn’t finished for her (cuz she wants more time). So that’s why I don't know. Because while she paid, the work hasn’t been completed.

[Asker]

Oh but as far as issuing refunds she was like “if we cancel, what part of the $1500 are you comfortable keeping?” 🙄.

[Agape93]

She isn't entitled to refunds, so she gets none. If she wants it done faster, she can freaking give you what you need faster. If she wants to just break contract, then she can stop bitching about refunds and negotiate a contract termination with you and your lawyer

[Asker]

Haha seriously. And she complained to me about a previous web designer she hired saying she “ducked her over” lol I think she’s the problem, not everyone else.

[Agape93]

That's what it sounds like

[Asker]

She’s kinda unstable so I've been a little on eggshells. She would send me emails telling me I’m asking for too much and she didn’t realize it was this big an investment.

[Asker]

I also have a clause in the contract that it’s $125/hour after the project concludes. She was like “what is this…?”

[Agape93]

Dumbass needs to read before signing shit

[Asker]

Lol fr. Also her business is about beauty and she wanted to put a picture of her doing my makeup on the site but then said she doesn’t want to use a picture doing her other friend’s makeup because she is so “conventionally beautiful” like girl WHATis that supposed to mean? 😭