Refund & Cancellation Policy

1. Introduction

This Refund & Cancellation Policy ("Policy") applies to all services purchased from FlowState Development ("FlowState", "we", "us" or "our") through our website flowstatedev.co.za, including chatbot development, web development, business automation, and any related once-off projects or monthly plans.

All prices and payments are in South African Rand (ZAR). Online card payments are processed securely by our third-party payment provider, Paystack. By making a payment to FlowState, you agree to the terms set out in this Policy, together with any written proposal, quotation or service agreement signed between us (the "Service Agreement"). Where a signed Service Agreement contains specific terms, those terms take precedence over this Policy.

2. Nature of our services

FlowState provides bespoke, custom-built digital services (such as chatbots, websites, web applications and automations) that are developed specifically for each client. Because work is tailored to your requirements and begins soon after payment, the refund terms below reflect the stage that your project has reached.

3. Deposits & project payments

• Once-off projects typically require an upfront deposit (usually 50% of the quoted project fee) to reserve capacity and commence work, with the balance payable on delivery or per the milestones set out in your Service Agreement.
• Your deposit is fully refundable if you cancel before any work has started.
• Once work has commenced, the deposit covers discovery, planning and initial development already performed and is non-refundable, except as described in Section 4.

4. Refunds for once-off projects

4.1 Before work begins

If you cancel a project before we have started any work, you are entitled to a full refund of any amount paid, less any non-recoverable third-party payment processing fees where applicable.

4.2 After work has begun

If you cancel after work has started but before the project is completed, we will refund any amount paid that exceeds the value of the work already performed and any third-party costs already incurred on your behalf (for example licences, hosting, domains or paid APIs). We will provide a fair, itemised breakdown of the work completed and the amount, if any, to be refunded.

4.3 Completed & delivered work

Once a project has been completed and delivered (or made available) to you, the fee for that work is non-refundable. If you believe a delivered project does not match what was agreed in your Service Agreement, please contact us — we will work with you to correct it under Section 6.

5. Monthly plans & recurring payments

• Monthly plans (such as retainers, hosting, support and maintenance) are billed in advance for each monthly period.
• You may cancel a monthly plan at any time by giving us at least 7 days' notice before your next billing date. Your plan and any associated services will then remain active until the end of the period you have already paid for, after which recurring billing stops.
• Monthly fees are charged for the service made available during that month and are non-refundable for periods that have already started. We do not provide partial or pro-rata refunds for unused time within a paid month, unless required by law.
• It is your responsibility to cancel before the next billing date to avoid being charged for the following period.

6. Faulty, incorrect or undelivered work

If we fail to deliver a service, or a service is materially not as described in your Service Agreement, you are entitled to have it corrected. Our first step will always be to fix the issue. Where we are unable to resolve a material fault within a reasonable time, you may be entitled to a partial or full refund for the affected portion of the work, as appropriate.

7. Duplicate & incorrect charges

If you have been charged in error — for example a duplicate transaction, an incorrect amount, or a charge you did not authorise — please contact us immediately. Verified erroneous or unauthorised charges will be refunded in full.

8. How to request a refund or cancel

To cancel a project or monthly plan, or to request a refund, contact us using any of the details in Section 12. Please include:

• Your name and the email address used for the order;
• The date and amount of the payment (and a reference or receipt if available);
• The service concerned; and
• The reason for your cancellation or refund request.

We aim to acknowledge every request within 2 business days.

9. Refund method & timeframe

Approved refunds are made using the same method used for the original payment (for card payments, back to the original card via Paystack). Once a refund is approved, we will process it within 5–10 business days. The time it takes for the funds to reflect in your account thereafter depends on your bank or card provider.

10. Chargebacks

If you have a concern about a payment, please contact us first — most issues are resolved quickly and directly. Raising a chargeback or payment dispute before contacting us may delay resolution. We reserve the right to contest chargebacks that are made in respect of work that has been delivered in accordance with your Service Agreement.

11. Your consumer rights

This Policy does not limit any rights you may have under the South African Consumer Protection Act, 2008 and the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 2002 (ECTA). Please note that the automatic cooling-off right for online purchases under ECTA does not apply to services that have begun with your consent, or to goods and services made to your specifications — which is the case for our bespoke development work. Nothing in this Policy is intended to exclude any right that cannot be excluded by law.

12. Contact us

13. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services or legal requirements. The version published on this page at the time of your purchase is the version that applies to that purchase. Any material changes will be posted here with an updated "Last updated" date.