What is a appropriate response to a client refusing to pay for web design work?

And refusing to pay for the work done where the client has constantly changed their mind meaning hours of uninstalling and installing and modifications have had to be undone/redone

What is a appropriate response to a client refusing to pay for web design work?
Do you have a oral or preferably a written agreement? If so threaten them with legal action. Also as mentioned above change the access to the site, and temporarily remove the home page. With a message saying, "Site suspended due to billing issue"





And take this as a lesson, this is the reason professional designers, take a retainer up front, charge x for every major change, and invoice frequently.. its just good business.
Reply:Remove the design from the website and tell them that you refused to help them unless they pay up.
Reply:Deface the web site
Reply:In the UK you can pursue them through the small claims court (Up to £10000) https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/csmco2/ind...





You should have proof of work to hand but initially you do nothing but make a statement that they owe you money. The cost of bringing the action is low and will be added to their costs.





I would advise that you do not deface any of their web site as it weakens your case.





Next time write a contract that stipulates what you will do, at what point the project is 'frozen' and clauses that state penalties if they require late changes (or if you are late in doing their work within the contract - makes it look more balanced). Insist on progress payments rather than invoicing it all at the end and keep a gut feeling in mind when you deal with clients.





Good luck.
Reply:If you have a contract or written agreement then pursue the legal route. If not, could you change the access conditions (add in a password or something) to make the site inaccessible.
Reply:If they don't pay they don't get. Call a lawyer. They can't use any of your work if they don't pay.
Reply:Assuming you have FTP access to the web server, you'll get their attention really fast if you change their homepage to read something like, "Technical difficulties please try again later."
Reply:The cordial way to do it, assuming you have ftp access, is to let them know that in one week if you haven't received payment —your work is coming down. It works every time. It's never failed me. I guarantee the check will be there by the end of the week. The sad thing is I have had to use that tactic on 70% of my website projects to get the final payment. But like others said you should always require money upfront, so if they do drop off the face of the earth at least you got something out of it, and once you take your work down, they will have paid for nothing (which insures that they will pay the final check, so whatever they already paid you isn't wasted).