Start with the specific disagreement
If you paid a freelancer and key work is missing, compare each payment with the deliverables it was intended to cover. A draft, a milestone payment and completed work are not necessarily equivalent. Ask for a factual status report and a proposal for the missing items. If delivery no longer seems realistic, clarify what has been completed before discussing a refund or project exit.
Work through the facts, one step at a time
Map payments to deliverables
List the deposit, milestones and final balance alongside the promised outputs. Include what you actually received and whether it is usable. Preserve links or files before access changes, without using another person’s account without permission.
Ask for a completion account
Request the status of each missing item, the reason it is delayed and a credible proposed date. If the freelancer says client input is blocking delivery, identify that input and decide how to address it.
Discuss completion or an exit
Compare a specific final delivery with a proposal to close the project. An exit conversation should cover completed work, payments, refunds, files and access. Avoid treating the deposit as automatically refundable or automatically earned.
What this can look like
A client pays for three illustrations but receives one approved image and two rough concepts. A clear inventory distinguishes the finished image from the concepts. That makes a discussion about completing two images or adjusting the project more concrete.
This is an invented scenario to explain the approach, not a customer result or a prediction of your outcome.
Records worth gathering
- Payment schedule
- Promised deliverables
- Files actually received
- Delivery and access correspondence
Keep originals and prepare copies of the relevant parts. Redact unrelated personal details before sharing. Explain any gaps in the record rather than filling them with assumptions.
Open a clearer conversation
Edits stay on this page and are lost when you leave. Nothing is sent automatically. This is a discussion starter, not a legal notice or settlement agreement.
Before you agree to the next step
For a platform project, check the platform’s dispute process and deadlines promptly. A separate conversation must not cause you to miss an available protection or complaint window.
Put any proposed outcome into specific terms: who will act, what they will do, the amount if money is involved, and the date. Identify what remains unresolved. An invitation, a discussion and a signed agreement are different stages.
Should I ask for the full payment back?
You can state the outcome you seek, but explain the basis. Consider what work was delivered and the relevant agreement; the legal right to a refund is a separate question requiring applicable advice.
A private place to prepare your side
SettleBetween provides private AI guidance for each person and a shared space to discuss approved information. You choose what to share and whether to agree. Availability depends on both parties’ locations and the dispute type.
Free to start. The case starter pays $79 only after both parties sign. The invited party never pays the agreement fee. See included access and pricing.
Prepare your side freeAI can make mistakes. This guide is practical preparation, not legal advice. Use appropriate official schemes or independent advice when needed. A discussion here does not pause external deadlines or guarantee payment.