Refund Policy

We want every engagement to succeed. When it does not, we handle it fairly and without a fight. This policy sets out exactly what you are entitled to at each stage of a project, written in plain language.

1. Audit and Blueprint engagements

If you are not satisfied with the findings and recommendations delivered in an Audit or Blueprint engagement, notify us by email within seven (7) days of delivery. We will:

• Revise the audit to address your specific concerns at no additional charge, or
• Issue a full refund of the audit fee within fourteen (14) days.

No conditions. No questions asked.

2. Project engagements (standard and milestone-based)

2.1 Before work begins

If you cancel before any work has started, your deposit is fully refundable. "Work has not started" means: no discovery or strategy session has been held, no design files or wireframes have been created, and no code has been written. Refund processed within fourteen (14) days.

2.2 After kickoff, before the first deliverable

If you cancel after work has begun but before the first major deliverable has been delivered, you are entitled to a refund of 50% of the deposit. The remaining 50% covers the work completed and the time blocked in our schedule for your project.

2.3 After the first deliverable has been delivered

Once the first major deliverable has been delivered (regardless of approval status), the deposit is non-refundable. However, you will not be charged for any remaining milestones not yet delivered. You owe only for work completed and delivered at the time of cancellation.

2.4 After final delivery

Once the final deliverable has been handed over and all payments settled, the engagement is complete. No refunds are issued after this point.

30-day defect warranty: If you discover a defect or bug in our delivered work within thirty (30) days of handover, we will fix it at no charge. This covers defects in the agreed deliverables, not new feature requests, scope additions, or changes you make to the code after delivery.

3. Monthly retainers

Monthly retainers may be cancelled with fourteen (14) days' written notice. On cancellation:

• You are charged only for the proportion of the month worked up to the cancellation effective date.
• Any advance payment covering work not yet performed is refunded within fourteen (14) days of cancellation.
• Work in progress at the time of cancellation will be delivered in its current state; we are not obligated to complete partially started work after the notice period.

4. How to request a refund

Email us at hello@ackinglobal.com with:

• Subject line: Refund Request - [Your Project Name]
• Your full name and the email address used for the engagement
• A brief description of the reason for your request and the amount you believe is due

We will acknowledge receipt within one (1) business day.

5. Processing and timeline

Approved refunds are processed within fourteen (14) days of approval via the original payment method used:

• Stripe payments: Refunded to your original card or bank account. Card refunds typically appear within 5-10 business days depending on your card issuer.
• Paystack payments: Refunded to the original payment source within 7-14 business days depending on the issuing bank.
• Bank transfer payments: Refunded to the originating account within 5-7 business days of approval.

We do not charge any fees for processing refunds. Exchange rate fluctuations on international payments are outside our control.

6. Exceptions

Refunds are reduced or not available in the following circumstances:

• Client-caused delays: Where the project has been materially delayed due to your failure to provide content, approvals, or feedback within agreed timeframes, no refund is due for work already completed.
• Client inactivity: If work stalls for more than sixty (60) days due to client inactivity (no response to communications, no provision of required materials), the deposit is forfeited and the engagement is treated as cancelled without further obligation on our part.
• Scope changes: If the project was paused or cancelled because you requested material changes to the agreed scope and then withdrew, no refund applies to work completed on the original or revised scope.
• Acceptable use violations: No refund is issued where an engagement is terminated because it violated our Terms of Service (including the Acceptable Use section).

7. Statutory consumer rights

This Refund Policy sets out our commercial refund terms for professional service engagements. It does not limit or replace any mandatory statutory rights you may have under the laws of your jurisdiction.

EU / EEA consumers

Under the EU Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU), if you are a consumer (not a business) and entered into this agreement online or by distance means, you may have the right to withdraw from the contract within fourteen (14) days of entering into it, without giving any reason, provided that delivery of the service has not yet commenced at your express request. Once a service has commenced at your request, the right of withdrawal may be reduced proportionally to work already performed.

UK consumers

Under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and the Consumer Rights Act 2015, UK consumers have equivalent rights to EU consumers as described above, and the right to services performed to a satisfactory standard.

Australian consumers

Under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), our services come with consumer guarantees that cannot be excluded, including that services will be provided with due care and skill and be fit for purpose. Where we fail to meet these guarantees, you are entitled to a remedy.

Canadian consumers

Provincial consumer protection legislation may provide additional rights beyond those described in this policy. Nothing in this policy limits those statutory rights.

8. Annual maintenance plan refunds

The Annual Maintenance Plan is a service agreement, not a deposit. The following terms apply:

• Cancellation before renewal date: If you cancel the Annual Maintenance Plan before the renewal invoice is due, no charge is made for the upcoming year.
• Cancellation after renewal payment: If you cancel within thirty (30) days of paying your annual renewal, a pro-rata refund is issued for the unused months, less a handover administration fee of $50.
• Cancellation after thirty days: No refund is issued for annual maintenance fees paid more than thirty (30) days ago. The service has been actively maintained during that period.
• Self-managed transfer fee: The transfer fee is non-refundable once the transfer process has been initiated and credentials have been provided to you.
• Setup fees: One-time setup fees (infrastructure setup, migration fees) are non-refundable once technical work has commenced.

In all cases, your website data and files remain yours and will be handed over on request regardless of payment status.

9. Our quality guarantee

10. Dispute escalation

If we cannot resolve a refund dispute informally:

• EU/EEA consumers may use the EU Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform.
• UK consumers may contact the relevant alternative dispute resolution (ADR) body for professional services.
• All clients may pursue resolution through the courts of their jurisdiction as permitted by law.

Questions about this policy: hello@ackinglobal.com