Dubai client not paying
Thread poster: Sugata Bhattacharya
Sugata Bhattacharya
Sugata Bhattacharya  Identity Verified
India
Local time: 21:39
Member (2018)
English to Bengali
Aug 14, 2018

Hi,
I am a Bengali translator from Kolkata, West Bengal, have been working for a client of Dubai since October 2017. Though not very regular and the volume was not so big, yet he assigned me jobs and I deliver and he pays, thus the the cycle was running smoothly. In the month of March, I did the sample and he got a bulk job of app localization. He procured the job by some other translator and the job failed. Then he approached me to get the job passed. I did the proof reading and make the
... See more
Hi,
I am a Bengali translator from Kolkata, West Bengal, have been working for a client of Dubai since October 2017. Though not very regular and the volume was not so big, yet he assigned me jobs and I deliver and he pays, thus the the cycle was running smoothly. In the month of March, I did the sample and he got a bulk job of app localization. He procured the job by some other translator and the job failed. Then he approached me to get the job passed. I did the proof reading and make the job passed. In April, I raised the invoice as per my standard pricing. But till now, he did not pay the invoice. The invoice value is $894.00. Whenever I contact him to pay my invoice, he asked me to wait for some time and asking for new date. At last he commuted to pay on 10.08.2018 but did not pay. And after that, he did not pick up my phone and not answering my mail or message. I have the documents of entire mail communication and skype conversations. Can anybody help me in this respect.
Thanks.
Sugata Bhattacharya
([email protected])
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Armine Abelyan
Armine Abelyan
Armenia
Local time: 20:09
English to Armenian
+ ...
Non payment issue again Aug 14, 2018

Hello Sugata,

you may email an official letter by your side including all the papers and communication inside as a written proof.
Let him know in your official letter that you could publish this issue over the net and they will be in the black list as non paying agency.

Sometimes we have to take extreme measures in order to solve this issue. I have done with a customer living in North Korea and letting him know that I will spread the bad info in internet and the
... See more
Hello Sugata,

you may email an official letter by your side including all the papers and communication inside as a written proof.
Let him know in your official letter that you could publish this issue over the net and they will be in the black list as non paying agency.

Sometimes we have to take extreme measures in order to solve this issue. I have done with a customer living in North Korea and letting him know that I will spread the bad info in internet and they will have enough problems for a translation done in time and correctly.
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Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Nikki Scott-Despaigne  Identity Verified
Local time: 17:09
French to English
Suggestions Aug 15, 2018

The first thing to do is to send the email as indicated by Armine. A first email should be sent almost immediately after payment is late. In a week or two after that first email, if you get no reply, or you just get excuses (as you have had), you should then send a formal demand for the money. The formal demand should politely but firmly say that you supplied the work ordered according to the agreement, but that they have failed to pay by the deadline, in spite of your reminder email(s). You are... See more
The first thing to do is to send the email as indicated by Armine. A first email should be sent almost immediately after payment is late. In a week or two after that first email, if you get no reply, or you just get excuses (as you have had), you should then send a formal demand for the money. The formal demand should politely but firmly say that you supplied the work ordered according to the agreement, but that they have failed to pay by the deadline, in spite of your reminder email(s). You are therefore giving them one week in which to pay you, failing which you will be taking action for recovery. Explain that all costs for recovery will be borne by the agency.

Your agreement with your client should explain what happens if they fail to pay on time. If you are entitled to interest or penalties for late payment, mention that too. If your contract does not include this sort of information, make sure that contracts in the future do so.

If the client does not pay within the last time limit you give in your formal demand, you should then take action to recover your money. As the client is not in the same country as you, it may be complicated and expensive. This is something you might consider when accepting contracts outside of your home country in the future. There is a risk that recovering money owed costs too much to recover.

