Non paying client - How to deal with them

I'm a first time poster here so I apologise if this is the wrong place to post this.

I'm a web developer and I'm having some issues with a particular client.

He's been a regular of mine for about 4 or 5 months now and sends me about 3 or 4 web projects a month and until recently I've never had a problem with him.

He has 3 outstanding invoices with me now (Totaling about £850), one dating back 9 weeks! He's promised me week after week that he'll pay by the end of the week and every week he's made excuse after excuse.

Well I've had enough now and I've given him a deadline of 9am tomorrow (Tueday, 2nd of July) otherwise I'll be suspending all of the sites that have money outstanding on them (I still have full FTP and Database access to them all).

My question is, is that a bit harsh? Or even worse, illegal considering that the sites are now on HIS client's servers? and if so, what alternatives do I have?

 

Freelancers' Questions: Can I suspend a website the client hasn?t paid me for? :: Freelance UK

:banana

 

Send them an angry email or contact whoever's in charge of them?:fight

 

Post angry reviews

There supposed to be sites focusing on employers reputation. Find several of them which are at the top of the search engine results page and write all the truth about this client. It probably won't help you get your money but it definitely will ruin the client's reputation, so that others don't get in the same trouble.
By the way, you might also send the links to those reviews to that non-paying client and say that you will remove them only after you get paid.

 

I've had this problem with one of my long standing clients before but they always pay up eventually. I would suggest you not suspend the sites where he has an outstanding balance if you want to retain your relationship with them. This only ever ends in bad news. Same goes for slandering them across different sites. I know it's frustrating but venting your anger and letting the whole world know on the internet how fuming you are will only hurt your reputation and make seem unprofessional.

Simply speak to your client in a calm manner and remind them payment is due and you will not commence any further work until the balance has been paid. Ask them if they're having problems paying the balance and if there's anything you can do to help. Just keep on to them and send a reminder invoice to them on a regular basis and get friendly with their accounts department. It helps if you have contact with someone else in the company.

 

This happened a few times to me before I started taking 50% up front, never write anything negative online as you get in a tit-for-tat situation.

I just used it as a 'never again' experience and made sure I just put the work in my portfolio and make sure it is designed to my approval so at least you can get some potential work from it down the line.

Or you could just send 'the boys' round