What is the best way to deal with an intermediary?

Question

Freelance

They order a laravel project from me. We agree on a phased payment. I sit down to do. In a week I provide a small amount of work, the client likes it, I ask you to pay ~ 10% of the total budget.
The client reports that he is an intermediary, that he took an advance payment from the customer and gave it to another contractor, who, in turn, disappeared into the sunset and now I have nothing to pay with. There is a vague prospect of asking the customer for more money, but according to the agreement between the intermediary and the customer, an advance payment of 26k and a total budget of 130k, of which he plans to take 20-30k for mediation. The mediator sent me this contract in the process of explaining the situation. The mediator asked for a couple of days to resolve the issue. But what should I do if the issue is not resolved? The contract contains information about the customer.

Answer 1

You have an agreement with an intermediary, the problems of his communication with the original customer and the performer who threw him do not concern you.
With standard relationships, I would suspend work until they pay, and in the future I would not transfer the finished product to 100% payment, otherwise the chance is too great that they will simply try to throw it. If the first stage is not paid, it is better not to contact this work at all.
From the point of view of the end customer - if the end contractor (or the person who introduced himself as him) tried to contact me directly - he would simply send, most likely. Working with individual individuals for a company is often much more difficult and less profitable than concluding an agreement with a legal entity.
I also note that a very suspicious intermediary who cannot pay 10k for the first stage of work performed is not such a lot of money for the company.

Answer 2

The fact that an intermediary is an intermediary, about his agency and that you will receive payment only after the client has paid - is agreed in advance, if you did not agree in advance, then you have the right to do as you like.
Tell him that your client is him, and with whom he agreed on what - it's none of your business. He owes you - let him pay, even if it is at a loss to him, let him borrow and pay. If he doesn’t pay, then already do something else, you still won’t be able to knock anything out of him anyway.

Answer 3

There is one intermediary with whom I often work. Often when the main client starts to knock with his hoof, he pays me from his own pocket. The amounts are not the same as yours)) Much higher. I think that in your case this is either a very bad intermediary, or a disguised as an intermediary

Answer 4

1. If this is a mediator's problem, then let him solve it. If he finds a solution where you don't get hurt. then in principle you should not soar.
2. If he does not find such a solution, then there is an option - let him reduce his fee to a minimum. As if he paid the second developer out of his fee.
3. If you still can't solve it, then go directly to the customer, describe the situation, and then decide with him.

Answer 5

an iron rule for new clients: (although for old ones, I think too)
1) never work without an advance
2) never trust "breakfasts"
in your case: definitely do nothing without money, in the end, let him take a loan. if they are not there, contact the customer directly, explain the situation to him and try to somehow agree.

Answer 6

I think it would be wrong to go directly to the customer.
That is, stop the project, look for a completely different one.

Answer 7

I think it is quite logical that the intermediary takes all the resulting foam into his pocket. Just in this case, the size of the foam is negative.

Answer 8

What for such intermediaries, he must pay you with his money, his jambs do not concern you at all, he lost his money, not yours and must cover it from his fee, I would say to his face that I will not work under such conditions and go to work directly

Answer 9

And through which service did you formalize your relationship?