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Cancellation & Refund Policy

⚠️ DRAFT — FOR INTERNAL REVIEW ONLY. NOT LEGAL ADVICE. This document was generated as a starting point and MUST be reviewed, completed, and approved by a licensed attorney before it is published or relied upon. Bracketed [PLACEHOLDERS] mark information that must be supplied or decisions that must be made.

Yardly — Cancellation & Refund Policy

Operating entity: [LEGAL ENTITY NAME], a [ENTITY TYPE] ("Yardly," "we," "us," or "our") Registered address: [REGISTERED ADDRESS] Contact: [CONTACT EMAIL] Effective date: [EFFECTIVE DATE] Governing law: State of Texas, USA (see Section 13)

0. Plain-Language Summary (Non-Binding)

This summary is provided for convenience only. It is not a substitute for the full policy below, which controls in the event of any conflict.

  • Yardly is a marketplace. We connect homeowners ("Homeowners") with independent lawn-care contractors ("Providers"). Yardly does not perform lawn-care services itself.
  • Cancel for free before your Provider is on the way. If you cancel a booking before a Provider has accepted it — and, under the proposed framework, before the Provider is "en route" — you are not charged a cancellation fee.
  • Cancel late, and a fee may apply. Once a Provider has committed to and/or started traveling to your job, a cancellation fee may apply to compensate the Provider for their reserved time and travel. All fee amounts are an OPEN BUSINESS DECISION and are shown as [PLACEHOLDER] below.
  • If your Provider cancels, you get a full refund. You are not charged when a Provider cancels on you.
  • No-shows may be charged. If no one can access the property or the Homeowner is unreachable, a no-show fee may apply.
  • Refunds run back through Stripe. Yardly is the merchant of record; our payment processor, Stripe, returns funds to your original payment method. Yardly never stores your raw card details.

1. Purpose and Scope

1.1. This Cancellation & Refund Policy (the "Policy") governs the cancellation of lawn-care service bookings ("Jobs") arranged through the Yardly mobile application and related services (collectively, the "Platform"), and the issuance of any associated refunds.

1.2. This Policy applies to: (a) Homeowners — individuals who request and pay for Jobs through the Platform; and (b) Providers — independent contractors who accept and perform Jobs through the Platform.

1.3. This Policy is incorporated by reference into, and forms part of, the Yardly [TERMS OF SERVICE / HOMEOWNER TERMS] and the [PROVIDER / INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT]. Capitalized terms not defined here have the meaning given in those agreements. In the event of a conflict, the order of precedence is [SPECIFY ORDER OF PRECEDENCE].

1.4. Marketplace role. Yardly operates solely as a technology platform and marketplace that facilitates transactions between Homeowners and Providers. Providers are independent contractors and are not employees, agents, or partners of Yardly. Yardly does not itself provide lawn-care services.

2. Definitions

For purposes of this Policy:

  • "Booking" — a confirmed request by a Homeowner for a Job at a specified property and time (or "on-demand," as applicable).
  • "Job" — the lawn-care service requested through the Platform.
  • "Service Price" — the base price quoted for the Job, exclusive of tax and tip.
  • "Sales Tax" — applicable Texas state and local sales/use tax collected on the Job, where required.
  • "Tip" — an optional gratuity selected by the Homeowner, which passes through 100% to the Provider (see Section 8).
  • "Total Charge" — Service Price + Sales Tax + any Tip + [ANY PLATFORM/SERVICE FEE — CONFIRM WHETHER A SEPARATE HOMEOWNER-FACING FEE EXISTS].
  • "Accepted" — the point at which a Provider affirmatively accepts a Booking through the Platform.
  • "En Route" — the point at which an Accepted Provider begins traveling to the property, as indicated [DEFINE TRIGGER: e.g., Provider taps "Start/En Route" in app, or live geolocation indicates departure from prior location]. This trigger definition is an OPEN DECISION (see Section 14).
  • "In Progress" — the point at which the Provider has arrived at the property and/or begun performing the Job.
  • "Completed" — the point at which the Provider marks the Job complete through the Platform.
  • "Processing Costs" — non-recoverable third-party payment-processing costs charged by Stripe on the original transaction (see Section 9).
  • "Stripe" — Stripe, Inc., the third-party payment processor and merchant-services provider that processes Homeowner payments and returns refunds. Yardly is the merchant of record; Stripe handles card data and PCI-DSS compliance.

3. Booking Lifecycle and Cancellation Triggers

The cancellation consequences in this Policy depend on when a cancellation occurs relative to the Job lifecycle. The proposed lifecycle stages are:

Stage Description Homeowner cancel consequence (PROPOSED) Provider cancel consequence (PROPOSED)
1. Requested / Pending Booking submitted; no Provider has Accepted Free cancellation; full refund / no charge N/A
2. Accepted (not yet En Route) A Provider has Accepted but has not departed [DECISION: free, or partial fee?] — see Section 4 Full refund to Homeowner; possible Provider penalty (Section 6)
3. En Route Provider is traveling to the property Cancellation Fee applies (Section 4) Full refund to Homeowner; possible Provider penalty (Section 6)
4. In Progress Provider has arrived / started work [DECISION: full charge, partial charge, or pro-rated?] Pro-rated / full refund per Section 6
5. Completed Job marked complete Refunds handled as service-quality disputes (Section 7) N/A

OPEN DECISION: The exact boundary at which a Homeowner cancellation fee first attaches — after Accept, or only after En Route — is an open business/legal decision. The recommended framework (Section 4) sets the boundary at En Route, giving Homeowners a free window after Accept up until the Provider departs. Confirm with operations and accounting.

