Blackmailed by client

splishsplash · Jul 16, 2024

TypicallyDutch said:
Hi All,

I’ve been doing web development and SEO for over five years and have never had any trouble with clients until now.

In December last year, after I sent the development invoice for the website, the client began sending never-ending adjustment requests. Initially, I accommodated some of these requests under “support.” However, I eventually informed them that any new adjustments would be billed at my hourly rate, which they accepted and understood.

Recently, I also started doing SEO for them. I sent an invoice for the additional adjustments and the SEO work. However, they did not meet the payment terms. After 30 days, they informed me that they would not pay for the adjustments and SEO unless I did some additional adjustments for free first. Both the invoice for the adjustments and the SEO would not be paid. They stated that I need to process a bulk of adjustments first and they also refused to pay for the SEO because it has not yet resulted in any sales. I have repeatedly explained to them that they are in a competitive market and that SEO results will not lead to sales within just one month. As a result, I now have two outstanding SEO invoices and a web development adjustment invoice. Additionally, I have paid for licenses in advance for necessary agenda plugins.

I have received advice from multiple people to send a final notice with a strict payment deadline. If this deadline is not met, I’ve been advised to withdraw the licenses I paid for, which would render their website useless. Since I also handle their hosting, another suggestion was to temporarily suspend their entire website, resulting in no web traffic or email access.

Has anyone experienced a similar situation, and what did you do? I am generally a nice person and always seek the best possible outcome, but this approach seems to be at a dead end.

I would love to hear your thoughts before I send the final notice, including the consequences of non-payment.

Thank you.

You don't be a nice person with people like that. Save being a nice person for deserving people.

I am nice with people that treat me well and give me respect. I am a complete asshole with people who try to take advantage.

You are not dealing with a person/company of integrity here. Be fucking RUTHLESS with them. They have no respect for you or your time.

How do you think someone like Jeff Bezos would react to being treated like that? Do you think he would be a nice guy?

Don't be afraid to be ruthless with people like this.

Here's what I would do :-

(Although, in the first place I would never do work that wasn't paid in full first. I don't work with clients that pay later. Invoices have to be paid in full before any work starts. Do this in the future)

Give them 48 hours to pay all invoices in full. Not 7 days. Don't fuck around.

If it's not paid within 48 hours shut down their hosting and give them a final 7 days to pay in full, otherwise you withdraw all licenses and cancel the hosting. It's then their responsibility to get new hosting and deal with their site.

Once paid, terminate business with them, remove your card details from the hosting and give them the login details so they can move the hosting over to their own account.

Never again do work you're not paid up front for.

PepeEnjoyer · Jul 16, 2024

TypicallyDutch said:
Hi All,

I’ve been doing web development and SEO for over five years and have never had any trouble with clients until now.

In December last year, after I sent the development invoice for the website, the client began sending never-ending adjustment requests. Initially, I accommodated some of these requests under “support.” However, I eventually informed them that any new adjustments would be billed at my hourly rate, which they accepted and understood.

Recently, I also started doing SEO for them. I sent an invoice for the additional adjustments and the SEO work. However, they did not meet the payment terms. After 30 days, they informed me that they would not pay for the adjustments and SEO unless I did some additional adjustments for free first. Both the invoice for the adjustments and the SEO would not be paid. They stated that I need to process a bulk of adjustments first and they also refused to pay for the SEO because it has not yet resulted in any sales. I have repeatedly explained to them that they are in a competitive market and that SEO results will not lead to sales within just one month. As a result, I now have two outstanding SEO invoices and a web development adjustment invoice. Additionally, I have paid for licenses in advance for necessary agenda plugins.

I have received advice from multiple people to send a final notice with a strict payment deadline. If this deadline is not met, I’ve been advised to withdraw the licenses I paid for, which would render their website useless. Since I also handle their hosting, another suggestion was to temporarily suspend their entire website, resulting in no web traffic or email access.

Has anyone experienced a similar situation, and what did you do? I am generally a nice person and always seek the best possible outcome, but this approach seems to be at a dead end.

I would love to hear your thoughts before I send the final notice, including the consequences of non-payment.

Thank you.

Sometimes its better to take your losses but it depends on the country you are in as well, also for next time use PRE payments

Sonu · Jul 16, 2024

First block their control access like website password / FTP so they don't move to other provider. Give them final 5 day notice to clear all dues if not cleared just suspend all services.

You are doing business not charity. They are not appreciating your hard work, knowledge. They are just using you.

MoonStarz · Jul 16, 2024

should be good you could make some type of contract or basic agreement so both sides could benefit and is more to protect you from this situations, is unfortunate but besides moving on I don't see any other solution, I will also recomend to not do anything wrong, you never know their reach and what they can do so better leave and learn from this bad experience for the next one.

TaiElonZuckerberg · Jul 16, 2024

TypicallyDutch said:
Hi All,

I’ve been doing web development and SEO for over five years and have never had any trouble with clients until now.

In December last year, after I sent the development invoice for the website, the client began sending never-ending adjustment requests. Initially, I accommodated some of these requests under “support.” However, I eventually informed them that any new adjustments would be billed at my hourly rate, which they accepted and understood.

Recently, I also started doing SEO for them. I sent an invoice for the additional adjustments and the SEO work. However, they did not meet the payment terms. After 30 days, they informed me that they would not pay for the adjustments and SEO unless I did some additional adjustments for free first. Both the invoice for the adjustments and the SEO would not be paid. They stated that I need to process a bulk of adjustments first and they also refused to pay for the SEO because it has not yet resulted in any sales. I have repeatedly explained to them that they are in a competitive market and that SEO results will not lead to sales within just one month. As a result, I now have two outstanding SEO invoices and a web development adjustment invoice. Additionally, I have paid for licenses in advance for necessary agenda plugins.

I have received advice from multiple people to send a final notice with a strict payment deadline. If this deadline is not met, I’ve been advised to withdraw the licenses I paid for, which would render their website useless. Since I also handle their hosting, another suggestion was to temporarily suspend their entire website, resulting in no web traffic or email access.

Has anyone experienced a similar situation, and what did you do? I am generally a nice person and always seek the best possible outcome, but this approach seems to be at a dead end.

I would love to hear your thoughts before I send the final notice, including the consequences of non-payment.

Thank you.

if this is in the usa take them to small claims court

Blackmailed by client

splishsplash

Elite Member

PepeEnjoyer

Regular Member

Sonu

Junior Member

MoonStarz

Elite Member

TaiElonZuckerberg

Junior Member

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