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Poll: How many times have you dealt with non-payment issues over the course of your career?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
twice May 13, 2015

In 2004 I helped a friend of my friend's with a rush job, who somehow 'forgot' to pay and later moved to a foreign country permanently: minus some $700.

The second time was a longtime sabotage: my client kept adding some extra mini-jobs, which I rejected, because they were neither agreed, nor relevant to the main project, and sometimes they were 5+k words and required additional researches. All in all, she stated she hadn't got any notes from me, but later insisted I allegedly wasn'
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In 2004 I helped a friend of my friend's with a rush job, who somehow 'forgot' to pay and later moved to a foreign country permanently: minus some $700.

The second time was a longtime sabotage: my client kept adding some extra mini-jobs, which I rejected, because they were neither agreed, nor relevant to the main project, and sometimes they were 5+k words and required additional researches. All in all, she stated she hadn't got any notes from me, but later insisted I allegedly wasn't proficient enough, so she thought I wasn't eligible for payment either. I gradually did get almost 50% of my payment, yet it's still minus $1500.

Total: -$2500+ GROSS.
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Sheila Wilson
Sheila Wilson  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 11:53
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
Nothing easily avoidable May 13, 2015

In 15+ years I've had 2 regular clients file for insolvency. Both took about €400 owed to me. They were both teaching clients, as was one I successfully sued. When translating, I've had one who finally paid when I showed I was preparing an EU payment order. And one €12.50 invoice I wrote off as the individual concerned was really in no fit mental state to be chased. She was willing but simply not able.

I'm not sure I believe things are getting worse on the whole. I don't know ab
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In 15+ years I've had 2 regular clients file for insolvency. Both took about €400 owed to me. They were both teaching clients, as was one I successfully sued. When translating, I've had one who finally paid when I showed I was preparing an EU payment order. And one €12.50 invoice I wrote off as the individual concerned was really in no fit mental state to be chased. She was willing but simply not able.

I'm not sure I believe things are getting worse on the whole. I don't know about elsewhere but here in the EU there's a lot of pressure being brought to bear to make companies pay invoices promptly. But there definitely are more freelancers who don't check things out carefully before starting work, and they play into the hands of unscrupulous clients (who will always be around). Some don't even get a proper name and address, just an email address, so they have no hope of enforcing payment.
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Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 08:53
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Very, very subjective. May 21, 2015

This, of course, depends on how many years the person has been translating for.

In 28 years of transations, of course I had countless problems with late payments and non-payments, whereas someone who has been in the market for 2 years will likely have had only one or two such issues.


 
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Poll: How many times have you dealt with non-payment issues over the course of your career?






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