4. Homeowner Cancellations

4.1. Free Cancellation Window (Recommended Framework — PROPOSAL)

A Homeowner may cancel a Booking free of charge if cancellation occurs before the assigned Provider is En Route (Stages 1–2 above). In that case: (a) no Cancellation Fee is charged; and (b) any pre-authorization or charge is voided or fully refunded through Stripe (Section 9).

OPEN DECISION: Whether the free window ends at En Route (recommended) or earlier at Accept. Some marketplaces begin charging at Accept; the recommended approach favors Homeowner goodwill and ends the free window at En Route.

4.2. Late Cancellation Fee (Recommended Framework — PROPOSAL)

If a Homeowner cancels after the Provider is En Route (and before the Job is In Progress), a Cancellation Fee applies:

  • Cancellation Fee amount: $[PLACEHOLDER — OPEN BUSINESS DECISION] (or [PLACEHOLDER]% of the Service Price, whichever model is selected).
  • Allocation (PROPOSED): The Cancellation Fee is paid to the Provider to compensate for reserved time and travel, less Processing Costs and less any platform retention (see below).
    • Provider share: $[PLACEHOLDER] or [PLACEHOLDER]% of the Cancellation Fee.
    • Yardly platform share / retention: $[PLACEHOLDER] or [PLACEHOLDER]% — OPEN DECISION: confirm whether Yardly retains any portion of the Cancellation Fee or passes it through net of Processing Costs only.
    • Processing Costs are non-refundable and deducted first (Section 9).

4.3. Cancellation After Work Begins (In Progress)

If a Homeowner cancels or terminates a Job after it is In Progress:

  • OPEN DECISION: treatment options include (a) full Service Price charged; (b) pro-rated charge for work performed plus a [PLACEHOLDER] fee; or (c) [OTHER]. Select one and define the measurement method (time-based, area-based, Provider attestation, photo evidence). Use [PLACEHOLDER] for all amounts.

4.4. How to Cancel

Homeowners cancel through the Platform via [DESCRIBE IN-APP CANCELLATION PATH]. The cancellation time of record is the timestamp captured by the Platform. [CONFIRM whether off-app cancellations (e.g., via support) are honored and how their time of record is determined.]

4.5. Repeated / Abusive Cancellations

Yardly reserves the right to limit, suspend, or terminate accounts that engage in a pattern of late cancellations or abuse, consistent with the [TERMS OF SERVICE]. [DEFINE THRESHOLD: e.g., number of late cancellations within [PLACEHOLDER] days.]

5. Provider Cancellations

5.1. A Provider may cancel an Accepted Booking through the Platform before the Job is Completed; however, Providers are expected to honor Accepted Bookings.

5.2. Homeowner is made whole. When a Provider cancels, the Homeowner receives a full refund of the Total Charge (or has any pre-authorization released), with no Cancellation Fee charged to the Homeowner, processed through Stripe (Section 9). Where feasible, Yardly will offer to re-match the Homeowner with another Provider.

5.3. No fee passed to Homeowner. Under no circumstances does a Provider's cancellation result in a Cancellation Fee or no-show fee being charged to the Homeowner.

6. Provider Penalties and Reliability (PROPOSAL — OPEN)

6.1. To protect Homeowner experience, Yardly may apply consequences to Providers who cancel Accepted Bookings late or fail to appear, which may include: (a) a reliability/acceptance-rate impact in the matching algorithm; (b) a Provider-side cancellation penalty or fee of $[PLACEHOLDER] or [PLACEHOLDER]% [OPEN DECISION — confirm legality and structure for 1099 independent contractors; penalties on contractors can implicate worker-classification analysis — attorney review required]; and/or (c) temporary or permanent suspension for repeated late cancellations or no-shows above [PLACEHOLDER] occurrences within [PLACEHOLDER] days.

6.2. OPEN DECISION: Whether and how any Provider penalty is collected. Because ACH payout to Providers is planned but not yet implemented, the mechanism for assessing or offsetting Provider penalties is forthcoming and must be defined alongside the payout system. [SPECIFY ONCE PAYOUT EXISTS.]

7. Refunds for Service Quality / Disputes

7.1. This Policy primarily governs cancellations. Refunds arising from Job quality complaints (e.g., incomplete or substandard work) after a Job is Completed are governed by [SERVICE QUALITY / SATISFACTION POLICY REFERENCE — TO BE DRAFTED] and/or this Section as a fallback.

