Non-payment from customer!! Grrrrrr

[cazgh]

Hi all,

Not sure if this is in the correct folder but I thought it kind of fit better here than anywhere else...

Sorry I just need to vent a little - ready???

Ok here we go...

I am a web designer by trade - which is always popular with so called 'friends'.

So I got roped into doing a site for a mobile beautician - website in exchange for treatments - all fine, but she is at college and as June came round she got really busy with assignments etc and couldn't really find the time to do the website.

So last week I get a text - she is going to get a friend to help her who lives near to her, can I help with this and that...

So I do and then my web design suddenly appears in somebody else's web space - and suddenly she doesn't want to deal with me anymore.

So far I've put 12 hours in for £55 worth of treatments and despite the fact that my design is now being used by her - apparently I'm not owed anything.

I am irked about it all - but it will pass - ultimately this really is my fault for being so dim in the first place - I kinda knew I should just say no at the beginning but it still stings a little.

Its quite funny having the 2 sites up on a screen next to each other though - how she can claim that this isnt my design is hysterical!!

So anyway, thanks for letting me vent - on a positive note, this has now helped me to channel my energy into building a site for my sister - (also a beautician) and I am just going to make sure that this one is so much better and gets better rankings in the search engines than my stolen site.

Bah!!!!

 

[Sexy Sadie]

Tell all your friends about it.

 

[Stephy171]

that's ridiculous some people just have no freakin class ughh!

 

[gildedangel]

Contracts solve everything! I'm sorry that you had to go through that and I am glad that you are exacting your revenge in a classy way.

 

[Strawberrymold]

Next time I would just recommend having a contract, even if you are trading someone for goods and services and not cash... it is still good to have a agreement on paper. It makes dishonest people think twice about trying to mess with you.

 

[cazgh]

I definately agree - no more 'friend' freebies and contracts for everybody. I really don't know why I was so dumb not to.

Thank you all for posting

 

[Retropinuplady]

my boyfriend is a we designer and i was reading your post to him, he said that was really harsh and those so called friends are the ones you have to watch out for. sorry you had to go through that x

 

[cazgh]

Update: the idiot who stole my design is now selling websites via facebook based on his latest design - MINE!!!!

Anybody know any good solicitors??

 

[RedRibbon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cazgh Update: the idiot who stole my design is now selling websites via facebook based on his latest design - MINE!!!! Anybody know any good solicitors??

That is really shitty of them. I don't do copyright/write (can't even spell it!) work or anything but I do know that if you go here:

The Law Society - Find a solicitor you can find a decent solicitor in your area. You only get on that list if you haven't been doing dodgy things so you will be good to go.

As a preliminary, going on what I remember from my seats, have you got any evidence that they have ripped off your design? e.g. rough plans and/or finished articles on a computer which you have a watermark on or something? If you have any older copies on your computer do not amend them as one of the ways they will be able to prove that it is your work is going on when you last saved it/actually made it. If you want to make more copies of it then remember to do a save as. Seems to me like a basic breach of confidential information action though not having the contract may make it a bit harder to prove they took it from you. Having said that, if you have older copies that will strengthen your case a bit

 

[fillintheblank]

Wow I'm so sorry, that's terrible! It's always tricky when it comes to doing favors like that for friends. I hope you get this worked out!

 

[cazgh]

Hi - yep I have all the original stuff, the mock ups, story boards etc, emails of them being sent out, and returned signed off. There is no way it can be disproved that mine came first - or that the design now in use is mine.

But it probably just isnt worth the stress of taking it any further. It's a real shame for my sister though - the person in question is the girlfriend of her husband's best friend since nursery and this relationship has now suffered because of it.

If your going to rip people off - nice place to start with your friends

 

[Moofy]

You should take your design off her site and replace it with a banner saying that her website is unavailable due to non-payment.

Er.. as for more sensible measures, go talk to a solicitor. You can also write them a threatening email for using your design without payment - my boyfriend has done it many times (he's in web design too.. but now does games I think - it goes all over my head, woosh!) and the client has always ended up paying in full.

Best of luck!

 

[RedRibbon]

I can echo what Moofy said, legal action is pretty rare for civil stuff, things are usually sorted out pretty quickly.

Go see a sol and write an LBA/C (letter before action/claim), that should push them into giving you the money they owe you, you'd be surprised how quickly people do what you want when you threaten legal action (even if the intention to take them to court is not there). If they don't pay up then try another way to get your money back (mediation etc..), if that still fails then start the legal process though I doubt it will get that far.

 

[cazgh]

Wow - brilliant advice - but I think that because I didnt have an agreement for payment in place I can't really ask for payment now. Ultimately I just want them to get their own design sorted instead of using mine and claiming its their own takes the biscuit!

Anyhow, I'm over it - I start college in September to learn beauty and make up and I can't wait. I have Specktra and a healthy MAC addiction and life is going well and its not worth tainting this happy time with any of this.

My time loss is negligable - I learn't a lesson anyway about not being so dumb in future and the people involved are cocks so I don't need to worry about them as Karma will come good in the end

Love to you all as your ace!