Client not paying up
- Started
- Last post
- 36 Responses
- besler
I've got a client, and it's been about 90 days since I've sent him the original invoice. I've added on 10% and 25% late fees now, and I still haven't received a check from him.
I'd love to shut down his account because of this. He's got his own GoDaddy account though, which I have access to. How unethical would it be for me to do something like this? Does anyone have any other suggestions? I'd rather not take it to collections.
- honestly0
man up
- brandelec0
get him b
- Raniator0
Cut his minge off
- born19780
Post his site here. That should do the trick.
- Frosty_spl0
I have a "friend" that owes me $500, from last march. Grrr.
- ETM0
Have they paid zero for the site or did you get a down payment or milestones? If they have paid nothing, they own nothing. Remove the site files and do nothing to the hosting account since that is their property.
If you have received some payment, its trickier since both parties have investment in it and how do you draw the line at ownership of a portion of it unless the contract was very specific for each milestone. For example, they have paid only up to the wire frame stage, then you could still potentially take down the site since you can still provide ownership of what they have actually paid for.
- MSL0
Take the site down.
- noneck0
It's not unethical at all. It'll piss your client right off, that's for sure.
If I buy a TV on credit, but then I don't pay, guess what happens? They come into my home and take the TV away.
Not really any different here.
- ideaist0
Take away what he hasn't paid you for...
He needs you more than you need him...
Never forget that...
; )
- Miguex0
Dear client:
In result of your late payments, we were forced to install a script on your current server that will activate in 5 business days, informing your visitors that your site is being removed from the server because of your lack of payment.
Google search engine process new content information in about 7 to 10 days, in which every time someone googles your business name, your personal name, or any other meta tag, the same message about your company being late on payment will show up right on google.
It takes about 6 months from removal of the site, for google to stop indexing content on your site, so I would suggest you take care of this in the next 4 days.
Best Regards
- ETM0
Frankly, I wouldn't make record that you are installing any sort of script would could be interrupted as malicious by a lawyer. Plus you would be installing something on their hosting account that you were not asked to do.
- noneck0
Also, if you threatened me like this, I'd just change the passwords to the site and have someone else look over the site.
- Miguex0
^
you are letting them know that if they dont pay up, there are consequences, which is totally acceptable on any other business/ trade, I would like to hear why is this case any different.And also, if they can't afford to pay him $500 bucks, what are the realistic chances of them finding a lawyer to defend them for a commission of less what he probably charges per hour.
- This'd be totally fine if he was hosting the site, but the client controls the hosting. He only has access as an oversight.noneck
- If you announce that you're going to fuck their shit up, they'll just lock him out of the site.noneck
- the client doesn't own the content till its payed up? even if they bring a lawyer, they will looseMiguex
- Not if you do anything that is considered liable, or do anything to what is perceived as their property (host account).ETM
- Also, where did the OP say it was only $500 owed? That was someone else's post.ETM
- moIdero0
if the site is flash, you could add a script reading an external file located ON YOUR SERVER (just in case you loose access to his godaddy) once you get fed up and you no longer have access to his host its as simple as changing a var on your end to add your watermark to his site. this is how i do it.
- oh no! but what about their lawyer!Miguex
- @Migeux - You've yet to work with that ahole client who says they have no money but sues everyone?ETM
- If that's true, you are lucky and I truly hope you never do.ETM
- if they didn't pay for the flash files, they don't belong to them, so technically you'd be altering your own filesmoIdero
- Which we agreed is fine as long as he doesn't leave liable messages or mess with their property.ETM
- moIdero0
- Which if he wanted, COULD have sued for liable against you. So did you get paid?ETM
- this shut him down completely. I knew the client enough to know he wouldn't sue + he was scared of me.moIdero
- oh sorry to answer you question, i didn't get paid, yeah this doesn't work. FYImoIdero
- only do as a "FU"moIdero
- Noted: Question or out the sexual orientation online of deadbeat clients. Check :)ETM
- ...oh and He-Man is a good advocate for morales.
(I kinda know that already) =)ETM - lol :)moIdero
- Mr_Right0
I would first try to reestablish communications with the client. Find out what the hold up really is. I've waited way longer than 90 days to get paid. Just sayin'.