Website and shop built and customer has now blocked our access and does not want to pay

Questioner

We have built a website/webshop for a customer. We agreed that it would be delivered before the end of December 2023. We did this. However, the customer indicates that this did not happen, at least not to satisfaction, and indicates that he will not pay the invoice. He also indicates that he will now have another party rebuild the website and shop and recover the costs from us. This while we are of the opinion, and can also substantiate this in writing, that we did indeed deliver on time and correctly. At the moment we can no longer log in because the customer has blocked this for us. This means that all our work is also inaccessible to us. What should we do now and what can we do now?

Lawyer

1. Contract: Make sure you have a written agreement with the client. If the contract states that you will be paid after the service has been provided and this has happened, then you are entitled to payment. 2. Invoice: Send an invoice to the customer with a reasonable payment term (usually 30 days, unless otherwise agreed). 3. Reminder and warning: If the invoice has not been paid after the due date, you can send a payment reminder. If there is no response to this either, you can send a warning. In this, you indicate that you will be forced to take collection measures if payment is not made. 4. Collection: If the customer still does not pay after receiving the reminder, you may consider handing over your claim to a collection agency or bailiff. 5. Legal proceedings: If the debtor still refuses to pay, even after the collection process, you can start legal proceedings. The customer may then be ordered by the court to pay. 6. Retention of title: If there is a retention of title clause in the contract, you may consider invoking it. This means that you ‘hold back’ the webshop until the customer has paid. However, this can be complex and it is wise to consult a lawyer before taking this step. It is advisable to engage a legal advisor or lawyer to assess which steps are best for your specific situation. This is especially important if you are considering initiating legal proceedings.

Lawyer

Good afternoon, In principle, parties must comply with the provisions in a contract. In this case, the other party must pay for work already performed. Before you can provide advice, it is important to check what you have agreed with the other party. For example, it is necessary to know why the other party does not accept the delivery of the website. Any general terms and conditions on the assignments must also be checked. Feel free to contact us to discuss the possibilities. Gr, Mr. Mr. S. Leito FerLei Legal 06-49175526