Client suing...

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Jamie.

New Member
Hi guys,

First off, I'm nearly 17 and I do a few freelance jobs on the side to get some money in to keep me going. Last November I was approached by someone off twitter to design around 9 websites for their companies. I gladly agreed and finished one in late December.

Throughout the course of from November to now, I have put up with random abuse / harassment from the client over twitter and recently got a lot of obscene comments from him regarding my personal life.

The morning after this happened I emailed the client and informed him that I refuse to do anymore work for him due to this type of harassment. I was rather angry after what he said and accidently called him a pedo, which is kinda true considering the things he said to me and his age.

Anyways, today I woke up to an email from him informing me that he is currently seeking legal advice before he sues me for not keeping up my end of an 'agreement' we had.

My question is, can I really be sued? The agreement was only a few words saying I will be able to design all of his websites and never a real contract, as I can't be bound to any contacts considering my age. It had no terms, nothing a contract or proper binding agreement would contain.

I'm rather annoyed and a bit shaken by this, as I believe the things that were said to be justify my decision to refuse to do any more work. I have only been paid for the site that has been completed. So there should be no solid basis.

I would really appreciate some advice on this issue.

Jamie
 
mneylon

mneylon

Administrator
Staff member
Have you got evidence (eg. logs) of the abusive message he sent you?

Have you accepted any payment from him so far?

Have you got any emails or similar discussing the "agreement"/ "arrangement"?
 
J

Jamie.

New Member
Well he did it on twitter and formspring.me, so if required a legal rep. could request the information from twitter as his account is on private, and also the IP and log from formspring.

He only paid for the site I have designed.

And the only agreement was me saying I'd be able to do all the sites for him, no terms, no official sorta statement

Cheers

Jamie.
 
mneylon

mneylon

Administrator
Staff member
OK

You should be able to take screenshots of any DMs etc., that he sent you via Twitter. Getting logs etc., form them would involve court orders and a lot of cash, so probably not that practical an idea

if he paid you for a job and you completed it, then I don't see what he can complain about.

A lot of people will try to scare people by threatening legal action, even if they haven't really got any grounds for legal action

My personal advice, which should not be construed as legal advice, collate whatever information you have about what was said and can be proven (both in relation to any work you may have done as well as any abusive messages that this person sent you)

If they do go down the legal route, which I somehow doubt, then you can take the info you have to your own solicitor (your parents probably use someone from time to time )
 
J

Jamie.

New Member
But like,

He can't really go and take it to court because I refuse to do any more websites for him can he? That's not a fair law, especially because nothing official was signed, or written confirming it.

And in his last email to me he said he doesn't want me doing any more of his sites.. So he's basically broken this 'agreement' we have too :confused: Like, he stated in the first email I have till friday to change my mind or he'll sue me for not doing the rest of his sites and now I have no option but to be sued because he doesn't want me doing them anymore..
 
mneylon

mneylon

Administrator
Staff member
Jamie. said:
But like,

He can't really go and take it to court because I refuse to do any more websites for him can he? That's not a fair law, especially because nothing official was signed, or written confirming it.
Click to expand...

If he hasn't paid you to do them - no

Jamie. said:
And in his last email to me he said he doesn't want me doing any more of his sites.. So he's basically broken this 'agreement' we have too :confused: Like, he stated in the first email I have till friday to change my mind or he'll sue me for not doing the rest of his sites and now I have no option but to be sued because he doesn't want me doing them anymore..
Click to expand...

Well he obviously doesn't know what he wants and as I already said, I suspect he's just trying to scare you.
 
J

Jamie.

New Member
Okay, thanks for the help @blacknight :)

I'm convinced he's trying to scare me now, as he managed to change his date with his lawyer to tuesday and managed to do it at around 10pm on a sunday night :/

Thanks again.

Jamie.
 
T

Tom

Member
I hate people like that, just ignore him and don't do anything more for him unless he's paid you for something you haven't delivered. In which case I'd give him his money back because he sounds like a f***ing t**t to deal with.
 
L

link8r

New Member
Sorry, James, I didn't get to finish my reply

1. I agree with BK - he's probably trying to scare you
2. He has no contract by which to argue his case - its going to be his word -v- your word - no doubt each site would be broken into different "contracts" or projects

Which begs this question - what kind of Adult/Business person threatens a minor like this? This person clearly hasn't a clue and there may be other issues.

What I'd suggest you do - first off all, I wouldn't worry.

1. Notify your parents/legal guardian
2. If this person has harrassed you in a personal way or even worse (as you suggested) - then perhaps you and your parent/guardian should raise this matter with Gardai - this would be the appropriate thing to do given some of the statements you've made
3. Even if you don't go to the Gardai - the fact that a parent/adult intervenes or the threat of taking this to the Gardai would probably scare him off.
 
Byron

Byron

New Member
Hi Jamie,

I would totally agree with Link8r. If he has threatened you in any manner, it is a criminal offence against a minor. As BK said, preserve / screenshot everything he has said, print them, save them, make sure you have copies.

If his solicitor contacts you, tell your parents and contact the gardai. If this becomes a criminal case, he will be ruined as he will be named in court, but you will not as a minor / victim. He is very much threading on thin ice, but leave him walk into it if he wants. Otherwise ignore him and report any Twitter abuse via Twitter support to have it / him removed for the time being.

Hope this helps.

Kind Regards
B
 
S

sticker

New Member
+1 agree with Link8r - very good advise.

And most importantly - don't worry. If the situation is as you say, you've got a garden variety bully on your hands. You have deliverd a product and been paid for it. You are under absolutely no legal obligation to do further work if indeed he is being abusive in his manner.

I feel for you - There's a LOT of individuals out there who throw their weight around and the trick is to simply accept it without undue stress. This year alone I've had some real beauties! It's also very dissapointing to discover that there are so many of them out there and that they comfortably sleep at night!

I would tell your guardian about the situation. Not to sound condesending, but you are quite young and thrown in the deep end with charachters like this can be very upsetting. I personally would register a complaint with the cops if he persists - Sure enough he'll run with tail between his legs.

Just be careful with correspondance going forward, he *may* have a legal plan to entrap you if you say the wrong thing - he sounds the sort...

Hope it works out for you... Keep us posted.
 
J

Jamie.

New Member
Well, I'm still waiting on that letter from his 'legal team' :L

So I believe he has no case and they told him to stop wasting their time :)

Cheers for all the help.
 
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