Refund Policy

1. Scope & Applicability

1.1. This Refund Policy applies to all paid subscriptions and purchases made through the VehicleCare platform, including the Pro monthly subscription plan.

1.2. This policy is issued in compliance with the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 ("CPA"), the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 ("ECTA"), and applicable South African common law.

1.3. In the event of any conflict between this policy and the CPA, the CPA shall prevail to the extent of the inconsistency.

2. Cooling-Off Period (CPA Section 44)

2.1. As a South African consumer, you are entitled to a cooling-off period of 7 (seven) business days from the date of your first Pro subscription purchase.

2.2. During this cooling-off period, you may cancel your subscription for any reason and receive a full refund of all amounts paid, provided you have not materially used the premium features (defined as adding more than 2 vehicles, exporting data, or accessing advanced checklists).

2.3. To exercise your cooling-off right, email info@vehiclecare.co.za with the subject "Cooling-Off Cancellation" within 7 business days of purchase. Include your registered email address and date of purchase.

2.4. Cooling-off refunds are processed within 14 business days to the original payment method. Google Play processing times may add 3–5 additional business days depending on your bank.

3. Cancellation Policy

3.1. You may cancel your Pro subscription at any time through:

• Your account settings page (Settings → Subscription → Cancel)
• Emailing info@vehiclecare.co.za from your registered email address
• Submitting a cancellation request through our support chat

3.2. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing cycle. You will continue to have access to Pro features until the cycle ends.

3.3. Upon cancellation, your account will be downgraded to the Free plan. You will retain access to:

• 1 vehicle and its basic data
• 3 most recent service records
• 2 document types
• 3 wear items

3.4. Data exceeding Free plan limits will be archived for 90 days. You may upgrade to Pro within this period to restore full access. After 90 days, excess data may be permanently deleted.

4. Refund Eligibility

4.1. Outside the cooling-off period, refunds are granted only in the following circumstances:

4.2. Technical Service Failure

If the Services are materially unavailable or defective for more than 48 consecutive hours due to our infrastructure failure (not your device, internet connection, or third-party payment issues), you may request:

• A pro-rata credit for the affected period, or
• A full refund of the most recent monthly charge if the failure exceeds 7 consecutive days

Technical failure claims must be submitted within 14 days of the incident and include screenshots or error messages where possible.

4.3. Duplicate or Erroneous Charges

If you are charged twice for the same billing period, or charged an incorrect amount, we will refund the duplicate or excess amount within 7 business days of verification.

4.4. Material Breach by VehicleCare

If we materially breach these Terms (e.g., unauthorised disclosure of your personal information, permanent loss of your data due to our negligence), you may be entitled to a refund of fees paid in the 3 months preceding the breach.

4.5. Non-Refundable Circumstances

Refunds will not be granted for:

• Change of mind after the cooling-off period
• Failure to use the Services during the subscription period
• Dissatisfaction with features that are clearly described in our marketing materials
• Issues caused by your device, operating system, or internet connectivity
• Violation of our Terms of Service resulting in account suspension
• Promotional or discounted subscriptions (unless defective)

5. Refund Process

5.1. To request a refund, email info@vehiclecare.co.za with:

• Subject line: "Refund Request — [Your Email Address]"
• Registered email address associated with your VehicleCare account
• Date of the charge you are disputing
• Amount charged (in ZAR)
• Reason for refund request
• Supporting documentation (screenshots, error messages, etc.)

5.2. We will acknowledge receipt within 2 business days and provide a decision within 14 business days.

5.3. Approved refunds are processed to the original payment method (credit card, debit card, or Google Play Balance) used for the purchase.

5.4. Refund processing times:

• Google Play to credit/debit card: 3–10 business days (dependent on your bank)
• Google Play to bank account: 1–3 business days
• Google Play Balance: Instant

6. Pro-Rata & Partial Refunds

6.1. VehicleCare operates on a monthly subscription model. We do not provide pro-rata or partial refunds for unused days within a billing cycle.

6.2. Example: If you cancel on the 15th day of a 30-day billing cycle, you retain Pro access until day 30, but no refund is issued for the remaining 15 days.

6.3. The only exception is for technical service failures exceeding 7 consecutive days (Section 4.2), where a pro-rata refund may be granted at our discretion.

7. Chargebacks & Payment Disputes

7.1. If you initiate a chargeback with your bank or card issuer without first contacting us, we reserve the right to suspend your account pending resolution.

7.2. We strongly encourage you to contact info@vehiclecare.co.za before initiating a chargeback. Most issues can be resolved directly within 48 hours.

7.3. Fraudulent chargebacks (where the service was legitimately provided and no defect existed) may result in permanent account termination and referral to debt collection.

8. Promotional & Discounted Subscriptions

8.1. Promotional pricing (e.g., "R39/mo — limited time") is offered for the initial promotional period only. After the promotional period ends, the standard rate (currently R89/month) applies.

8.2. Refunds for promotional subscriptions follow the same policy as standard subscriptions, except that the cooling-off refund amount will be the promotional price actually paid, not the standard price.

8.3. Free trial periods (if offered) convert to paid subscriptions automatically unless cancelled before the trial ends. No charges are incurred during the trial period, so no refunds apply.

9. Currency & Tax

9.1. All prices and refunds are denominated in South African Rand (ZAR).

9.2. Prices include Value Added Tax (VAT) at the applicable standard rate (currently 15%). Refunds include the VAT component.

9.3. If you are a VAT-registered business, you may request a tax invoice for your subscription payments by emailing info@vehiclecare.co.za.

10. Changes to This Refund Policy

10.1. We may update this Refund Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date.

10.2. Material changes affecting your refund rights will be communicated via email at least 14 days before taking effect.

10.3. The version of this policy in effect at the time of your purchase governs your refund rights for that purchase.

11. Contact Information

For refund requests, billing inquiries, or disputes: