Disputed milestones
When a customer disputes a milestone, payment is paused — not cancelled. Beams reviews the evidence and issues a written outcome. Most disputes resolve in days.
If a customer disputes milestone completion, the payment is paused temporarily and Beams runs a structured review. The article describes what happens.
The flow
- Notification. You're informed that the milestone is on hold, with the customer's reason for withholding approval.
- Talk to the customer directly first. Most disputes are about something specific — a snag they want done before approving, a question about scope, a piece of evidence they want clarifying. Have the conversation. Many disputes resolve at this stage without anyone else getting involved.
- Escalate to Beams if you can't agree. Email your build advisor with the dispute and the conversation so far. They'll pick it up from there.
- Evidence review. Beams looks at your milestone evidence (photos, certificates, platform documentation) and the customer's reason. If the question is clearly settled at this stage, we tell both sides.
- Site visit if needed. Where the question is harder, we may arrange an independent inspection — your build advisor, sometimes a specialist.
- Written outcome. A written notice to both parties: findings and recommended next steps.
Common outcomes
- Milestone is met. Customer approves; payment releases.
- Milestone is genuinely outstanding. Specific remediation is agreed; once done, milestone approves.
- Middle position. A snag list to clear, a partial remediation, or an agreed adjustment to milestone scope.
Payment during the dispute
The milestone payment is paused — not cancelled — for the duration of the review. As soon as the milestone is approved (after remediation, if needed), payment goes into the next cycle.
Why pause and review
The pause-and-review structure protects both sides. You don't get paid for work the customer can demonstrate isn't done; the customer doesn't get to indefinitely withhold payment for work that is. The review is the time-boxed mechanism that keeps the project moving.
What this means for you
Treat a disputed milestone as a normal part of the system, not a confrontation. Provide clear evidence, respond to Beams's questions, and engage with the review. Most disputes resolve in days; the ones that don't usually involve genuine scope ambiguity that's better settled formally than informally.
Related articles
- Milestone evidence and approvals
- When and how to escalate to Beams
- Snag dispute — the written process