📡 Do you want to submit a dispute for an hourly job contract? Read about hourly contract disputes.
We know that client work requirements can evolve or get put on hold. If you want to close a fixed-rate contract and your escrow account balance is unused, you can ask the expert for a refund.
Tip: You can release part of your escrow balance if you want to keep a fixed-rate job open without paying the total escrow balance. The remaining escrow balance is applied to your job’s new milestone.
🚀 In this article
How to submit an escrow refund request
You need to ask your expert for an escrow full (or partial) refund before escalating to a milestone dispute on Cad Crowd.
Steps to ask for an escrow refund:
- Visit your Job contracts > select a contract
- Select ••• dropdown > click Ask for refund
- Choose most recent invoice > add amount > add message (optional) > click Send button
The expert has a week to approve or decline your refund request. If you ask for a partial refund, the remaining amount in the escrow balance is paid to the expert.
If your expert approves a refund
The escrow funds are deposited into your account balance if the expert agrees with your refund request or fails to reply within a week. Please note that the refund may take five work days to show on your account.
If your expert disagrees with refund on escrow balance
You will receive an email notification if your expert disagrees with a refund request. You have the option to escalate the refund request into a dispute.
The following steps apply if you escalate the dispute:
- Escalate dispute: If you escalate a refund request into a payment dispute, Cad Crowd’s conflict resolution team will assist both sides in mediating the disagreement.
- Mediation phase: The conflict resolution team will review the case and provide mediation. Please note that the mediation phase may take 10-15 business days. You can contact us for status updates after you submit a payment dispute.
- Mediation recommendation: Our team will share a non-binding decision to resolve the payment dispute if you and the expert disagree about resolving the issue.
- Binding arbitration: Suppose you or the expert disagree with our recommendation. In that case, the last resort is to proceed with binding arbitration with the American Arbitration Association, a neutral third-party organization whose decision is final. The arbitration fee for this service will be split between you and the expert.
Questions and answers
âš¡ Can I get a refund if I already approved and released the milestone payment in escrow?
You can ask the expert for a refund and submit a dispute for up to 30 days following the invoice payment. If the 30-day deadline has passed, you can still ask the expert for a full (or partial) refund at their discretion. You can send a refund request to the expert for up to 180 days after your invoice is paid.
âš¡ Can I send part of the escrow balance to the expert and have the remaining balance refunded?
You can release part of the milestone balance to the expert and apply the partial balance to a new payment milestone if you continue working with the expert. Alternatively, you can end your fixed-rate contract with a partial milestone payment and transfer the refunded escrow balance to your account.
âš¡ Why were my escrow funds released before I accepted work delivery?
Fixed-rate job contracts allow 14 days to review and authorize a milestone submitted by your expert. You can make a full or partial escrow payment release, request work edits, or submit a dispute during this time. If you don’t reply in the 14 days timeframe, your work milestone is considered complete, and the funds are automatically transferred from escrow to your expert.
If you have approved an escrow payment, you can still ask the expert for a refund and submit a dispute within a 30-day deadline. Once the 30-day deadline ends, you can no longer dispute a milestone; however, you have 180 days to ask the expert for a refund which may be approved at their discretion.
âš¡ When is it possible for the expert to approve my refund?
You can send a refund request to the expert for up to 180 days after the invoice is paid. You can contact our support team for help if your expert approves your refund between 181 and 365 days after the invoice is paid.
âš¡ Where will my approved refund be transferred?
When your refund request is accepted, the escrow payment is transferred into your account balance. You can use the funds towards your next job contract or send the funds to your financial institution.
âš¡ Can I ask an expert to send me a refund payment directly?
Refund requests and payments must be sent on the Cad Crowd platform per the terms of service. We process refunds directly on the platform to prevent fraudulent transactions and protect confidentiality.
