webmaster problems

[wcsc]

What is the name of your state? california

i started a business and hired a webmaster to build the site for 2000.00 ... she then was offered a job on a verbal agreement she would operate the site for additional 2k a month.... this was a verbal contract made on the 9th of november 07 ....with payment of 2 -1000 every two weeks in the month...we still owed her 275 for the website and ran into problems to pay her completely her first 1000... she took 350 and agreed that we would take care of her b4 the month was over for remaining..... she has not done one thing for the website since the 19th of nov and says we still owe her for verbal 2000 we agreed on....to make matter worse she now has taken down the website completely while this dispute continues being we have said we are not paying for her doing no work.... being she built the website from Ark. and their are webmaster laws she claims she is entitled to do as she wishes with the website logo etcetc till she is paid in full ....we have offered her for the week she performed at 1000 and the remaining 275 for the website yet she refuses to budge saying she is completely in law rights..... what are my options being my site is down all files gone and nothing is going to b till she gets paid...but i feel we dont owe her 2 weeks of no work.... need advice and help...

 

[sixwall]

I don't know much about what your legal options our. But this situation should be easy to avoid in the future. There is no reason for the webmaster to have this much control over your website. You should purchase the domain and the web space yourself, have whoever does your IT work do this - or even go to your ISP - but don't let the developer purchase the domain and space on your behalf. Your scenario happens all the time to people who make this same mistake. Once you have your own domain and your own webspace that you are in complete control of - then hire someone to develop and maintain the website on your webspace. This way they will never have the opportunity to shut down your website. Also what kind of website are you running that costs 2K per month to maintain? That sounds absurdly high.

 

[wcsc]

i have purchased all that u mentioned ....but i have a sports handicapping site which requires lots of daily updating, files sharing, input and output of daily picks ,payment of paypal. electronic delivery, etcetc..... i too thought was a lil pricey but till i find someone with her experience i was caught in a shoe..... im going to end up paying her and moving on hopeful to find someone that can deal with everything and running the operation...... but thank you for ur advice.