Category
IT freelance

Information
Recently I'm receive a freelance from an offline game retails shop freelance. After this I found out that a detail enough contract is very important for a freelance. They want to sue me because the contract or so call a price quotation is not details enough.

The incident is I prepare a quotation for the freelance like:

Front end
1. Payment Rm 500.00
2. Voucher Rm 500.00

...

Because of the quotation which I give to the client is not details enough, and that's no stated any source code which we will use to develop the website (Either write by own or using third party source code like OpenCart and so on), so problem occur after that.

Payment Received:/B]
Feb 2015, 3000 ++ (30%)
May 2015, 6000 ++ (50%)

[B]Things stated happen when

After both party agree on the payment and job scope, we started develop the website by using our own source code (started on Jan 2015), then when we almost finish the entire admin panel (on March 2015) client request to use a third party payment gateway because of the price is cheaper compare with other third party payment gateway. After discuss and talk with the payment gateway provider, they only allow those who use OpenCart to use their services, other than that they wouldn't provide the services to them even for those who write the cart system by themselves. We have to redo entire website by using OpenCart.

Beside this, for the payment part they are added in PayPal on top of the third party payment gateway, and they refuse to pay extra because they say it also part of payment.

The changing of payment history from

1. third part payment gateway ->
2. PayPal + third part payment gateway -> PayPal + third part payment gateway + offline banking ->
3. PayPal + third part payment gateway + offline banking (Multiple bank) ->
4. PayPal + third part payment gateway + offline banking (Multiple bank) + Self Pick in brunches ->
5. PayPal + third part payment gateway + offline banking (Multiple bank) + Self Pick in brunches + Different rate on different payment gateway ->
6. PayPal + third part payment gateway + offline banking (Multiple bank) + Self Pick in brunches + Different rate on different payment gateway + Member Point discount ->
7. PayPal + third part payment gateway + offline banking (Multiple bank) + Self Pick in brunches + Different rate on different payment gateway + Member Point discount(On certain member type only) ->
8. PayPal + third part payment gateway + offline banking (Multiple bank) + Self Pick in brunches + Different rate on different payment gateway + Member Point discount(On certain member type only) ->
9. PayPal + third part payment gateway + offline banking (Multiple bank) + Self Pick in brunches + Different rate on different payment gateway + Member Point discount(On certain member type only) + Voucher ->
10. PayPal + third part payment gateway + offline banking (Multiple bank) + Self Pick in brunches + Different rate on different payment gateway + Member Point discount(On certain member type only) + Different type of voucher ->

Changing so many time on a same part but they refuse to pay any extra money on it because they say it was still the same is under payment category. (this is only a single part of the rapid change functionality)

The changing of product synchronization history from
1. Use the general product summary report generate by their offline system.
2. Use the specify product summary report generate by their offline system (Row, column, header and so on is totally different from version 1).
3. Use the specify product summary report generate by their offline system included member point discount rate (Row, column, header and so on is totally different from version 2).
4. Use the specify product summary report generate by their offline system included member point discount rate and price different based on different member type (Row, column, header and so on is totally different from version 3).
5. Use the specify product summary report generate by their offline system included member point discount rate and price different based on different member type with different date format

Changing so many time on a same part but they refuse to pay any extra money on it because they say it was still the same is under product synchronize category. (this is another rapid change functionality)

From the beginning when we started develop the project, that's more than 1000 times changing on different part for the entire system, beside the functionality part, design also change for more than 20 times from not mobile responsive to mobile responsive, I spend around Rm 2000.00 ++ for plugins and theme for the website development. On Dec 2015 after I finish all bugs which requested to fix by them I email and sms the person in charge of the website we will stop support on Jan 31, 2016 (Total received payment is Rm 10,000.00 ++, totally didn't have extra payment and plugins and theme is paid by me). That's no news from them at all from Dec 2015 to Feb 2016, on March out of sudden they request to change on certain functionality and design again, and I refuse to change for them. End up they requested the source code and database for the entire system (which I already setup for them in their server completely), after they get the source code and database they say the system is not what they want they plan to hire another developer to start all over again, and request us to return 80% out of total received payment of else they will sue us for the lose in earning and fail to deliver the website.

Contract is important for freelancer too, for those who are freelancer prepare the contract detail enough to avoid from this kind of shit.
Yes I knew that I'm stupid and brainless, and I will return the Rm 8000 ++ (80% out of total received payment) to them.
I'm posting this no blame anyone but just to let others aware about the important of a contract which details enough.