'I actually gave them the 33% they paid for': Clients refuse to pay web designer, designer takes back two-thirds of their website

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jun 26, 2023 11:00 AM EDT

Contract work is for people with thick skin — just ask this person, who had to fight to get paid for their work.

There's a reason freelance work has a reputation for being more effort than it's worth. It's clients like the woman in this story who make the job pretty thankless. 

U/No_Concept_9848 told this workplace story to r/MaliciousCompliance. As they wrote, they took on a job creating a brand new website for a client and her husband. They ran a frozen yogurt business and were looking to have an official site, and agreed to pay the OP in three parts. But then they just decided not to pay, after the OP had already put in lots of time and effort. 

As with many types of art and design, some clients just don't understand what goes into it. They write off the expertise needed to create a website, and think it's something anyone can do. But of course, if it was that easy, why would they be hiring a web designer in the first place? She really wasn't thinking straight on this poor business decision. 

Scroll down to read the entire story, as well as comments from people who loved the tale. After that, check out this person who penned a bad Google review for a business, only to find out the business was really annoyed by it. 

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  • 01
    Facial expression - 'She calmly told me that they found someone cheaper and that they won't be paying the remaining 66%, even though the project was complete'
    via Christin Hume on Unsplash
  • 02
    Font - r/r/MaliciousCompliance Posted by u/No_Concept_9848 3 I was told this belongs here. They got what they asked for lol S OC "Here's 33% of your website. You're welcome." I had a trophy-wife-client who had a frozen yoghurt business paid for by her husband. They contacted me and asked me to design and build a new website for her business. I gave them a quote and they asked if they could pay in three instalments. After we all agreed to the terms, I had written approval and I received my 33% de
    via u/No_Concept_9848
  • 03
    Font - We had regular check-ins and they were happy with the progress until one day they just went quiet. They were already behind on the second payment and I was growing impatient. I was done with the site and just needed final approval and payment before launching it but I couldn't get hold of either of them. I eventually got hold of the lady at her day job after weeks of being ghosted. She calmly told me that they found someone cheaper and that they won't be paying the remaining 66% even thou
    via u/No_Concept_9848
  • 04
    Font - I still had their ftp details for their brand domain that housed their current (old) website, so I decided to take revenge. I created a page with an animated, fake loading bar that was stuck at 33%. Underneath the loading bar was the message: "This company does not pay their suppliers. They decided to pay only a third of the price so now they have only a third of a website."
    via u/No_Concept_9848
  • 05
    Font - I went as far as to download the website files, split it up in roughly three portions (file size), and upload a zip folder containing a third of the files to the ftp folder. This way I actually gave them the 33% they paid for and I could show the file size to prove it.
    via u/No_Concept_9848
  • 06
    Font - I also permanently deleted the old site's files from the folder so they couldn't restore from a backup. Not that they'd have a clue how to do that. They threatened to sue me, I'm still waiting ;)
    via u/No_Concept_9848
  • 07
    Smile - SumoNova They don't want to pay for a website but would be willing to pay for a lawyer to sue lol ok
    via u/SumoNova
  • 08
    Font - [deleted] One thing I've learned is that anyone who threatens to sue via media that is not a letter from a lawyer, is not going to sue.
    via u/deleted
  • 09
    Font - devbanana Did they ever contact you afterwards or do you know what ended up happening to their site? 171 Reply Share No_Concept_9848 OP. I never spoke to them again. No idea if they are still in business.
    via u/devbanana
  • 10
    Smile - EatThisS +1 Just check their website
    via u/EatThisS***
  • 11
    Font - virgilreality +2. Always reintroduce people to the cost of their own a ery.
    via u/virgilreality
  • 12
    Font - [deleted] Different circumstance but when we were first in business 40 years ago, we had a customer who bounced a check for a patio door. After waiting weeks, my husband went back to the house with a cop (they did this back then) and pulled the door out. I believe he put plastic in the opening but we did take the door.
    via u/deleted
  • 13
    Font - snb I would've cut every file into a third of its original size. The index.html keeps the opening <html> and <head> and some of <body>. Every .jpg that is still referenced in the now partial .html will load and render to a third.
    via u/snb
  • 14
    Font - ManiacDan Same thing happened to me. I waited until they were at an industry event before changing the site to "not available due to non payment of bills." Then I insisted on a cashier's check lol
    via u/ManiacDan
  • 15
    Font - Coolbeanschilly +2. There are times that being your own boss is most delightful. Calling a terrible client to account? This is one of those times.
    via u/ Coolbeanschilly
  • 16
    Gesture - yessir100100 That lady is a straight up But the erasing de of old files could have gotten you in trouble.
    via u/yessir100100
  • 17
    Smile - No Concept_9848 OP Big trouble!
    via u/No_Concept_9848
  • 18
    Font - gonzo2thumbs D Very nice. 90 ♡ that was crafty. Reply Share No_Concept_9848 OP. on At least I got a laugh out of it and I remember posting it "clientsfromh.com" or whatever it was called.
    via u/gonzo2thumbs

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