K
kram
Guest
What is the name of your state? Colorado
In April, I signed a written contract to design and develop a Web site for a non-profit organization of which a friend of mine is president. My fee was $500. At the time of signing, there was an informal discussion concerning payment. The president suggested I get half immediately and the second half in August, when another contractor was scheduled to complete her work, which would then be posted to the Web site. I said I thought this arrangement would be OK. No formal payment terms are included in the signed contract.
I completed the Web site in mid-April, and it has been available on the Internet since then. All tasks associated with what is covered by my $500 fee -- and specified in the contract -- have been completed.
Last week I asked my friend, the president, if I could get the remaining $250 that is owed to me. He said, "no," because a contractor does not get paid until the contract has been fulfilled. I explained to him that, in fact, I had completed the work, as evidenced by the fully functioning Web site. He then switched gears and said that I could not get paid because in April I had agreed to wait until August.
The treasurer of the organization told me that the only conditions under which he could issue a check to me were:
-- If the President (my friend) authorizes it
-- If the Board of Directors authorizes it (they do not meet until sometime on August)
-- If payment terms in a valid contract specify it.
So, to review the facts:
-- I have completed my work on the project.
-- There are no payment terms specified in the written contract.
-- Payment terms were agreed to in informal discussions.
-- The only person who can authorize payment is my friend, the president, who refuses to do so.
Can my friend legally withhold the money from me? What recourse do I have?
Please help!!!!
In April, I signed a written contract to design and develop a Web site for a non-profit organization of which a friend of mine is president. My fee was $500. At the time of signing, there was an informal discussion concerning payment. The president suggested I get half immediately and the second half in August, when another contractor was scheduled to complete her work, which would then be posted to the Web site. I said I thought this arrangement would be OK. No formal payment terms are included in the signed contract.
I completed the Web site in mid-April, and it has been available on the Internet since then. All tasks associated with what is covered by my $500 fee -- and specified in the contract -- have been completed.
Last week I asked my friend, the president, if I could get the remaining $250 that is owed to me. He said, "no," because a contractor does not get paid until the contract has been fulfilled. I explained to him that, in fact, I had completed the work, as evidenced by the fully functioning Web site. He then switched gears and said that I could not get paid because in April I had agreed to wait until August.
The treasurer of the organization told me that the only conditions under which he could issue a check to me were:
-- If the President (my friend) authorizes it
-- If the Board of Directors authorizes it (they do not meet until sometime on August)
-- If payment terms in a valid contract specify it.
So, to review the facts:
-- I have completed my work on the project.
-- There are no payment terms specified in the written contract.
-- Payment terms were agreed to in informal discussions.
-- The only person who can authorize payment is my friend, the president, who refuses to do so.
Can my friend legally withhold the money from me? What recourse do I have?
Please help!!!!