Skillled fixed price project cancellation policy

Date of last update: 14^th June 2023

Skillled offers mediation or arbitration between both parties should it choose to do so.

In mediation, both the client and the professional can initiate a negotiation in which they can reach an agreement regarding the cancellation of the project.

When an agreement is not possible, Skillled performs arbitration. In this case, we act as an arbitrator and decide how the project will be completed, as well as what percentage of payment will be released or not. In this case, both the professional and the client may receive a violation that will be visible on their Skillled profile. This occurs when we conclude that one of the parties did not respect the terms of the project.

When a professional receives a violation, their reputation and ranking on the platform are affected, making it difficult for them to be rehired for new projects in the future. When the professional makes a proposal for a project, the professional accepts that Skillled will intervene as an arbitrator. in the event of inconveniences between the parties, and submits to the decisions of the site. We work to decide fairly and correctly, analysing each case individually.

In the list that we detail below you will see some reasons to cancel a project, due to the responsibility of a professional.

1. When there are no records in the platform messages showing that the work has been done or that it is in progress.

Can I receive a default if that happens? Yes.

Skillled believes that it is the professional's responsibility to report on the progress of the project by keeping records within the messages on the site. If we verify that there are no regular messages, there is a very high risk that you may receive a breach in the event of problems with your client.

In these cases, we normally contact the professional to understand what happened, but it is possible that the project will be closed without that contact, as long as the period without messages with the client is long, for example. In this case, you can also lose your Skillled account, since we consider this attitude as a lack of commitment to your professional life within the platform.

To avoid a breach, it is necessary that you can enter messages periodically within a project, and if the client contacts you, always try to respond to the message within 24 hours of receipt.

2. - When there is unjustified delay

Can I receive a default if this happens? Yes.

If we verify that the delay did not have a specific reason, or that the delivery period was not respected, you may receive a default in case the customer does not want to continue waiting for the delivery. Therefore, it is important that you schedule delivery times well before starting a project.

3. - When a professional promises deliveries but never makes them

Can I receive a default if this happens? Yes.

In addition to receiving a breach, you can lose your account in Skillled if you are not clear with your client about the delivery of the agreed work.

4. - When a job is poorly developed

Can I receive a default if this happens? Yes.

In these cases, Skillled will analyse the project together with the deliveries made. We will verify that the promised and the delivered deliveries are not compatible, and if this happens, you will receive a breach.

5. When a professional is not properly informed about the specifications of a project and then fails to get the job done

Can I receive a default if this happens? Yes.

Skillled believes that it is the professional's responsibility to get enough information before starting a project. This must be done before the submitted proposal is accepted.

The professional has 24 hours after the payment of the guarantee is made to be able to withdraw from the work without any penalty.

However, if contact information is exchanged between the freelancer and the client, this 24-hour rule cannot be applied and the project must be cancelled through mediation.

6. When there are technical difficulties that were not identified before starting the work.

Can I receive a default if this happens? It depends.

When there are technical difficulties that prevent a project from being completed, you must send us an email explaining what is happening and why the work cannot be completed. The sooner this happens, the better. If the justification was correct and we were able to verify that the problem was not caused by you, then you will not receive a breach. In case of doubt, we can send some cases to our technical team to verify what happened.

7. - When a client is not satisfied with the result

Can I receive a default if this happens? It depends.

When a client is not satisfied with the result presented, Skillled will verify if the work is in accordance with what was requested in a timely manner. If we consider that the result was not consistent, you may receive a breach.

If we consider that the work was consistent with the work requested, but the client has not been satisfied with the result, the client must make a partial payment, which will be defined for each case. In these cases, the project will be cancelled, and the client will not be able to use the delivered work.

8. When there is a case of force majeure

Can I receive a default if this happens? No.

Illness or death of a family member is considered as a case of force majeure. If a project needs to be cancelled for any of these reasons, you will not receive a default. But, it is necessary that you can send us a medical or death certificate to avoid the penalty. Other cases may be considered force majeure as long as there is valid documentation to prove them.

9. When the client and the professional agree to cancel a project

Can I receive a default if this happens? It depends.

If we verify that you have not met what you agreed to, you may receive a default even if the client agrees to cancel the project.

It is part of our job to maintain a base of committed professionals within the platform and we take care that their profiles show a real history within the site.

In case of problems with a client, do not hesitate to contact us to ask for our help. We try to be fair in our decisions and if we feel that you are interested in solving the problem, the risk of receiving a default will be greatly reduced.

In general, we value the professional who shows interest and initiative when resolving a conflict. In the event that problems arise, good professionals will always have our support and support to solve them.

It is also important to understand that each case is particular and individual and that we take this into consideration when conducting arbitrations.