1. Describe the problem:
I am a web designer and I create custom websites as a freelancer. One of my clients first delayed responses, which dragged out the development timeline, leading to conflicts. Then he simply decided not to pay me for the work, accusing me of all sorts of things, like allegedly insulting him and delaying the deadlines myself.
In the end, it all went to court. It was difficult and scary because he was a company owner, he had employees and more resources. I had to collect all the documents myself, attend the hearings, waste my nerves and time, and spend some money on legal costs. Fortunately, I had a friend who is a lawyer, and he advised me in some aspects.
I won the case, but in the end, it wasn't a victory, just a nerve-wracking ordeal. During the process, I realized how defenseless freelancers are in such situations. There is no simple and clear service that would take on all this routine – from sending a formal claim to representation in court. I just want to press a "Start Protection" button and have everything resolved without my nerves involved. And preferably, it shouldn't be expensive, because client payments in freelancing are not always large.
In the end, it all went to court. It was difficult and scary because he was a company owner, he had employees and more resources. I had to collect all the documents myself, attend the hearings, waste my nerves and time, and spend some money on legal costs. Fortunately, I had a friend who is a lawyer, and he advised me in some aspects.
I won the case, but in the end, it wasn't a victory, just a nerve-wracking ordeal. During the process, I realized how defenseless freelancers are in such situations. There is no simple and clear service that would take on all this routine – from sending a formal claim to representation in court. I just want to press a "Start Protection" button and have everything resolved without my nerves involved. And preferably, it shouldn't be expensive, because client payments in freelancing are not always large.
2. How often does the problem occur?
This was my first lawsuit with a client, but conflict situations of varying severity occur periodically. I don't feel safe with some clients and sometimes have to make concessions to them.
3. What attempts have you made to solve the problem?
I handled everything myself because individual services of a strong lawyer are quite expensive.
4. How much are you willing to pay for the solution?
I can't name an exact amount, but if it's some kind of inexpensive monthly subscription that depends on the number of clients/deals per month, that would be great. If it's per specific client, then we need to base it on the deal amount. For example, 500 rubles (6$).