[synicalx]

Not sure how this works with international clients and/or in your country, but in the past on two occasions when I've had a client decide not to pay I've done the following;

1. Send a final notice letter, indicating that non-payment will result in the debt being referred to a collections agency.

2. Sell the debt to the highest bidder, ie a debt collector.

In one instance, I got paid after the letter. And in the other, I made back ~60% of my money + got a VERY entertaining call from an ex-client who'd just had a debt collector rock up in his lobby and refuse to leave.

I'm a big believer in "F#ck you, pay me" and when I do freelance work I make sure that my clients share that belief. Generally I also lay out a schedule of payments based on either milestones (ie 'X is implemented') or on a regular timed schedule (normally once a fortnight) - if the client misses a payment, work stops until they pay.

Never let a client threaten you with "bad word of mouth" or any other nonsense like that - at the very worst they'll deter one of their mates from doing business with you, and if they're alike at all there's a good chance they would try and not pay you as well. It's not worth establishing a reputation that clients can just not pay you and get away with it.