Briefly:
I am a computer consultant.
I engaged in a contract with a client that states: they will pay me XXX dollars over 12 months. I will give them an equal XXX $ worth of services (any technical services).
8 months later, my part of the bargain was completed. I fulfilled my services.
They still owed me for the rest of the retainer.
A few days later, the owner's computer crashed. Possibly hard drive. They called me and I diagnosed it as such and said that I would have to bill this out separately since the retainer had no more time left. The owner hung up on me.
I sent an email stating that my retainer was not an all you can eat buffet and that since the retainer was exhausted, I would have to charge for the time if they wanted me to fix the computer.
THe next day, I received an email from the owner stating: (Paraphrased here) We will not pay you any more money unless you come in and fix the computer, at no charge. Needless to say, I worked with a woman over the phone to get the owner up and running on another PC that was handy.
Isn't that a form of extortion? Can I get her in trouble for that?
These people still have not paid me for the rest of my retainer. What are my options?
I am a computer consultant.
I engaged in a contract with a client that states: they will pay me XXX dollars over 12 months. I will give them an equal XXX $ worth of services (any technical services).
8 months later, my part of the bargain was completed. I fulfilled my services.
They still owed me for the rest of the retainer.
A few days later, the owner's computer crashed. Possibly hard drive. They called me and I diagnosed it as such and said that I would have to bill this out separately since the retainer had no more time left. The owner hung up on me.
I sent an email stating that my retainer was not an all you can eat buffet and that since the retainer was exhausted, I would have to charge for the time if they wanted me to fix the computer.
THe next day, I received an email from the owner stating: (Paraphrased here) We will not pay you any more money unless you come in and fix the computer, at no charge. Needless to say, I worked with a woman over the phone to get the owner up and running on another PC that was handy.
Isn't that a form of extortion? Can I get her in trouble for that?
These people still have not paid me for the rest of my retainer. What are my options?