[Edited at 2018-08-15 00:21 GMT]
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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
 
Sugata Bhattacharya
Sugata Bhattacharya  Identity Verified
India
Local time: 21:39
Member (2018)
English to Bengali
TOPIC STARTER
Further Information Aug 15, 2018

Hi,
Thanks Armine and Nikki for your valuable comments. Actually, I have done all this things you have mentioned. But he never told me that he will not pay, every time, he was giving me a new date for payment and failed that date and giving me a fresh date after one month. As his previous record with me was good, I cooperated for his difficulties, but at last when he failed to pay on 10.08.2018 and I tried to contact him, he did not pick up my phone or replied my mail or skype message. Any
... See more
Hi,
Thanks Armine and Nikki for your valuable comments. Actually, I have done all this things you have mentioned. But he never told me that he will not pay, every time, he was giving me a new date for payment and failed that date and giving me a fresh date after one month. As his previous record with me was good, I cooperated for his difficulties, but at last when he failed to pay on 10.08.2018 and I tried to contact him, he did not pick up my phone or replied my mail or skype message. Anything else, I can do to recover the amount.

Your valuable feedback will be highly appreciated.

Thanks,
Sugata
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Armine Abelyan
Armine Abelyan
Armenia
Local time: 20:09
English to Armenian
+ ...
Each time new date for payment Aug 18, 2018

Welcome Sugata. One more thing which is a valuable advise, if your payer notifies each time a new date, and you think that he will pay one day, don't believe too much, as in this way, the pretended payer tries to minimize the effect of non payment through the time. So proceed as soon as possible.

There is as well one site - I have nev
... See more
Welcome Sugata. One more thing which is a valuable advise, if your payer notifies each time a new date, and you think that he will pay one day, don't believe too much, as in this way, the pretended payer tries to minimize the effect of non payment through the time. So proceed as soon as possible.

There is as well one site - I have never tried, just check the info
http://translationethics.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_13.html


Also, the non payer is always seen from far and vice versa the companies that are paying, they are very responsible for their deadlines.

[Edited at 2018-08-18 17:49 GMT]

[Edited at 2018-08-18 18:09 GMT]
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Victor Mill
Victor Mill
China
Local time: 00:09
you send him formal letter Nov 22, 2018

sometimes client will do things like that,maybe you send him a formal letter and give him a deadline .

 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 17:09
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
Formal/official letter Nov 22, 2018

Victor Mill wrote:
send him a formal letter


Armine Abelyan wrote:
you may email an official letter


Nikki Scott-Despaigne wrote:
The first thing to do is to send the email as indicated by Armine.


I'm curious -- what do y'all mean by "formal letter" or "official letter"?


 
Sugata Bhattacharya
Sugata Bhattacharya  Identity Verified
India
Local time: 21:39
Member (2018)
English to Bengali
TOPIC STARTER
Solved Nov 22, 2018

Hi guys,
Thanks for your suggestion and support. After several official, formal communication and requests, when the client did not reply and turn up, I wrote letter to Ministry of Foreign Affair of UAE with all evidences I had and to my surprise, they acknowledged my complain and assure me to take necessary action. After around one and half month later, suddenly the client turned up and eager to pay my due. And that day he sent me the amount through WU. But I am not sure whether it is the
... See more
Hi guys,
Thanks for your suggestion and support. After several official, formal communication and requests, when the client did not reply and turn up, I wrote letter to Ministry of Foreign Affair of UAE with all evidences I had and to my surprise, they acknowledged my complain and assure me to take necessary action. After around one and half month later, suddenly the client turned up and eager to pay my due. And that day he sent me the amount through WU. But I am not sure whether it is the effect of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or not.

Anyhow, thanks once again for sharing your views.
Sugata
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Daryo
Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:09
Serbian to English
+ ...
What else you think it could be? Nov 22, 2018

Sugata Bhattacharya wrote:
.... But I am not sure whether it is the effect of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or not.
Sugata


What else you think it could be?

Your letters from the other end of the world? They surely made him shake in his pants - for a micro-second at each go.

Or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of his own country, possibly located just around the corner, and not too much pleased that he is damaging the country's reputation? And perfectly in position to show their displeasure in 101 ways, if they want to?

Anyway, the most important is that your problem has been solved.

[Edited at 2018-11-22 21:46 GMT]


Tom in London
 


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