So I have been working exclusively for a smaller company, they offer me projects with payments ranging from 5,000 to 10,000. All up front. I have done this for three years.

Recently I have realized that I could make more money freelancing, so with my previous employers blessing I have started working for other companies in different areas.

Many people in my profession accept partial payments. I do not and I do not feel comfortable doing so as you never know who you can really trust.

So anyway, I accept a job for 25,000 from a company I have never worked for before. They needed this done quickly so they offered a high number without haggling. They did not tell me "half up front and half later", they simply gave me the money which I immediately noticed was light by 12,500. I ask whats up, and they say that i will get the other half after the job is done.

I say thats bullshit, and that I want all of it upfront or no deal. They take this as an insult that I dont trust them (which is true) but I just say I dont work like that. In the end I return the money and they're not using my services. I was also threatened because apparently I wasted their time or some bullshit.

Now the person who set me up with them says I just burned a bridge and that I fucked up badly. Oh well, I can go back to working for my old boss, whatever. My logic is that even though its a supposed industry standard if you dont specify before the fact you cant blame someone for not being cool with it. My contact says that I should have told them I wanted all of it since I was the one doing things weird.

So whose the asshole?