Pissed off

[mx=headroom]

QFT

Facing up to the fact that your life is finite and may run out at any time is the best motivator I've found.

Remortgage the house and put it all on black!

 

[ayzo]

That's what you get for picking up other peoples crumbs, go chase agencies they'll have no problem forking over big money as long as you can make sites "pop" and can do "social media integration".

 

[guerilla]

I once had a client that took 404 days to pay an invoice. It took a lot of nagging but in the end they gave-in.

Whats the ROI on 404 days of nagging?

 

[Fatbat]

That's ok. Presumably in your contract with him, you had a clause saying that you retain copyright of the work, and only either license or assign it once cleared funds are received in full?

In which case, just DMCA his host. He's breaching your copyright.

This "you charge too much" is bullshit. The time for those discussions is before you start work. He's breached his contract with you. Your only decision now is whether or not the cost of pursuing it is worth the amount owed.

^^ fucking valuable point. If your contract doesn't retain copyright, take a lesson learned and move on. That's how photographers work, graphic artists, 3d modelers, etc

If your contract doesn't retain copyright, hit up Aaron Kelly to get it fixed pronto.

You need a contract NOT to retain copyright. By default you retain copyright on anything you create unless you have a contract that specifically says you're turning those rights over to the client upon completion. No contract? You still own the rights to whatever you created.

If you're not going to create contracts, know your clients. Deliver top quality product. If you don't know them and have never worked for them before, and you have completed everything they've asked for to their satisfaction, get final payment before you hand over the deliverables.

Do good work for good people and you will very rarely run into these problems, simple as that.

In the case of the OP, don't come in here pissing and moaning about getting ripped off unless you're willing to put your money where your mouth is and show us the work and out the client so the rest of us don't have to deal with him. Calling for a spamming campaign against some stranger based on a wishy washy story is retarded.

 

[Suddenly_Ass]

Guerilla's advice is awesome beyond awesome, and is in essence a life lesson that everyone should take something from. Take the hit, learn from it and move on.

 

[crackp0t]

You need a contract NOT to retain copyright. By default you retain copyright on anything you create unless you have a contract that specifically says you're turning those rights over to the client upon completion. No contract? You still own the rights to whatever you created.

If you're not going to create contracts, know your clients. Deliver top quality product. If you don't know them and have never worked for them before, and you have completed everything they've asked for to their satisfaction, get final payment before you hand over the deliverables.

Do good work for good people and you will very rarely run into these problems, simple as that.

In the case of the OP, don't come in here pissing and moaning about getting ripped off unless you're willing to put your money where your mouth is and show us the work and out the client so the rest of us don't have to deal with him. Calling for a spamming campaign against some stranger based on a wishy washy story is retarded.

It's not that simple. Most sites could be considered 'a joint work'. When I have a website designed I go into detail about how I want things to look, provide mock ups, etc. That in its self could pass the minimal distinction. If I wrote all of the text and then he designed the presentation then I would own the text and he would own how it's presented.

 

[amateursurgeon]

You need a contract NOT to retain copyright. By default you retain copyright on anything you create unless you have a contract that specifically says you're turning those rights over to the client upon completion. No contract? You still own the rights to whatever you created.

Yes, technically, you're right. Employees hand over copyright automatically, consultants / contractors / freelancers retain it automatically.

However... most clients don't understand IP, unless it's spelled out in clear terms. And also, if there is no contract, there is always the opportunity for a client to claim you told him he'd have copyright.

The rest of your post is good advice - I haven't had this sort of problem for years, because I'm very fussy about who I work with.

 

[netbert]

I once had a client that took 404 days to pay an invoice. It took a lot of nagging but in the end they gave-in.

So for all that time they were NOT FOUND?

 

[DewChugr]

small claims court.