take it down?
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- monospaced0
In the end, everything must be paid for; nothing is free. Even a website design.
- akrokdesign0
yeah, take it down and leave a nice note. i done it ones, but not with a nice note. :-)
- tOki0
In our contracts , websites never go live until they have paid the full amount. If they are hosting with us they must pay that upfront as well. Failure to do so = no website. If they really want/need their site this is usually enough.
They hold us to ransom with their deadlines, so we hold them to ransom with their payments.
Pretty simple :)
- Listen to this guyNaygon
- +100akrokdesign
- good pointFallowDeer
- fodcj0
The contract I have and get clients to sign states that until they pay the work obviously doesn't belong to them so think you are in your rights to take it down if you have something like this in writing.
Clients can take some time to pay though as others have pointed out and in todays cliamate that is even more true. Some I have worked with have a policy that they don't pay until you have chased them 4 times (and other shit like that).
Just some peoples business practise unfortunatly :o(
- cannonball0
Take it down with a nice, friendly letter stating that you like to see your work live, and that you will be more than happy to put the site back up when you have been payed for the product you made.
- ninjasavant0
What do they do, maybe we could just do a hostile takeover?
- jamble0
It depends entirely on what your contracted terms for payment timescales are and what penalties you have in place in that contract for clients who don't pay.
It's not uncommon for larger companies to have 60 day payment terms and in which case ripping down a site won't help matters.
My standard freelancing contract clearly lays out 30 day payment terms with a penalty for late payment along with me reserving the right to remove any and all online assets IF no payment is received.
I've only had to do this once and to be honest it was for a small amount of money and a client I wasn't ever to speak to again so I didn't have a huge amount to lose but I'd suggest if you don't have it in a contract that you reserve the right to take down a site for non payment then you may find it more trouble than it's worth and that writing them a final demand for payment including the threat that if payment is not received in x days, you will take the matter to court.
Again, all this depends on what you've got in contracted payment terms really.
(On another note, don't take the site down, just rename the index page)
- formed0
Economy sucks, you have to be flexible. I've got clients that are about 5 months late, but they appreciate it and are paying.
Take it down you'll certainly not get paid (depending on the percentage they owe you) and you'll make a bad name for yourself.
My 2 cents. I'd rather wait and get paid.
- uberdesigner0
take it down but don't do any malicious.
- sublocked0
Don't allow them to give you the run-around with accepting checks. Accept payments online with credit card or paypal with an invoicing service (shameless plug) like http://getcashboard.com
At least then you know if you've been paid - instantly. Don't fall for their stall tactics.
I'd also take the site down if I were in your position. Give a blackout date if you're the only one in control of the server. If not, just take it down.
Non-payment for services rendered is illegal. I've been through the exact same bullshit before. Taking down the site usually works, even if it pisses them off.
Good luck...
- jesus enough with plugging you fucking software.cannonball
- never. i got mouths to feed and we stay hungry.sublocked
- instrmntl0
SHTRRDWN!
- LIoyd0
can you change the password to the site before they do?
- scarabin_net0
i would add to your contract that the site comes down after nonpayment, so you can do it easily in the future
- SLAZ0
i replied to his email asking for confirmation of payment by Friday or we would need to take the next steps of reconciling the situation. i did not mention taking the site down, but that is what I will do. and then i will wait for them respond or send into collection. i have saved all of the previous emails with them stating payment was being sent right away.
- monospaced0
So, what'cha gonna do?
- SLAZ0
i agree on the formal note... my concern with that is, because we do not manage the hosting, so technically they can change their passwords at any point, and we would not be able to take the site down then.
- MSL0
Send a letter recorded delivery (or however you do that if your in the US - FEDEX?) stating that you are giving them a final 14 days (or however long) to commit the final payment into your bank account otherwise you will take the site down.
The key here is to have recorded proof you are giving your client an extension (this shows good will to resolving the problem of non-payment) and to be professional about the situation.
Don't go watermarking anything, don't go abusing the client, stay calm, issue another 14 days via a formal letter then remove it if they refuse to pay. Simple.
- monospaced0
The guy did say he's gonna try to handle it today. Take it down at 5pm (his time) unless he says the check is in the mail.
- tommyo0
screwing the guys wife is definitely legal.