Client Went Silent Mid-Project? What Freelancers Should Do

A client who was enthusiastic two weeks ago suddenly stops answering. The draft is waiting for feedback, the next milestone can't start, and you're holding time in your calendar for work that isn't happening. It's frustrating, but it's rarely about you: budgets get frozen, people go on leave, priorities shift.

The goal is to protect your time and your money without damaging a relationship that may restart next month.

After a few business days past the expected reply, send one short message with a single clear question:

"Hi [NAME], just checking you received the homepage draft on [DATE]. To keep us on track for the [LAUNCH DATE], I need your feedback by [DATE]. Anything I can clarify?"

A specific date and a reason (their launch, not your convenience) gets more replies than "just following up".

Email can get buried. Try the channel you've used before (phone, chat), and if there is a second contact on the project (an assistant, a colleague in accounts), copy them politely. Sometimes the main contact has simply left or been reassigned.

If there's still nothing after a week or two, put the project on hold in writing:

"As I haven't heard back, I'm pausing work on [PROJECT] from today. When you're ready to continue, let me know and I'll confirm the next available start date. As per our agreement, the delivery date will move accordingly, and the current milestone invoice remains due on [DATE]."

This frees your calendar and makes it clear that deadlines depend on their input. A client delays clause and a project pause clause make this a normal contractual step.

After a longer silence (say 30 days, or whatever your contract states), close the project: invoice for work done to date, deliver what has been paid for, and state that restarting will need a new timeline and possibly a restart fee. A termination clause that covers client inactivity, and a deposit you already hold, make this far less painful. If invoices are unpaid, use a payment reminder sequence.

A designer sends a logo concept on Monday 1 June 2026. The contract gives the client 10 business days to respond.

• Mon 8 June: no reply. Friendly follow-up asking for feedback by 15 June (step 1).
• Thu 11 June: short message by the chat channel they used before, copying the marketing assistant (step 2).
• Mon 15 June: the review window ends. Under the contract, the concept is deemed approved; the designer sends the milestone invoice.
• Mon 22 June: still silent. Written pause notice (step 3). The designer takes on another project for July.
• Mon 13 July: project closed out, final files for the paid milestone delivered, restart terms stated (step 4).

In August the client reappears. Because everything is in writing, the restart is a simple conversation about a new start date.

• Sending daily "just checking in" messages. Space them out and make each one specific.
• Keeping the calendar blocked indefinitely while other paying work goes elsewhere.
• Continuing to work on the next milestone in the hope that progress will prompt a reply.
• An angry final email. It rarely gets you paid and closes the door if the client does come back.
• Dropping the project without a record. Always confirm the pause and the close-out in writing.

Can I charge a restart fee? If your contract includes one, yes. If not, you can still set a new start date based on your availability.

Do I have to give back the deposit? It depends on your contract. Many agreements make the deposit non-refundable because it reserves your time and covers work started. This is general information, not legal advice.

"Great to hear from you. The project has been on hold since [DATE], so my original slot has gone to another client. I can restart on [NEW DATE]; the remaining milestones and fees stay as agreed. Shall I confirm that?"

Friendly, no blame, and clear that the timeline is now based on your availability.

• Collect a meaningful deposit, so you're never owed the whole fee.
• Tie payments to milestones, not only to final delivery.
• Set a feedback window in the contract (e.g. 5 business days, after which the deliverable is considered approved), using an acceptance clause.

Draft it now with Clinch: describe the job in a sentence, get a clean draft, send one link. Your client signs from their phone without an account, and the deposit is paid in the same step.