Refund Policy

1. Introduction

This Refund Policy explains how PalmHost handles refunds, cancellations and credits for services purchased from PalmHost.

PalmHost provides digital and professional services, including web hosting, business email, domain registration and transfer, website design and development, website support and maintenance, and related website services.

Our services differ from physical goods because many services involve the allocation of server resources, domain registrations, professional time, technical work or third-party costs. For this reason, payment for a service does not automatically create a right to a refund if the customer later decides that they no longer require the service.

This policy should be read together with the PalmHost Terms & Conditions and any quotation, service agreement or other terms that apply to a specific service.

Nothing in this policy limits any consumer right, cancellation right, remedy or other protection that cannot lawfully be excluded.

2. General Refund Position

Unless this policy, the applicable service agreement or South African law provides otherwise, PalmHost does not provide refunds for services that have been paid for and supplied, commenced or provisioned.

Where a service is purchased for a specific billing period, the payment covers that billing period. Cancelling the service stops future renewals but does not normally entitle the customer to a refund for unused time remaining in the current paid period.

For example, if a customer cancels a monthly hosting or business email service part-way through a paid month, the service remains available until the end of the applicable paid period, subject to the Terms & Conditions. The unused portion of that period is not refunded.

The same principle applies where a service has been purchased for a longer prepaid period.

3. Web Hosting

Web hosting fees are paid for the applicable hosting period.

If a customer cancels their hosting service:

• the cancellation will prevent future renewal where applicable;
• the current paid hosting period remains payable and is not refunded on a pro-rata basis;
• unused days or resources in the current paid period do not create a cash refund or automatic account credit; and
• suspension or termination resulting from non-payment does not create a right to a refund or credit for the affected period.

Where hosting is suspended or terminated in accordance with the PalmHost Terms & Conditions, the customer's obligations concerning outstanding amounts remain unaffected.

4. Business Email

Business Email fees are paid for the applicable mailbox and billing period.

Once a Business Email service has been provisioned, payment is treated as payment for that service for the applicable period.

If a customer cancels a Business Email service:

• the cancellation will prevent future renewal where applicable;
• the current paid period remains payable;
• unused time in the current period is not refunded on a pro-rata basis; and
• cancelling or removing a mailbox does not create an automatic cash refund or account credit.

5. Domain Registration, Transfer and Renewal

Domain registrations, transfers and renewals involve third-party registries, registrars and registration processes.

Once a domain registration, transfer or renewal has been submitted and processed, the associated fee is generally non-refundable.

A customer therefore cannot normally request a refund because they subsequently:

• change their mind about the domain;
• no longer require the domain;
• choose a different domain;
• decide not to use the domain; or
• cancel another service associated with the domain.

Where PalmHost is unable to complete a domain transaction because of an error attributable to PalmHost, the matter will be investigated and any appropriate remedy will be determined based on the circumstances and applicable law.

Domain-related fees that have already been paid to a third party or incurred in connection with a transaction are not automatically refundable.

6. Website Design and Development

Website design and development involve professional time, planning, design, development, communication, revisions and other work performed specifically for the customer.

Once work has commenced, PalmHost may already have incurred substantial professional time and costs. A customer cancelling a project after work has started is therefore not automatically entitled to a refund.

The commercial terms for a particular website project, including:

• deposits;
• payment milestones;
• project commencement;
• design and development work;
• revisions;
• deliverables;
• third-party costs;
• cancellation; and
• ownership or transfer of completed work

may be specified in the individual quotation, proposal or service agreement.

Where work has already been performed, PalmHost is entitled to retain payment for work properly performed and costs already incurred, subject to any rights that apply under South African law.

A customer cannot require PalmHost to refund professional work simply because they later decide not to proceed with the project.

7. Website Support, Maintenance and Other Professional Services

Fees for support, maintenance, technical work, consultations and other professional services relate to work performed or time allocated by PalmHost.

