Payments & Refunds Policy
Last updated: June 19, 2025
This plain‑language document explains how we handle prices, deposits, invoices, taxes, cancellations, refunds and payment disputes for all products and services sold by Northern Serendib (“we”, “us”, “our”). It forms part of every quote, invoice, Statement of Work (“SOW”) or Master Services Agreement (“MSA”) we issue.
Custom software and web projects reserve capacity and involve work that cannot be resold; for that reason, deposits are non‑refundable. Please read carefully and ask questions before you approve a proposal.
This policy is governed by the laws of Ontario and applicable federal legislation (Competition Act, Bank Act, and the Consumer Protection Act, 2002).
1. Key Definitions
- Client / you - the individual or legal entity purchasing services from us.
- Project – the specific engagement described in an accepted quote or SOW.
- Deliverable – any code, design, document or asset produced for the Project.
- Business Day – Monday – Friday, excluding Ontario statutory holidays.
- Deposit – an upfront, non‑refundable payment that secures our time.
- Milestone – a scheduled checkpoint where work is delivered and invoiced.
- Force Majeure – events outside either party’s reasonable control (fire, outage, pandemic, etc.).
2. Accepted Payment Methods
| Method | Processor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) | Stripe | Billed in CAD. Due to higher interchange fees, American Express transactions may incur an additional processing surcharge (currently 3%). |
| PayPal | PayPal Canada | CAD only; client absorbs any PayPal currency‑conversion fees. |
We do not currently accept cash, cheques, Interac e‑Transfer or crypto payments. All transactions are encrypted end‑to‑end. We never store your full card data on our servers.
3. Currency & Taxes
- All prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD).
- We collect and remit HST (13%) for Ontario clients or GST/HST per federal place‑of‑supply rules for other provinces/territories.
- Our CRA Business Number is 79911-2230. Tax will be itemised on every invoice.
4. Pricing & Quotes
- Written quotes remain valid for 30 calendar days.
- A quote becomes binding only after (a) both parties sign the SOW/MSA and (b) the required Deposit is paid.
- Hourly, fixed‑fee and value‑based pricing are all possible; the quote specifies which applies.
- Change orders or new scope are quoted and invoiced separately.
5. Deposits & Milestone Payments
For typical package projects the schedule is:
| Package | Non-refundable Deposit | Remaining Milestones & Due Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Starter Presence | 50% on signing | 50% on final hand‑off – Net 7 days |
| Business Booster | 40 % on signing | 30% at mid‑build, 30 % on launch – Net 10 days |
| E‑Commerce Pro | 30 % on signing | 20 % on approved design, 30 % on MVP, 20 % on go‑live – Net 15 days |
- Add‑on and maintenance services are invoiced either at time of order (one‑off) or monthly/annual in advance (recurring).
- Deposits are non‑refundable because we schedule resources, purchase licences and begin planning immediately.
6. Invoicing & Payment Terms
- Invoices are emailed as PDF from billing@northernserendib.ca.
- Standard term is Net 7 days (unless otherwise shown above).
- Late fees accrue at 1.5 % per month (18 % per annum) starting the day after the due date.
- A $45 administrative fee applies to any chargeback or reversed PayPal payment that is resolved in our favour.
- We may suspend hosting, domains or repository access if an invoice remains unpaid 15 days past due.
7. Cancellations & Postponements
Your cancellation
| Timing | What happens |
|---|---|
| Before project kick‑off | Deposit forfeited. Any pre‑approved third‑party costs already incurred are payable. |
| After kick‑off / mid‑project | Deposit forfeited plus payment for all work completed to date (time‑and‑materials). |
Our cancellation
If we must cancel for reasons other than your breach, we will refund any unearned fees on a pro‑rata basis.
Postponement
If you pause a project for 30 days or more without mutual agreement, a restart fee (10% of project price) may apply to reschedule resources.
8. Refund Policy
Because our products are custom digital goods:
- No refunds once a milestone or final deliverable is approved or deemed accepted.
- A deliverable is deemed accepted if you do not report material defects within 5 business days of delivery.
- If a defect is reported in time, we will attempt to remediate at no extra cost.
- A partial refund may be offered only if we are unable to remedy a documented defect that materially fails to meet the approved specifications.
- Approved refunds are returned to the original payment method within 10 business days.
Under the Ontario Consumer Protection Act you may rescind a remote agreement within 7 days if key disclosures were missing our engagement letters are designed to meet those disclosure requirements.
9. Chargebacks & Disputes
Before initiating a chargeback, you agree to:
- Notify us in writing and allow 10 business days to resolve the issue.
- Participate in good‑faith mediation if required.
If a chargeback is filed without following the above steps, we may:
- Suspend all services (including hosting and support).
- Invoice you for any investigation fees imposed by Stripe or PayPal if the dispute is resolved in our favour.
10. Ownership & Non‑Payment Remedies
- We retain full ownership of all Deliverables (including intellectual‑property rights) until your account is paid in full.
- After 15 days past due we may disable deployed code, take websites offline or withhold transfer of DNS records.
- We reserve the right to pursue collection, including small‑claims court, for unpaid balances.
11. Force Majeure
Neither party is liable for delay or failure to perform caused by circumstances beyond reasonable control (e.g., natural disaster, war, internet backbone outage, pandemic). Milestone dates will shift accordingly. If the Project becomes impossible to complete, either party may terminate; we will invoice only for work already delivered.
12. Policy Updates
We may update this document occasionally. Material changes will be posted on our website and emailed to active clients 30 days before they take effect. Each version carries its own effective date.
19. Contact
Northern Serendib.
1012-200 Rideau Terrace
Ottawa ON K1M 0Z3
Canada