I had been hosting, very cheaply and without any problems, a website for a clueless, but nice, client for three years. Out of the blue, someone who has recently started working on behalf of the client emails asking me to provide backups of the website files because they’d like it to be hosted elsewhere.

I’m surprised and a bit disappointed that I’m losing business, but I promptly provide all backups as requested.

A week later I receive a further email:

Client’s assistant: Can you migrate the website onto our new hosting package? I’ve set it up but I don’t know how to migrate.

Me: So you’re asking me to help you take business away from me for free?

Client’s assistant: It shouldn’t be any problem for you.

I accept, but quote for four times the value of the time it takes me to complete the process. Which, honestly, I thought was actually quite modest.

Client’s assistant: It’s hardly fair that you would charge for something that should be included in your responsibilities as the person in charge of hosting.

Me: I’m not in charge of hosting anymore.

Client’s assistant: You know what I mean.

I kind of feel like I’ve been fired, had my salary cancelled and then asked to come into work and do the new guy’s job for free while he sat at home and got paid. 

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Source: Clients from Hell