Refunds, kept fair and simple
How refunds work for monthly packages, websites and hosting. Last updated: 29 September 2026.
The short version
- Changed your mind within 5 business days of signing up and paying? Full refund, no reason needed. We only start work after those 5 days.
- Monthly services are paid in advance. Once a month has started, that month isn’t refunded.
- Website deposits: a full refund if you cancel before we start designing; after that, we keep only a fair charge for the work done.
- If we don’t deliver what you paid for, we’ll fix it or refund you fairly.
- Your rights under South African law, including cooling-off rights, always apply.
1. Social media packages
- Each service month runs from your work-start date and is paid in advance, before it starts (we invoice about 7 days ahead). For your first month, work starts after your 5-business-day cooling-off period, and the month’s 30 days count from that day.
- Once a month has started, it isn’t refunded, because the planning, writing and design for that month begin straight away.
- If you cancel, your 30-day notice period is delivered and billed as normal (see our Cancellation policy).
- Posts you haven’t approved yet: posts still waiting for your OK at the end of a service month roll over into the next month, once. If they’re still waiting at the end of that month, they expire. We’re sorry we can’t refund expired posts, because the planning, writing and design were already done, but we’ll send you a friendly reminder before it happens so nothing slips through the cracks.
2. Hosting & care
Billed monthly in advance. A month that has started isn’t refunded. Cancel any time with 30 days’ notice.
3. Website builds
You pay a 50% deposit to start and the balance before your site goes live. If you change your mind:
| If you cancel… | What happens |
|---|---|
| Within 5 business days of signing up and paying your deposit (your cooling-off period; no work has started) | Full refund of your deposit, no reason needed |
| After your cooling-off period, but before we start designing (we’ll confirm the start date in writing) | Full refund of your deposit, less any third-party costs you agreed we could pay for you, such as a domain name |
| After design has started, before we’ve shared your draft site | Refund of your deposit, less a reasonable charge for the work already done. We’ll show you what was done |
| After we’ve shared your draft site | We keep the deposit. You don’t owe the balance, and the site doesn’t go live |
| After go-live | The build is complete and isn’t refunded. If something isn’t working as agreed, we’ll fix it |
4. If we get it wrong
If we don’t deliver a service we agreed to, or it isn’t done to a reasonable standard, tell us. We’ll either redo it properly or refund a fair portion of what you paid for that part, depending on how much wasn’t delivered. That’s your right under section 54 of the Consumer Protection Act.
If we stop a service ourselves, for reasons that aren’t your fault, we refund any part of a paid period we won’t deliver.
5. Cooling-off rights
Our own cooling-off period comes first, and your legal rights sit alongside it. Here they are in plain language:
- Our 5-business-day cooling-off period (for every new client): after you sign up and pay (your first month, or your website deposit), you have 5 business days to change your mind. Tell us by email or WhatsApp and you get a full refund, no reason needed. We don’t start any work (planning, design or content) during those 5 business days, and your first month’s 30 days only start when the work does.
- Buying online as an individual (ECTA section 44): if you’re an individual (not a company) and agree to our services electronically, for example by email, WhatsApp or online payment, you can cancel within 7 days of agreeing, without a reason or penalty, and get a full refund. Because we wait 5 business days (always at least 7 calendar days) after you sign up and pay before we start, this right is fully covered by our own cooling-off period.
- After we contacted you first (CPA section 16): if you signed up because of direct marketing from us, like a message we sent you first, you can cancel in writing within 5 business days of agreeing, without a reason or penalty. Our cooling-off period above gives you this in full, because no work starts in that time.
- We refund money due under any cooling-off right as soon as we can, and always within 15 business days of you telling us.
6. What isn’t refunded
- A month of service that has started (except as described in sections 4 and 5).
- Posts that expired without your approval (see section 1).
- Results that were different from what you hoped. We don’t guarantee followers, leads or sales, and we say so up front.
- Third-party costs you agreed to, such as a domain name already registered in your name.
7. How to ask for a refund
Email nearby.social.primary@gmail.com or WhatsApp +27 78 040 6698 with your name, business name and what you’d like refunded. We’ll reply within 2 working days. Approved refunds go back through Payfast to the card you paid with, or by EFT to your bank account, usually within 10 working days. Cooling-off refunds always arrive within 15 business days, and any other refund within 30 days.
If you’re unhappy, please talk to us before asking your bank to reverse a payment. It’s usually quicker for both of us.
8. Your statutory rights
This policy doesn’t take away any rights you have under the Consumer Protection Act, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, or any other law.