Feb 15, 2013
Stiffed freelance web designer takes over the website of a client who won’t pay
In a last-ditch effort to at least get even if not get paid, freelancer Frank Jonen “impounded” the site of a client who he says isn’t paying him for 6 months of work.
So, for now, when you visit Fitness SF’s website, you get this page…
It’s an over-the-top rant, sure, but I bet it felt good and his point has been made loud and clear now. The truth of the matter remains in dispute however. AdAge reports that a manager of one of Fitness SF’s locations says that Jonen’s claims are unfounded.
Update: Fitness SF has responded…
Oh, man. As much as I want to side with the designer, the scenario as described by the client seems all too plausible… Who to believe, who to believe. The drama is almost too much.
(via Copyranter)
* * * * *
Wow, 3 months and nobody changed the original admin login info? You’d think the new design firm would have taken control of the admin account.
TOTALLY agree. I’ve had clients use my work and stiff me and have never resorted to something like this, as much as I wanted to.
While Fitness SF’s reply sounds entirely plausible…
1- Shame on them for not changing the admin password Immediately
2- Shame on their ‘new’ agency for not changing the password Immediately
3- Shame on Finess SF for replying publicly like they are in some sort of pissing contest. They are a company, a professional entity (supposedly).
Remember kids, when you argue with someone on the internet… your both losers.
I agree to differ here. Alerting members to the situation is only courteous. The members, of which I am one, should be given an explanation.
so are people who spell ‘you’re’ ‘your’.
They are obviously new to the Internet or very, very stupid. Regardless of who is right or wrong, they could have easily handled this legally and instead are choosing to air grievances publicly. They are wrong for trying to fight fire with fire, they truly believe they are in the clear, it would have been a simple contracts case…now it’s a PR nightmare.
Of course publicly responding to their users about the situation that shut their website down was the right thing for Fitness SF to do.
The PR nightmare happened when their website got taken over, not when they cleared the issue up for all their angry members.
I wonder how many design changes the client precipitated? As far as contracts go, even a legal judgement is NO guarantee that you’ll get paid and the action can cost more than the invoice.
They only paid $5,000 for a website that should have taken 10 weeks of work?!
My guess is it was a down payment, or partial payment, with the balance to be paid on completion. When he didn’t complete in time, etc., they didn’t pay the balance. He was sending invoices for the balance. Again, the key words to this are “My guess…”