As a freelancer, one of the most important things you can do is get paid. You work hard for your clients and you deserve to be compensated for your time and effort. But what happens when a client doesn’t pay?
First, don’t panic. It is not unusual for clients to be late in paying their invoices.
They may have a legitimate reason, such as being short on cash or waiting for their own invoices to be paid. If you have a good relationship with the client, they will usually let you know if there is a problem and when you can expect to be paid.
If the client doesn’t communicate with you and you don’t receive payment within a reasonable time frame, then it’s time to take action. The first step is to send a polite email reminder asking for payment.
If you don’t receive a response, then follow up with a phone call. If the client still doesn’t respond, then it’s time to take more drastic measures.
You can send a formal demand letter via certified mail or hire a collections agency to help you get paid. Taking legal action should be a last resort and should only be done if you are sure the client has the ability to pay but is willfully refusing to do so.
No matter what route you take, make sure to keep detailed records of all communication and payments (or lack thereof). This will be important if you need to take legal action against the client.
What if a Client Doesn’t Pay on UpWork?
UpWork does have a payment protection system in place for certain types of work, but it doesn’t cover all situations. If you’re not sure whether your project is covered, check out their help center or contact customer support.
If you’ve completed work but haven’t been paid, first try contacting the client directly through UpWork’s messaging system. If that doesn’t work, you can submit a ticket to UpWork’s customer support team. They may be able to mediate the situation and help you get paid.
If all else fails and the client still refuses to pay, your only recourse may be to take legal action against them outside of UpWork. This is usually not worth the hassle and expense, but it may be your only option if the amount owed is significant.
Conclusion
Even though UpWork has measures in place to help freelancers get paid, sometimes clients still don’t honor their commitments. If this happens to you, don’t panic – there are steps you can take to try and recover your payment. Contact the client directly first, and if that doesn’t work reach out to UpWork’s customer support team or even consider taking legal action.
