betty_shah•1mo agoOG Member

Serious question, my client in Chicago refused to pay after I delivered the work last Tuesday, saying the contract was 'too vague'. I had to file in small claims for the $1,200 they owed. What specific terms do you all put in your agreements to avoid this?

3 comments

3 Comments

Ugh, that's the worst! I read a blog post by a lawyer who said the magic words are "work for hire" and "payment is due upon delivery, not acceptance." That last one stops clients from holding money hostage by saying they're not "happy." Also, I list exactly what "revisions" means, like "two rounds of minor changes to the initial draft." Super clear.

black.richard1mo ago

Yeah, that's solid advice from @wadeyoung. I started adding a line that says "delivery is defined as the work being sent to the client's email" so there's no debate about what "delivered" means. It shut down the last-minute "I didn't get it" excuse for non-payment.

faith74128d ago

Smart move by @black.richard on defining delivery. I also put the payment due date right in the invoice, not just the contract. It gives you a clear date to point to when they go quiet.