Client wont pay (UK) 2020 Responses

Last post: 1 year, 3 months ago | Thread started: Mar 5, 12, 4:25 a.m.

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• nylon

  So basically we get a call from a football club about doing some work.

  We go to, do a site visit and its all good...

  It is 6 days work that they need doing in 3 days. We put two people on it.

  I send her an email stating we are putting two men on it and the cost will be x per hour...

  'x' x 8 hours x two designers

  They decide to go with a cheaper agency even after we have produced the work...

  I invoice her for the work done and she refuses to pay...

  The reason why is they never pay for speculative work. I told her we dont pitch for free...

  Basically, she is making out that she NEVER received the email sating costs in the first place...

  A) Where do I stand?
  B) What do i do?

  Thanks

  Mar 5, 12, 4:25 a.m. – Permalink

• animatedgif

  Did she sign a contract ?

  • < this– doktornomore1/3

    You were quick on the draw!– sadpanda2/3

    @sadpanda or i have no life... =)– doktornomore3/3

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 4:32 a.m. – Permalink

• sadpanda

  Did they officially hire your company? Was there a contract signed?

  • ^– doktornomore

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 4:33 a.m. – Permalink

• Miesfan

  I carefully read my contract clauses and act accordingly.
  Also included in the next contract, the payment in advance before moving a single finger.

  • ^– Miesfan

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 4:36 a.m. – Permalink

• vivid

  Contract? or any digital record of her saying "yes we will pay that" (or something like that) If so you might be able to take them down the legal route, but unless you've got proof you're not really in a good position - this costs money + time!

  We always get 50% up front for new clients to avoid this.

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 4:39 a.m. – Permalink

• ESKEMA

  http://vimeo.com/22053820

  • great vid
    – sadpanda1/2

    +1 good advice for almost any business– spot132/2

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 4:42 a.m. – Permalink

• pillhead

  This ^

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 4:54 a.m. – Permalink

• chrisRG

  If you have a reply email from her saying she agrees with the 2 people work, 8 hours, etc. that would be enough, you won't need a contract, but you'd have to go to court.

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 5:33 a.m. – Permalink

• nylon

  She never replied because she 'never got the email' - THAT is the pisser, that said - they were like - so can you get it done for Wednesday?!?!?!

  • oh mate, sad to say but not much you can do then. Just hope she has good will– chrisRG

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 5:38 a.m. – Permalink

• Morning_star

  Use this as a learning experience.
  The amount of time and effort you'll expend trying to extract a non-contracted fee is likely to: outweigh the loss of fee income, cause you a load of unnecessary stress and potentially ruin a potentially profitable relationship.

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 5:47 a.m. – Permalink

• nylon

  They are cunts. The lesson learned here is DO NOT WORK with Football Clubs. They will always go with the cheapest.

  I already said Id meet them half way. Her boss (who I know) has already said he isn't paying...

  So seriously, you reckon I can call their bluff or do you think Im wasting my time?

  Appreciate the notes thus far...

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 6:01 a.m. – Permalink

• MSL

  "I already said Id meet them half way. Her boss (who I know) has already said he isn't paying..."

  You answered your own question right there. Leave it and move on.

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 6:05 a.m. – Permalink

• exador1

  MSL is right....leave it and move on...
  'the boss' whom you know, my suggestion is that if you're friends at all, you need to have a bit of a sit-down and find out exactly why he's fucking you over like this...but aside from that, it's time to move on...this is why you have contracts.....
  at my company, when we're pitching, i often do some prelim designs, ideas, etc, just to show to help the sales pitch along if it seems like a good idea..i usually go with the sales guy's opinion...does the sale warrant spending a few hours or days coming up with some concepts to 'win them over' type thing....if the sales guy thinks it's a good idea, i usually go for it.....but if we don't win the gig, i don't go knocking on their door to recoup the money/time spent on the concepts....it's just part of the game.....you win some, you lose some.....however, that being said, i've been in your position myself before, where i was 'promised' the gig, did the work, only to find myself at the end with no money because of 'oh...i never said you had the gig' type of bullshit.....it sucks....plain and simple, but there really is no recourse or way of getting that cash once the deed is done...you basically just have to suck it up and learn.....on the bright side (and there is one) a TON of other designers here have been fucked over for a LOT more.....weeks and weeks worth of work....not just a few days..... in that sense you got off lucky.... meet up with the guy you know there and get to the bottom of it (if you feel like that's something you need to do) but otherwise, move on, and NEVER forget this moment.....insure that all other jobs/gigs/work from now on have a signed contract...

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 6:29 a.m. – Permalink

• bjladams

  "The lesson learned here is DO NOT WORK with Football Clubs."

  not sure that's the lesson here...

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 6:52 a.m. – Permalink

• MrMackem

  Name and Shame...

  • <<yep.
    We listened to your story, help us out by making sure we don't get shafted by them either,eh ?– mikotondria3

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 7:01 a.m. – Permalink

• 23kon

  +1 about what exador said, if her boss is your friend, it's time to evaluate your friendship.

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 8:04 a.m. – Permalink

• 23kon

  find out where they get their strips laundered and put in some pink dye into the washing machines ;)

  • strips?– monospaced1/3

    pink dye?– monospaced2/3

    the?– mikotondria33/3

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 8:05 a.m. – Permalink

• 23kon

  strips = football strips = the outfits that they wear when playing football

  pink dye = to colour their strips pink so their team looks like a bunch of fairies on the pitch

  pitch = the grass surface that football players play football on

  • as revenge on the club. a little bit more subtle than burning down their grounds/stadium– 23kon

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 8:19 a.m. – Permalink

• MrMackem

  I've worked with football clubs before. Not always great.

  Won one pitch for a full rebrand, everything bar the crest. Massive. Two weeks later when the work was meant to be briefed in (after we took on extra staff) we found out they'd gone to another agency who basically worked for free for tickets, pocket money and exposure. Bastards. And used our concept pitch work. Twats.

  They've gone under now. Which is nice.

  • The agency. Not the club.
    – MrMackem1/2

    karma– honest2/2

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 8:35 a.m. – Permalink

• GeorgesII

  Old chinese saying:

  Sometimes you get to kick the ball,
  often you will get kicked in the balls.
  the importance young ball kicker,
  is to not let your guards down.

  - Lao Tzu

  • fuck yeah– jadrian_uk

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 8:54 a.m. – Permalink

• Jacque

  Few lessons here:
  1. Sending an email to someone is in no way a guarantee that the information it contained will be received or even read.
  2. Don't start work before a contract is signed, or at least your fees are acknowledged or agreed upon.

  

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  Dog-earMar 5, 12, 9:16 a.m. – Permalink