Russia-based client requests signed contract in order to make payment - feedback needed
Thread poster: Lynda La Posta
Lynda La Posta
Lynda La Posta  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 08:22
Italian to English
Oct 18, 2012

Hi Everyone,

In August I completed a project for a translation company based in Russia, the payment was due Sept. 10th. I sent them a reminder of the overdue payment and they sent me a contract explaining that I need to sign it otherwise they can't transfer any money out of Russia.

Does anyone know if this is true? Do I need to sign a contract?

Thanking you all in advance,
Lynda


 
Natalie
Natalie  Identity Verified
Poland
Local time: 08:22
Member (2002)
English to Russian
+ ...

Moderator of this forum
SITE LOCALIZER
Moving the thread Oct 18, 2012

Hi Lynda,

Hopefully in this forum you will get the answer sooner.

Natalia


 
Jack Doughty
Jack Doughty  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:22
Russian to English
+ ...
In memoriam
I don't think so Oct 18, 2012

I have done several translations recently for someone in Moscow who pays me via PayPal. I'm sure PayPal is not in the least interested in whether payments made through it are for contracted work or not.

 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 08:22
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Russian agencies Oct 19, 2012

Hi Lynda,

I have frequently worked with an agency in Moscow, and was usually paid through PayPal, only once through Western Union.

Whether or not you have to sign a contract in order to get paid depends mainly on the size of the project, that is, how much they will pay you.

For the larger projects I did for them, it was required that I'd sign a contract. Please note that the contract will / might state an amount which exceeds what they owe you. This is only
... See more
Hi Lynda,

I have frequently worked with an agency in Moscow, and was usually paid through PayPal, only once through Western Union.

Whether or not you have to sign a contract in order to get paid depends mainly on the size of the project, that is, how much they will pay you.

For the larger projects I did for them, it was required that I'd sign a contract. Please note that the contract will / might state an amount which exceeds what they owe you. This is only because they have to list their "personal" taxes. But you will only, of course, receive the amount due, so it's no money scam.

My advice would be, read the contract carefully (mine was bilingual, Russian and English), and if every
Collapse


 
Alexandra Schneeuhr
Alexandra Schneeuhr  Identity Verified
Cyprus
Local time: 09:22
English to Russian
+ ...
What were the agreed payment terms? Oct 19, 2012

Hello Lynda,

Out of half a dozen Russia-based agencies I happened to work with, only one had asked me if I wanted (!) to sign a formal agreement.

What I find alarming in your post is that they mentioned the contract signing when the payment was already overdue... or did I get it wrong? What was the agreed payment method?

[Edited at 2012-10-19 18:38 GMT]


 
Lynda La Posta
Lynda La Posta  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 08:22
Italian to English
TOPIC STARTER
Moving post Oct 19, 2012

Natalie wrote:

Hi Lynda,

Hopefully in this forum you will get the answer sooner.

Natalia


Hi Natalie,

Before my post was moved to this forum I received other replies that didn't get transferred with it. Is there a way of transferring them as well?

Thanks Natalia,
Lynda


 
Lynda La Posta
Lynda La Posta  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 08:22
Italian to English
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks Alexandra Oct 19, 2012

Alexandra Schneeuhr wrote:

Hello Lynda,

Out of half a dozen Russia-based agencies I happened to work with, only one had asked me if I wanted (!) to sign a formal agreement.

What I find alarming in your post is that they mentioned the contract signing when the payment was already overdue... or did I get it wrong? What was the agreed payment method?

[Edited at 2012-10-19 18:38 GMT]





Hi Alexandra,

thanks for your response.
The payment method is by wire transfer. Apparently, there exists a law that money cannot be transferred out of Russia without a signed contract for the job and the amout owing.


 
Lynda La Posta
Lynda La Posta  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 08:22
Italian to English
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you Thayenga Oct 19, 2012

[quote]Thayenga wrote:

Hi Lynda,

I have frequently worked with an agency in Moscow, and was usually paid through PayPal, only once through Western Union.

Whether or not you have to sign a contract in order to get paid depends mainly on the size of the project, that is, how much they will pay you.

For the larger projects I did for them, it was required that I'd sign a contract. Please note that the contract will / might state an amount which exceeds what they owe you. This is only because they have to list their "personal" taxes. But you will only, of course, receive the amount due, so it's no money scam.

My advice would be, read the contract carefully (mine was bilingual, Russian and English), and if every


 
Natalie
Natalie  Identity Verified
Poland
Local time: 08:22
Member (2002)
English to Russian
+ ...

Moderator of this forum
SITE LOCALIZER
Impossible Oct 19, 2012

Lynda La Posta wrote:
Before my post was moved to this forum I received other replies that didn't get transferred with it. Is there a way of transferring them as well?


Hi Lynda, this is impossible - I mean, all posts in response to this thread are here, they just cannot be in two different places. Unless you have opened another thread elsewhere, of course.

Natalia


 
Alexandra Schneeuhr
Alexandra Schneeuhr  Identity Verified
Cyprus
Local time: 09:22
English to Russian
+ ...
Wire transfer and contract signing Oct 19, 2012

Lynda La Posta wrote:

The payment method is by wire transfer. Apparently, there exists a law that money cannot be transferred out of Russia without a signed contract for the job and the amout owing.



Oh, I see. I am surely not an expert on this, but from what I know the contract is indeed required in cases where you provide repeated/regular services to a Russia-based company (and if you expect to be paid by wire transfer, i.e. in a way that is well-documented and official). If it is a one-off job, something less formal might work too, I guess.

IMHO, there is nothing wrong in this contract-signing request, except the timing: I wonder why the agency did not suggest this back in August, when they were placing an order...


 
Lynda La Posta
Lynda La Posta  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 08:22
Italian to English
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you All Oct 20, 2012

Good morning everyone,

I would like to thank you all for taking the time to respond to my post. I have signed the contract and am now waiting for my payment to arrive...

Kind regards,
Lynda


 


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Russia-based client requests signed contract in order to make payment - feedback needed


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