A designer gave me an ultimatum

[moeloubani]

So I was having a website designed and the guy told me it would take 2 weeks. So as the two weeks was up and I hadn't seen anything I messaged/emailed him a few times but I got no answer. A week goes by and no answer from him. Then I email him and tell him that if I don't get an answer or see something by May 5th I'll be forced to ask for a refund of my deposit (50%).

So the guy comes through and finishes the website on May 6th and I'm happy and everything and I tell him that I'll send him a payment as soon as I get one in Paypal - I just prefer that over one from my bank account or credit card. Today the designer emails me telling me that I have 24 hours to pay him or he will keep the deposit and sell the theme to someone else.

So I tell him if he does that I'll be forced to make a Paypal dispute on the deposit. He says that I only have 30 days and then tells me to 'Eat it' but little did he know that you get 45 days, not 30. I now have filed a dispute for something that I was never sent.

Is this normal for designers to ask for their money after 5 days or they'd keep a deposit and resell the work that the deposit paid for? I fully intended to pay I just wanted to wait until I got a payment (which I ended up getting minutes after this all went down). I understand people want to get paid and I never ignored a single email from the guy but instead answered them all promptly but when I emailed him I went days to a week without an answer each time.

Edit: when I asked for the design to be done I told him I wasn't in a rush and he told me it would take 2 weeks, after a week of no answers from him i had to give him a deadline which was 2x the time he estimated. Today he told me he should have charged me a rush fee because initially I didn't set a timeline. Is this also normal that designers feel they need to charge a rush fee for work to be completed in a month?

[baddog]

C.O.D. is the norm.

[moeloubani]

the website was never delivered ive only seen a draft of it that was from a few days ago, some changes were made and i havent even see those changes let alone got the files

[epitome]

You should have had the money for the entire job in PayPal. Two wrongs don't make a right. You gave him no deadline and then gave him one and he met it within one day.

He was wrong for not communicating. His nose isn't clean but neither is yours.

[epitome]

I thought he finished the job on May 6th? Isn't finished the same as delivered?

[travs]

His nose isn't clean but neither is yours.

took the words right out of my mouth

[moeloubani]

I thought he finished the job on May 6th? Isn't finished the same as delivered?

gave him a deadline then he finished it 10 days after i set the deadline

id say delivered is when i have the files finished is when he still has them and hasnt sent any over

[alias]

You have to be able to pay when it is done regardless of delays. Designers get jerked around a lot so you can imagine what he was thinking when you delay the final payment.

[moeloubani]

You have to be able to pay when it is done regardless of delays. Designers get jerked around a lot so you can imagine what he was thinking when you delay the final payment.

i understand that and i was going to pay him, just wanted to wait a few days for a payment i knew was coming...i could have ignored him like he ignored me but instead i told him about it and replied to every email telling him it was coming soon then today he hits me with one saying if i didnt pay within 24 hours he would keep the deposit and sell the theme to someone else .. thats like me telling him after 30 days that i dont want the theme anymore and i want the deposit back

[bronco67]

In the design world, 30 days is standard. At least for animation.

Acting that way is going to hurt in the long run, as a business person.

[Webmaster Advertising]

50% deposit prior to commencing the project and final 50% payment prior to the finished work being uploaded to clients server/hosting is what we do and we've never had issues.

[georgeyw]

So I was having a website designed and the guy told me it would take 2 weeks. So as the two weeks was up and I hadn't seen anything I messaged/emailed him a few times but I got no answer. A week goes by and no answer from him. Then I email him and tell him that if I don't get an answer or see something by May 5th I'll be forced to ask for a refund of my deposit (50%).

So the guy comes through and finishes the website on May 6th and I'm happy and everything and I tell him that I'll send him a payment as soon as I get one in Paypal - I just prefer that over one from my bank account or credit card. Today the designer emails me telling me that I have 24 hours to pay him or he will keep the deposit and sell the theme to someone else.

So I tell him if he does that I'll be forced to make a Paypal dispute on the deposit. He says that I only have 30 days and then tells me to 'Eat it' but little did he know that you get 45 days, not 30. I now have filed a dispute for something that I was never sent.

Is this normal for designers to ask for their money after 5 days or they'd keep a deposit and resell the work that the deposit paid for? I fully intended to pay I just wanted to wait until I got a payment (which I ended up getting minutes after this all went down). I understand people want to get paid and I never ignored a single email from the guy but instead answered them all promptly but when I emailed him I went days to a week without an answer each time.

Edit: when I asked for the design to be done I told him I wasn't in a rush and he told me it would take 2 weeks, after a week of no answers from him i had to give him a deadline which was 2x the time he estimated. Today he told me he should have charged me a rush fee because initially I didn't set a timeline. Is this also normal that designers feel they need to charge a rush fee for work to be completed in a month?

Wait you are angry because the designer won't hand over files when you have said that you will not be paying until you receive a deposit?

You are a deadset fucking jerk - hope the designer sees this thread and sends it to Paypal.

[SmutHammer]

You should have the money, and send as soon as you recieve all the files. But for him to act like that and send you threats of keeping the deposit etc. I'de out his name so others around here don't fall in with this bullshit. you are both in the wrong here, but it seems he is worse.

[Nicky]

Some designers are pure fucking geniuses to come up with excuses for delayed work though, same with content writers. I just love when I get told after 3 weeks that they had internet problems or their sick grandpa had to go to the hospital or they have had the flu so apparently they couldn't answer a mail or icq in a couple of weeks etcetc.

That was just a random rant. Has nothing to do with OP and also don't get offended if you're a designer or content writer unless you feel I got to you hehe

[moeloubani]

Wait you are angry because the designer won't hand over files when you have said that you will not be paying until you receive a deposit?

You are a deadset fucking jerk - hope the designer sees this thread and sends it to Paypal.

I think you're understanding wrong - I already sent him a deposit. I'm angry because he wouldn't give me a couple more days to pay. I already sent him a deposit when we started the work.

The issue is he's telling me he will be keeping the deposit and selling the theme which is when I told him if he wants to sell the theme I would like the deposit back.