Deposit clause backfired when a $2,400 project went sideways last month

I started adding a 50% non-refundable deposit to all new contracts after getting ghosted twice in 2024. Last month a repeat customer paid it no problem, then vanished halfway through the build. I finished the work anyway because the files were sitting on my drive and I hate loose ends. Sent the final invoice with the remaining $1,200 marked due, and they actually replied asking for a refund of the deposit. I held firm on the contract language, but it made me wonder if the deposit is just making clients feel more entitled to pushback. Has anyone else had a deposit actually escalate the drama instead of preventing it?

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1 Comment

finleym3717h ago

Wait, they asked for the deposit BACK after you finished the job and sent a bill for the rest? That's wild. Like, they got the files, they got the work, and their angle is "give me my money back" instead of just ignoring the invoice? I had a client try to dispute a charge once after I delivered early, but never someone asking for a refund on a deposit they already agreed was non-refundable. That takes some serious nerve. Did they give any actual reason, or was it just "I changed my mind"? Because if I were you, I'd screenshot that whole thread and keep it forever as proof that some people just want to fight about anything.