How to act in such a situation?

Question

Freelance

I have such a situation. I took an order for the layout of a large project. The customer made an advance payment of 50%, agreed on the terms and sent me a contract, I signed it and sent it back so that the customer signed and sent it to me. I finished the layout, but I don’t upload it to my hosting for demonstration. the customer did not send me the signed contract and I have no guarantees, respectively. I ask for a contract, but he has all kinds of excuses, either the computer is broken, then the DR is celebrating, then he feeds everything with breakfast, as if in our time it is difficult to print, sign and send the contract without a computer. Has anyone had such a situation? I just don’t feel like yelling, can you offer some delicate way to resolve this issue?

Answer 1

You can show layout when calling via skype/zoom. I sometimes accept work myself when we work without prepayment. This is convenient for both parties.

Answer 2

It's simple, tell him that until he signs you will not post anything.
Of course, you don’t need to spread anything until you have a contract in your hands. Ideally, they would send it to you by e-mail, so it’s more realistic to prove that it was. Well, so that the mail is not left, but real
Do you have an individual entrepreneur or are you self-employed? Is the customer an individual or a legal entity?

Answer 3

You didn't have to do anything until the contract was sent to you from the other side. An advance payment without a contract is unjust enrichment, it does not belong to you, it is not a signal to start work, and you are obliged to return it.
But since you have found yourself in the situation in which you find yourself: just do nothing, do not pull the client and do not give him anything: neither the advance payment nor the work performed. Let him go through all the circles of bureaucratic hell in order to return the prepayment - this will teach him to sign contracts on time.

Answer 4

So if everything is ready, let him send the money and you will make the layout for him