The amount of entitled people commenting on this to justify their actions baffles me.
Personally, I think what everyone should take from this post is that the MAJORITY of customers have no idea about your technology or words and you should properly disclose it and make it clear what it means, without the client having to pull your tongue or learn the hard way.
MAJORITY of riggers also do not properly disclose that they do not give out the editable file (even if you want to pay for it). The amount of tech words I had to go through to educate myself after being burned by my first rigger was overwhelming. I had to sit down with a friend who works in the industry and ask pointers for every word mentioned.
My first rigger was unable to edit my model for updates. I had to completely give up the model. I was told to go find someone else for what I want done. But they wouldn't sell the file, so what they told me was "Go pay 2k$ again if you want to update your model". It felt terrible as a client to be told that. This is me paraphrasing, they didn't say it rudely. But that was the message. Oh and this was after waiting over 8 months and receiving a broken model after the update. My time will never be properly compensated for this.
My second rigger had a 5 year history in the industry. Worked with corporations. Part of several studios. Reliable, right? She vanished. Took thousands from her clients and studio, left people and projects behind. She was also one of the riggers refusing to sell the file. She said if she ever stops rigging, she'd give the files to the clients. She didn't do that of course. She just took the money and logged off. The cost of legally pursuing her is too big, with no guarantee to get anything back. So she got away with doing this. My own rig cost was ~ 5k$. I was fortunate that she ran away before my project started, so I avoided having to deal with the bank on top. But again, months of waiting and planning, having to find someone else. Not to mention the broken trust.
I personally turned to 3D because the industry standard isn't to rip off the client, take them hostage and act as a paranoid person. It's to cooperate, work together on making the model and project a success.
I refuse to work with this industry standard where you hold the client hostage and withhold files out of fear of abuse. I refuse to give my hard earned money to people who look at me like I'm a criminal because I want a safety net. I am sick and tired of waiting months for a 5 minute update to my model.
People should have a right to improve, fix or change what they paid for.
TLDR:
Do as you wish as a rigger, just make it clear to the client
As a client, I will never work again with someone who doesn't provide the file.
Riggers if I'm paying you to rig my model that file should also go to me. I PAID FOR IT. it is MY MODEL.
Like what is this industry ? I pay THOUSANDS of dollars to not own the file of my own rigged model ????