Abandoned Order

[Zobmie]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
Washington State.

I'm a commission painter and I'm setting up my Terms of Service and I'd love some help with the legality of an abandoned order.

Situation:
Customer sends me the project they want painted, along with the deposit I require. Time goes by, I finish the work, and try to contact the client, who doesn't reply. What are my rights as to what I can do with their project? Can I keep it? Can I sell it? After how much time?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
Washington State.

I'm a commission painter and I'm setting up my Terms of Service and I'd love some help with the legality of an abandoned order.

Situation:
Customer sends me the project they want painted, along with the deposit I require. Time goes by, I finish the work, and try to contact the client, who doesn't reply. What are my rights as to what I can do with their project? Can I keep it? Can I sell it? After how much time?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Those are all questions the answers of which should be addressed in your terms of service and client contracts.

I suggest you sit down with a business lawyer in your area for a personal review of your wants and needs, and for personal assistance in working out a standard agreement for your clients to sign that will protect both their interests (e.g., giving the time within which you must complete a work before a full refund will be offered) and yours (e.g., giving the time within which the client must pay in full for the order before they lose their deposit and any rights to the work).

This forum is not set up to help posters with the drafting of legal documents - most of the volunteers on this site are not attorneys and, of those who are attorneys, I know of none who are licensed to practice in Washington.