Full-time workers often feel that freelancers are in a much better position. They can work in any system, set the rates themselves, and they don’t even have to leave home often. Yes, it cannot be denied that being a freelancer has many advantages, but as in any case, there are also serious disadvantages. One of them is certainly the situation when the principal does not pay. What can we do then? How to deal with it and what steps can be taken? We will try to explain this problem in this article!
A few words about freelancers …
At the beginning it is worth explaining who a freelancer is and how he works as more and more people choose this style of work these days. Freelancers are freelancers – people who are not associated with any of the companies. They usually carry out orders for many clients, often run their own business.
Freelancers are completely free where they work, how many hours and in what system. The most important thing is that they get the job done. Such freedom can help many people to spread their wings – they do not have a person to control their actions, they can work from home, from bed, sleep, and if they feel unwell, just take time off.
The advantages can be multiplied, but there are also many disadvantages to this type of performance. One of them is certainly the situation in which the client does not pay for the job. In this case, many freelancers do not know exactly what they can do. What steps can a freelancer take?
The principal does not pay and the freelancer feels guilty
We think that everything will be fine, the talks went well, we signed the contract, we work, we place the order on time, send the bill or invoice and … here the contact ends. We call, write and even though we are assured that we will get our money soon, it is not happening at all.
Unfortunately, such cases are extremely common and every freelancer has certainly encountered her at least once. Just look at the frequency of the phrase “ waiting for a transfer ” in social media. A special group with this name was created on Facebook, and after entering the hashtag #czekamnaprzelew on Twitter, we will find a lot of entries of nervous people.
It may seem that the principals do not care much about this state of affairs, since they delay payments so often – although they are aware that the freelancer has completed his task on time and will certainly devote a lot of work to it. Interestingly, often if the opposite is true and the contractor is late, the client expresses his dissatisfaction very quickly.
What is more, freelancers often feel very bad about the fact that they constantly have to ask for their money. Bombing someone with e-mails and phone calls is not the most pleasant thing to do. After all, it is not uncommon for such an employee to let go or not do it effectively because they take responsibility somehow.
Of course, this should not be the case. If we have done our job, we must be paid for it. We took our time, used our knowledge and skills, and the fact that we want to receive money for it is not a reason to be ashamed. The client should be ashamed, who thinks that the payment is not necessary at all.
The most common excuses of the clients
Although every person is different, every company works differently, principals who have difficulty paying their liabilities often act very similarly.
E-mails, according to the client, they often do not come, he is overworked, he has a hot period, he does not have time to call back. “ But you really have that transfer for days! “. Equally often, the person who has to sign something or approve a task you’ve completed is outside the company and can’t do it. It is not uncommon to hear that an accountant has just gone on vacation and that is why the transfer still has not come out.
Of course, it happens that something goes wrong, someone writes something wrong, someone forgets something, we are only people and mistakes are normal, but when we hear from another client again that the accountant is on vacation, you can have some doubts. Does it also mean that the entire company is standing still and the employees have not been paid? This is a very questionable point. Of course, we do not deny the important role of accountants in companies, but the claim that their vacation absences make a real Armageddon take place in the company is usually exaggerated.
What to do when the principal does not pay?
So what can you do when the principal does not pay? What steps can a freelancer take?
“ No deal, no problem ”
It is not true that the lack of a contract means that we have no rights. Of course, putting it in writing makes it easier and easier to fight for your rights, but no one can tell us that if we haven’t written it down, the matter is gone and we are left on the ice.
It is worth keeping all assumptions, for example e-mails, which often specify the scope of duties and payment for them. This is sufficient evidence against a non-paying principal.
It is worth emphasizing at this point that writing a contract is very important and necessary, even if we think we can trust someone, it is worth signing it. By the way, you can protect yourself against possible non-payment, for example by taking a down payment.
Social media
Social media can be useful when the principal is not paying. If, despite requests, we do not receive payment, it is worth publicizing the matter, describing it somewhere, showing it to a wider group. Nobody wants negative opinions about him to circulate on the internet, so it can make him settle his arrears quickly.
Reminder to pay
If neither of these works, you might think about taking the case to court. Before doing so, however, it is a good idea to send a reminder letter setting out the payment deadline and to indicate in it that if it does not, legal proceedings will begin.
Don’t be afraid to fight for yours
It is certainly not pleasant and stressful to go to court, but it is worth fighting for yours. If the client does not decide to pay, despite reminders, phone calls, e-mails, let us take the case to court and claim compensation.
If it turns out that the client does not pay us for the order, which we made, let’s not sweep it under the rug. Of course, it happens that the losses are small, therefore we save ourselves stress and simply forget about the matter, but it is worth considering whether we really want to pretend that nothing happened. We are entitled to remuneration for the work we do, and if the arrangements clearly indicate that we will receive one, it is worth fighting for ours.