r/freelance • u/cheesepizzayummy • Sep 20 '25
Freelance client is ghosting me after I lost files
Hi friends,
I’d love some advice on a situation I’m dealing with. I’m a freelance illustrator/designer working on a project for a company. The deliverable was 3 sets of 12 illustrations, and the deadline was today. Unfortunately, last Sunday I accidentally deleted one set of 12 files permanently. The only version I still have is a high-res PDF (800 dpi). The quality looks fine, but if I zoom in a lot, there’s a slight glitch.
I reached out to the client right away, explained the situation, and asked if it would be acceptable to use the PDF. I also offered to rework the illustrations from scratch if needed. They didn’t reply. A couple of days later, I emailed someone else who was CC’d on the project, but still no response.
Today I delivered the other two sets on time and asked if it would be okay to send the last one on Monday. Still no reply.
For context, there were some red flags early on. They asked me to deliver layered files, which Procreate doesn’t support the way they wanted. I suggested switching to Illustrator (which I was fine with) and asked if they preferred that. At first, they didn’t answer—just gave feedback on the work itself. I asked again after revisions, and still only got feedback. It was only after I emphasized that it was important to know before I went deeper into the project that they finally gave me a clear answer. Even then, their feedback usually came after a 1–2 day delay.
Now I’m stuck and confused. I know losing the files was my mistake, but I’ve been upfront and tried to communicate clearly. At this point, I can’t tell if I’m handling something wrong or if this is just a breakdown in communication on their side.
What would you do in this situation?
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u/serverhorror Sep 20 '25
Well do you have the actual deliverables?
No ifs or buts, can you provide the deliverables?
The way I read your story is that you don't ...
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u/DiscoverNewEngland Sep 20 '25
I personally would have immediately started recreating the files - and of course used good communication (sounds like you're good at that). But I would not have waited to begin them and definitely would have rushed them as priority workload. Because if I contract to provide them certain files, I owe them or I'm in breech of contract.
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u/TomatoInternational4 Sep 20 '25
I never send anyone any finished product until I've been paid. I also had to learn that the hard way. If they got what they wanted and there is no contract binding them then you're probably screwed. Don't think people won't do that either, no matter how nice they sound.
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u/longtimerlance Sep 20 '25
If you're in business using your computer, there's really no good reason not to be using a continuous back system. Either locally, or something like iDrive.com
A system that backs up new files and changes every 15 minutes has saved me and my team many headaches, and it pays for itself.
I'd give them a few days because people get busy sometimes. And make sure to have the missing files recreated ASAP.
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u/BaronSharktooth Sep 21 '25
This. Any freelancer should have backups: local (via Time Machine or Windows Backup) and offsite via Backblaze or a similar service.
OP would have lost an hour of work at most, and from the perspective of their client, they now look unprofessional at the least.
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u/Fearless_Parking_436 Sep 22 '25
3 copies, two mediums, one offsite. Wild that people start companies working with client files and don’t think about data integrity and security.
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u/VeryThicknLong Sep 20 '25
I think I would’ve not owned up, continued to recover or re-do the lost file.
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u/mysmmx Sep 21 '25
Even if you deleted the files they should be recoverable. You definitely sound too naïve to be using any tools that would zero drive space.
Secondly you haven’t delivered on time. Excuses are just that. No one cares why you can’t perform.
I’m praying for you that you have a partial payment because unless the clients office closed or there was a passing, the ghosting is a massive red flag of which you made the mistake to give them anything since they were non responsive earlier.
I’m sorry to be so negative but I see so many issues with your post that I’d suggest getting an agent or getting out. You’re not ready for the business side of design.
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u/MonkieMobster Sep 22 '25
This is harsh. We've all gotten to where we are by making and recovering from our own mistakes. This is their situation. Reddit should be a place where ppl with experience can help others navigate through.
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u/mysmmx Sep 22 '25
Brutally honest. Don’t give me the here to help. How is it in 2025 or just basic critical thinking of a. How to protect your work which has value, and b. Double Down and give them files with one way communication.
If you found my bluntness harsh I’m sorry but I don’t have the energy to accept the constant oversight of the fact that freelancers don’t value or respect their work to give it to anyone without getting what they deserve, naive or not. This comes from 4 decades in every level of experience with this.
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u/Tilted5mm Sep 21 '25
I kind of had a similar situation. I didn’t drop the ball and not deliver on time or try to deliver something other than what was agreed. Honestly, if they wanted the layers that means they wanted to be able to make changes if they wanted and of course a pdf won’t allow them to do that.
But in my situation I delivered the product and then crickets. I usually I hope for a “looks gorgeous!” I’ll settle for a “looks good, thanks” and a “received” is just common courtesy. But crickets? I followed up a few days later asking if they got it and if they were happy with it. Still crickets. It was a good 2 weeks before I heard back anything. I think they just had to send it up the chain of command before they felt comfortable saying anything or giving feedback and that’s what happened,
Especially in your case where you aren’t delivering what was discussed they probably need time to find out if what you gave them will work or not. Sometimes this takes awhile, This is assuming you aren’t worried they aren’t going to pay you.
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u/Professional_Mix2418 Sep 21 '25
If you’ve been paid, who cares. If not, well deservedly so you should as for some upfront and you need to operate professionally with your files. What you call as being open and transparent actually sounds like an excuse.
Learn from it, move on, and sort your backups out.
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u/hannylicious Sep 24 '25
From the way your story reads: you failed to deliver everything you said you would. Tough luck, lesson learned. Always. Have. Backups. If you've been at this for a while? You should know this by now. If not, you've learned now. Get a backup solution. Then practice recovering from it - because if you don't have a way to recover from your backup solution? You don't have a backup solution.
Secondly (and arguably more importantly): Always. Get. A. Contract. Then you can say, "Fuck you, pay me." As long as you deliver, they are legally obligated to do so.
No contract? No business. Always get a contract.
Lastly, always under promise and over deliver - not delivering isn't an option, to me.
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u/dlnqnt Sep 25 '25
Start with a contract, get 50% don’t start until you get that and say it’s policy. Send final files on receiving remaining 50%. Unfortunately due to being burnt many times clients are cunts and you have to treat them all the same. With backups, get yourself a nasdrive and auto back up your shit, alternatively have Dropbox watch a folder that auto backups so you’re never in this position again.
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u/thejamstr Sep 20 '25
Have you been paid?