Disputed milestones

The flow

1. Notification. You're informed that the milestone is on hold, with the customer's reason for withholding approval. The customer has 7 days from your Milestone Notice to approve or raise an objection; if they do neither, the milestone releases automatically.
2. 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.
3. Ask Beams for a view if you can't agree. Email the Beams team at build@beamsrenovation.com with the dispute and the conversation so far.
4. Beams gives a view on the evidence. We look at your milestone evidence (photos, certificates, platform documentation) and the customer's reason, and compare both against what the HIC says. We then share our view with both sides and help you reach an agreement. Beams isn't a party to the HIC, so this is a view, not a ruling.
5. If you still can't agree. Either side can take the dispute to an independent dispute resolution service, such as an ombudsman. We'll point you both to the right one.

Common outcomes

• Milestone is met. Customer approves; payment releases.
• Milestone is genuinely outstanding. Specific remediation is agreed; once done, the customer 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, while the dispute is open. The funds stay in the Beams Account. Once the customer approves the milestone, we send your payment to your Stripe account the same day. Stripe then pays it into your bank automatically, which can take up to 3 days.

Why it works this way

The structure protects both sides. You don't get paid for work the customer can demonstrate isn't done; the customer can't withhold payment indefinitely for work that is. The contract is between you and the customer, so the decision sits with the two of you, with Beams helping you get there and an independent service as the backstop.

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 customer. Most disputes resolve in days; the ones that don't usually involve genuine scope ambiguity that's better settled formally than informally.