Refund Policy

At Vernac, we want both Travellers and Locals to have a positive experience. This Refund Policy explains when and how refunds are processed.

1. Overview

Vernac facilitates connections between Travellers and Locals. When you pay for a service through our platform, your payment is processed by Stripe and held until the service is completed or a refund is issued.

2. Refund Eligibility

2.1 Automatic Full Refunds

You are entitled to an automatic full refund in the following situations:

• Local doesn't respond: If a Local fails to respond to your booking request within 48 hours
• Local cancels: If a Local cancels the booking for any reason
• Early cancellation: If you cancel more than 24 hours before a scheduled session
• Technical failure: If our platform experiences technical issues that prevent the session from occurring

2.2 Partial Refunds

You may receive a partial refund in these situations:

2.3 No Refund Situations

Refunds are generally not provided in these situations:

• Cancellation less than 12 hours before a scheduled session
• No-show (failing to attend without cancellation)
• Dissatisfaction with subjective advice quality (unless egregiously wrong)
• Change of travel plans after service completion
• Disagreement with Local's personal opinions

3. How to Request a Refund

3.1 Automatic Refunds

For situations covered by automatic refunds (Section 2.1), the refund will be processed automatically within 24 hours. You will receive an email confirmation.

3.2 Manual Refund Requests

For all other situations, follow these steps:

1. Go to your booking in the Dashboard
2. Click "Request Refund" on the relevant booking
3. Select a reason and provide details
4. Submit your request within 48 hours of the session

Alternatively, email support@vernac.com with your booking reference and reason for the refund request.

3.3 Response Time

We aim to respond to all refund requests within:

• Standard requests: 3 business days
• Complex disputes: 7 business days

4. Quality Disputes

If you believe the advice or service you received was significantly below the standard expected, you may file a quality dispute.

4.1 Valid Quality Disputes

• Local provided demonstrably incorrect safety information
• Local was unresponsive during the session
• Local was rude, discriminatory, or unprofessional
• Local's expertise did not match their profile claims
• Session content was substantially different from what was agreed

4.2 Invalid Quality Disputes

• Difference of opinion on travel preferences
• Recommendations that didn't match your personal taste
• Advice that was correct at the time but conditions changed
• Expecting tour guide services when only advice was booked

4.3 Resolution Process

1. Submit your dispute with evidence (screenshots, messages, etc.)
2. We will contact the Local for their perspective
3. Our support team will review and make a decision
4. Both parties will be notified of the outcome

5. Refund Processing

5.1 Processing Time

Once a refund is approved:

• Refunds are initiated within 24 hours
• Funds typically appear in your account within 5-10 business days
• The exact timing depends on your bank or payment provider

5.2 Refund Method

Refunds are always returned to the original payment method:

• Credit/Debit card: Refunded to the same card
• Bank transfer: Refunded to the same account

We cannot process refunds to a different payment method.

5.3 Refund Amounts

For full refunds, the entire amount paid is refunded. For partial refunds, the amount is calculated proportionally based on the circumstances.

6. Cancellation by Locals

If a Local cancels a booking:

• You receive a full refund automatically
• The Local may receive a warning or account restriction
• Repeated cancellations may result in account suspension

7. Chargebacks

If you initiate a chargeback with your bank instead of using our refund process:

• Your account may be suspended pending investigation
• We will provide transaction evidence to your bank
• Fraudulent chargebacks may result in account termination

We encourage you to use our refund process first, as it is typically faster and more straightforward.

8. Special Circumstances

8.1 Natural Disasters and Emergencies

In cases of natural disasters, pandemics, or other extraordinary circumstances affecting travel, we may implement special refund policies. These will be communicated via email and on our website.

8.2 Account Termination

If your account is terminated for Terms of Service violations, pending refund requests will still be processed according to this policy, but future bookings will be cancelled without refund.

9. Contact Us

For refund-related questions or concerns:

• Email: support@vernac.com

Please include your booking reference number in all correspondence.

10. Related Policies

• Terms of Service
• Acceptable Use Policy