Comments on: Handling Clients Who Won’t Pay

By: DElLis

DElLis — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:56:40 +0000

I know how this feels and boy does it suck. I got hip to these deadbeat clients and started to one up them. I register the domain name to design the site and prove SEO and I register one that if not paid for can be used with another client. My clients only get their DN when full payment is made. If no payment is made I complete the site and take it to their competition. No love lost.

By: Play Yahoo Fantasy Football FREE

Play Yahoo Fantasy Football FREE — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 18:45:59 +0000

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By: and_scene

and_scene — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:18:48 +0000

Wow… this article really came in handy for me. I’m still trying to get my client to pay me but his business has fallen through and he isn’t communicating with me at all. I really don’t want to take it to court but he owes me a lot of money. When I started working for him, he had just purchased a VERY expensive car so even though his business has collapsed, I still feel like he should shell out the cash for my hard work.

So frustrating…

By: Patrick

Patrick — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 13:10:26 +0000

Excellent article, MM. I don’t often do freelance writing or services any longer, but I know a lot of people who do and who have gone through these issues. I’ll recommend they read this and set up some standards for their business.
Patrick´s last blog ..A College Degree Does Not Guarantee a Job

By: Funny about Money

Funny about Money — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:56:38 +0000

It’s a hassle, even if you’re in the offender’s state and close to the courthouse, to pursue someone for a few hundred dollars. And can you garnish the wages of a person who owns a business? The business owner doesn’t exactly get “wages,” unless his business is an S-corporation.

In any event, I was told I had to hire a process server to press my claims any further, and as I recall the procedure involved my having to show up at the courthouse myself. Given that the court was in upstate New York and I was in Arizona, that wasn’t very practical. The amount I was owed was less than the cost of a plane ticket or an agent in New York state.
Funny about Money´s last blog ..Best of July 2009

By: mrsmicah

mrsmicah — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:58:51 +0000

@Erica that sucks when you’re holding the photos. Like design for a specific site, they may have helped you develop a new skill…but they’re not resalable themselves. Sounds like you’ve worked out a good solution.
@Funny I like your 1/3 idea! The internet is great for helping us find clients from all over, but there’s something to be said for walking into a local office and demanding payment for the work you did for them.

@Kacie Shame indeed. I considered more spiteful responses, such as creating a well-SEOd site with their names, but didn’t. In the end, revenge wouldn’t serve me well.

@fern Funny was talking about out-of-state. I don’t know how different it is to in-state, but I agree that it can be worth pursuing. Especially since no response = default.

@Craig sounds like a good system. I’m sure you’re a good client.

@Michael thanks for sharing that. Hearing what other people do helps me plan for the future.

@4P yep, billing people isn’t always fun. Though it’s great to be paid!

@Dad there are some places that do it, but yes there’s a fee involved. Also some hassle. It’s worth doing on projects where a lot of money is involved, but less worthwhile for smaller things. In this case, it might have been a good idea.

By: BestBlogPosts.net

BestBlogPosts.net — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:53:50 +0000

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By: Dad

Dad — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:00:08 +0000

A very troubling experience because it attacks your sense of your work’s worth. Of course, it is clear to many that your work is high quality and any who don’t pay you are either in serious trouble (when they should work it out with you) or deadbeats. I wonder how escrow works at the freelance level. I’ve only dealt with it buying houses and putting aside tax and insurance money for a mortgaged house. There is done by people who dealing with finances at that level is their profession. Paypal hints by reference that they might agree to do escrow but there is no real encouragement. It sounds like a niche that might be of value. Obviously the escrow holder would charge a fee. Part of the cost of doing business.

By: Four Pillars

Four Pillars — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:10:15 +0000

Very interesting to hear about this situation as I have no experience with billing people.
Four Pillars´s last blog ..Spending Cash Is the Same As Borrowing If You Have Debts

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:55:09 +0000

My margins are high enough that half front half later covers me even if they ditch. Otherwise I bill retainer on the first and will work as promised during any 30-day period which has been paid for. If that means I quit in the middle of a job I will, although I haven’t had to so far.