Re: Getting Revenge on Delinquent Clients

At 08:16 PM 3/18/2000 , Queezle(at)aol.com wrote:
>     Removing the site of a client who refuses to pay is hardly revenge. I 
>would akin it to repossessing an automobile or foreclosing on a home.

Repossessing a car or foreclosing on a home are very specific legal
actions governed by contracts and laws.  Shutting down a web site is
not the same as those.

>Perhaps Ivan would have some to say about "repossessing" a web site.

Allow me to momentarily channel Ivan:

      "What does the CONTRACT say?"

In my best guess, if someone has to -ask- how to get "revenge", then
they likely had either no contract at all, or a very poor one.  If you
have a good contract, then you -know- what to do.  If you don't have
a good contract, then you have allowed someone to screw you over and
get away with it.

>     I responded off-list as well, but what about deleting the DNS information 
>for this clients site. Or maybe modifying it to redirect visitors to a small 
>page that explained this site has been removed due to delinquent payment.

This sounds like a great way to get a lawsuit filed against you.

>I'd bet that would be a big hit with any potential customers.

Well, it's also a great way to lose your own potential clients.  I
wouldn't want to do business with a company that engaged in such
tactics and made our private business dealings public. Very
unprofessional behavior.

>This is simple to  do, but what about the legalities? Does anyone have any insight as to what, if any, legal action this client could take against you.

Well, they could sue you.

>  I would akin this to posting bounced checks on the wall of a physical store. Basically, you are publicizing the fact that this client is a poor credit risk, do the courts see it similarly?

Publicizing the fact that someone may or may not be a good credit
risk is the type of action that gets you dragged into court.

>My $.02,
>Chris Wheeler

I won't comment if your advice is worth that much or not.

-- 
Kynn Bartlett                                    mailto:kynn(at)hwg.org
Board Member, HTML Writers Guild                 http://www.hwg.org/
AWARE Center Director                    http://www.awarecenter.org/

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