Young people & students › Internship, freelance or creator pay
Freelance work done, client vanished
What usually matters in this situation, and the papers to keep ready before you meet an advocate or free legal aid (call 15100).
Make my own list — free, 2 minutesYour situation
- What is it about? Freelance / client work
Where you stand
- Next step A lawyer's notice often gets payment without going to court.
Do these now
- Send a polite written demand with a deadline
Many pay at this stage; it is also needed before a case. Where: Email.
Papers to gather
- Offer letter, contract, or the emails/DMs where pay was agreed
The core of your claim. Where: Email, LinkedIn, Instagram DMs. - Proof of work delivered: files, posts, links, approval messages
Shows they accepted it. Where: Drive, email, the posts. - Invoices or payment requests you sent and any replies
Shows the amount and the delay. Where: Email.
What the law says
A promise of payment in an email, offer letter or chat can be enforced as a contract (Indian Contract Act). Unpaid amounts can be demanded by legal notice and recovered through a civil suit or, for some cases, the consumer or labour route. Influencers must disclose paid promotions under ASCI and consumer rules.
General information, not legal advice.
Saboot will also ask
- What do you have in writing?
- Did you complete the work or period?
- How much is owed?
- When was the payment due?
Similar situations
- Internship stipend not paid
- Brand didn’t pay for my Instagram or YouTube collab
- Job offer withdrawn after I resigned from my old job
- Paid a fee for an internship that was fake
Sources
The full guide: Internship stipend, freelance or creator payment not paid, or my job offer was taken back · All situations