I agree with specialD about developing a list of no-pays. I don't know, but I think that I heard of something like that somewhere before, so maybe there is such a think already.

Anyway, the number one problem that I see with freelancers trying to get their money is that it is hard to convince or prove to other people who are not freelancers that you are right. To them it looks 50/50; that is, they figure that chances are as good that you are making things up as that the client is no good. How can you convince someone like an ISP to give the client heat if they don't know who is right.

The fundamental problem that is run across when people start black-tagging clients (or when clients rate freelancers!) is that people get mad and give unfair or untrue reports. All this dose is make everyone look unreliable. This leaves the lone freelancers all alone against the client's company, which often looks more reliable to other people than the freelancer.

A possible solution to this is to have a panel or a "jury" that looks over any reports submitted. Only after they have looked over things, and things are "proven", would the data be entered into a database of no-pays. The reason that I say database though is that for a list to ever be very effective, it must contain a large number of names. If its that long though, its too long to read.

Of couse any such organization would have to reach a certain "critical mass" in order to be resected. But once it was developed, it could be very good prevention just to tell prospective clients that you are a member. And in reality, I don't think that it could take long to get the word out, as freelancers are normally pretty well networked with other freelancers.


Just to be clear though, I am not talking about actually "proving" your case just to think that it would help you in a court; its not good to ever get to that point. I am just talking about developing a body that has enough respect and validity that it can be effective in convincing others of your clams, as well a providing names of bad clients.