Timeline for Old client wants files from materials created for them 6 years ago
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
14 events
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| Jul 20 at 23:54 | comment | added | KRyan | @Scott Yeah, that’s why I said “I believe,” I’m not sure what the requirement is for them to provide it to clients—wouldn’t surprise me if there was, but there may not be. I know for a fact that therapists’ notes are legally available to patients, since my wife is one and was trained to keep notes professional since they’re not truly private, even if most patients will never see them. She’s required to keep those notes available for a certain number of years (7, maybe?) in case the patient ever requests them. | |
| Jul 20 at 23:38 | comment | added | Scott | See that's the thing @KRyan I know there are requirements for business to retain files (like tax prep and medical) but those requirement may or may not provide for client access to those files. Things like tax prep is a no brainer for them.. they have to maintain the files so providing old tax forms is of no detriment or undue effort to the service. If a client asked me for an email or text file from 6 years ago... sure, if I have it I'll forward it, no problem - it doesn't serve any direct further purpose for me. But design files are a different matter. | |
| Jul 20 at 17:03 | comment | added | KRyan | @Scott Off the top of my head, various medical services have requirements like that. Tax preparation as well, I believe. Would not be surprised if lawyers may have some (though possibly the courts and public record themselves cover that need). Definitely not anything remotely relevant to this question, though. | |
| Jul 20 at 8:55 | comment | added | Scott | I'm not aware of any business which is inherently expected to retain client files years later so the client can acquire them again. Sure, if it was only a month or two maybe ... but not years. I'm trying to think of any situation where that would be the case. All I can come up with is legal teams, but again, files are typically retained for the law firm not the client. Ask for your dental or medical records, they won't give them to you - even though neither are useful to anyone else. Proprietary historical data belongs to the company, not the client. | |
| Jul 20 at 8:39 | comment | added | Andrew Leach | Another option, whether you have the files or not, is simply to tell them that you are not in a position to supply files for completed work once it's been handed over. That might imply you simply complete work and forget it, but as Scott says, you're not providing a client archive. | |
| Jul 20 at 7:25 | comment | added | Mark Morgan Lloyd | Noting obviously the possibility that the contract with the client stated that all related materials be provided to them without backup. | |
| Jul 20 at 4:33 | comment | added | Nelson | If the client is smart, they should state that they were responsible and asked for a favor, even offering compensation right off the bat. Contacting you as if you owed them is immediately a red flag and they get ghosted, since they already showed their hand what they will be like. | |
| Jul 19 at 21:52 | history | edited | Scott | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Jul 19 at 21:21 | history | edited | Scott | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Jul 19 at 13:28 | history | edited | Scott | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Jul 19 at 6:40 | history | edited | Scott | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Jul 19 at 6:34 | history | edited | Scott | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Jul 19 at 6:24 | history | edited | Scott | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Jul 19 at 6:00 | history | answered | Scott | CC BY-SA 4.0 |