Once such work has commenced or been completed, the associated fee is generally non-refundable.

Where a service is purchased for a defined service period, cancelling the service does not create an automatic pro-rata refund for unused time.

Any specific cancellation or payment terms stated in a quotation or service agreement will apply where they differ from this general policy.

8. Third-Party Services and Costs

Some PalmHost services may involve third-party services, registrations, licences, software, infrastructure or other costs.

Where PalmHost has already incurred a third-party cost on behalf of a customer, that cost is not automatically refundable if the customer subsequently cancels the service.

Third-party terms may also determine whether a particular cost can be recovered.

9. No Automatic Pro-Rata Refunds

PalmHost does not provide automatic pro-rata refunds when a customer cancels a paid service before the end of its current billing or service period.

This applies to unused time remaining on services such as:

• web hosting;
• business email; and
• other recurring services where payment has already been made for the applicable period.

Cancellation normally affects future billing rather than reversing payment already made for the current service period.

10. Downgrades and Changes to Services

Changing or downgrading a service does not automatically create a refund for the unused portion of the current paid period.

Unless otherwise agreed, a change to a recurring service will normally take effect at the next applicable renewal or billing period.

Any difference in pricing for a future period will be reflected in future billing.

11. Refunds Required by Law

PalmHost reserves the right to apply its normal non-refund policy while complying with any refund, cancellation or other remedy that is required by applicable law.

For example, South African consumer legislation provides certain cancellation and cooling-off rights in circumstances such as qualifying direct-marketing transactions. Nothing in this policy is intended to exclude or restrict a statutory right that applies to a customer.

Where a customer believes that a statutory refund, cancellation or other remedy applies, they should contact PalmHost and provide the relevant details so that the matter can be assessed.

12. Service Problems and Complaints

A service problem does not automatically result in a refund.

If a customer experiences a problem with a PalmHost service, the customer should first contact PalmHost through the available support channels so that the issue can be investigated and, where appropriate, resolved.

Where applicable law provides a specific remedy for a failure to supply a service as agreed or for a materially defective service, PalmHost will comply with that legal requirement.

13. Refund Requests

Where a refund may be available under this policy, an applicable service agreement or law, the customer should submit a refund request through the PalmHost client portal or support channel.

The request should include, where available:

• the customer's name;
• the relevant invoice or order number;
• the service concerned;
• the reason for the request; and
• any information or documentation relevant to the request.

PalmHost may request additional information before determining whether a refund is applicable.

Submitting a refund request does not guarantee that a refund will be approved.

14. Approved Refunds

Where PalmHost approves a refund, the refund will normally be processed within 14 working days after approval, subject to the payment method and any information required to process the refund.

PalmHost may request verified payment or banking information where necessary to process an approved refund securely.

Where a refund is required by law, the applicable statutory timeframe will take precedence over the timeframe stated in this section.

15. Account Credits

PalmHost does not provide automatic account credits in place of refunds unless specifically agreed or required by applicable law.

Where PalmHost offers a credit as a goodwill measure, the amount and terms of that credit will be confirmed to the customer.

16. Cancellation Does Not Erase Amounts Already Due

Cancelling a service does not remove any amounts that became due before the cancellation.

Outstanding invoices, completed professional work, domain-related charges and other amounts properly incurred before cancellation remain payable in accordance with the PalmHost Terms & Conditions and any applicable service agreement.

17. Governing Law

This Refund Policy is governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa.

Nothing in this policy limits any mandatory rights or remedies available to consumers under applicable South African law.

18. Changes to This Policy

PalmHost may update this Refund Policy from time to time to reflect changes to its services, business practices or legal requirements.

The latest version published on the PalmHost website will apply to transactions entered into after the updated policy takes effect, subject to any contractual or statutory requirements that apply.

19. Contact

For questions about this Refund Policy or a specific refund request, customers should contact PalmHost through the available support channels or customer portal.