7.2. A Homeowner may report a quality issue within [PLACEHOLDER] hours/days of Job completion via [SUPPORT CHANNEL]. Yardly may, in its discretion and acting as marketplace facilitator, [DESCRIBE REMEDIES: e.g., facilitate a re-do, partial refund, or full refund]. Before/after yard photos captured through the Platform may be used as evidence in resolving disputes.

7.3. OPEN DECISION: the dispute-resolution window, evidence standards, who funds quality refunds (Provider, Yardly, or shared), and any chargeback-handling procedures with Stripe.

8. Tips

8.1. Tips are optional and, where charged, pass through 100% to the Provider.

8.2. If a Booking is canceled before the Job is performed, any Tip is fully refunded to the Homeowner (or never captured), regardless of whether a Cancellation Fee applies. A Tip is never paid to a Provider for a Job that was not performed. [CONFIRM treatment of Tips where a Job is partially performed before cancellation.]

9. How Refunds Are Processed (Stripe)

9.1. Merchant of record. Yardly is the merchant of record for Homeowner transactions. Payments — Service Price + Sales Tax + optional Tip — are processed by Stripe, Yardly's third-party payment processor.

9.2. Tokenization. Yardly stores only tokenized payment-method references. Yardly does not store or have access to raw card numbers; Stripe maintains PCI-DSS compliance for cardholder data.

9.3. Refund mechanism. Approved refunds and voided pre-authorizations are returned by Stripe to the Homeowner's original payment method. Yardly does not issue cash refunds.

9.4. Timing. Refunds are typically initiated within [PLACEHOLDER] business days of approval. Actual posting time depends on the Homeowner's card issuer or bank and is outside Yardly's and Stripe's control. [CONFIRM ACTUAL SLA WITH STRIPE.]

9.5. Processing Costs. Third-party payment-processing costs incurred on the original transaction may be non-recoverable. OPEN DECISION: whether, and in what circumstances, Processing Costs are (a) absorbed by Yardly, (b) deducted from a Cancellation Fee before remitting the Provider's share, or (c) deducted from a Homeowner's refund. No amounts are stated here — see [PLACEHOLDER] in Section 4.

9.6. Pre-authorizations. [CONFIRM whether Yardly/Stripe pre-authorize the Total Charge at Booking and capture at completion, or charge at Booking. The refund vs. void mechanics differ and should be described accurately once confirmed.]

10. Sales Tax on Cancellations

10.1. Where a Job is canceled and the Service Price is refunded, any Sales Tax collected on that refunded amount is also refunded.

10.2. OPEN DECISION / TAX INPUT REQUIRED: the sales-tax treatment of a Cancellation Fee or no-show fee (i.e., whether such fees are themselves taxable under Texas law) must be confirmed with a tax advisor. Do not represent fees as tax-inclusive or tax-exempt until confirmed.

11. No-Show Fee (PROPOSAL — OPEN)

11.1. A No-Show Fee may apply when a Provider arrives at the property at the scheduled/On-demand time but is unable to perform the Job because: (a) the property is inaccessible (e.g., locked gate, blocked access); or (b) the Homeowner is unreachable and the Job cannot proceed; or (c) [OTHER QUALIFYING CONDITIONS].

11.2. No-Show Fee amount: $[PLACEHOLDER — OPEN BUSINESS DECISION] (or [PLACEHOLDER]% of Service Price).

11.3. Allocation (PROPOSED): paid to the Provider for the wasted trip, less Processing Costs and any platform retention (mirroring Section 4.2). All amounts [PLACEHOLDER].

11.4. Verification. A No-Show Fee should require Provider verification — e.g., geolocation confirming arrival and/or a timestamped photo through the Platform. OPEN DECISION: define the evidence standard and any Homeowner dispute path before a No-Show Fee is charged.

12. Force Majeure, Weather, and Safety Cancellations

12.1. Cancellations caused by circumstances beyond reasonable control — including severe weather, natural disaster, unsafe site conditions, or other events of force majeure — should be treated as no-fault.

12.2. PROPOSED no-fault treatment: no Cancellation Fee or No-Show Fee is charged to either party, and any captured Total Charge is fully refunded through Stripe.

12.3. OPEN DECISION: define who may invoke a weather/safety cancellation, evidence/standards, and any rescheduling preference. Houston's climate (heat, storms, flooding) makes a clear weather-cancellation rule operationally important.

13. Governing Law and Disputes

13.1. This Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles.

13.2. Venue for any dispute shall lie in [VENUE/COUNTY], Texas, subject to any binding arbitration or dispute-resolution provisions in the [TERMS OF SERVICE] / [PROVIDER AGREEMENT]. [CONFIRM whether an arbitration clause and/or class-action waiver applies; if so, cross-reference rather than restate.]

14. Changes to This Policy

14.1. Yardly may update this Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via [NOTICE METHOD — e.g., in-app notice and/or email] and take effect on the stated effective date. Continued use of the Platform after changes take effect constitutes acceptance, to the extent permitted by law.

15. Contact

Questions about this Policy or a specific cancellation/refund may be directed to: [LEGAL ENTITY NAME] — [CONTACT EMAIL] — [SUPPORT PHONE / IN-APP SUPPORT PATH] — [REGISTERED ADDRESS]

16. Open Items Requiring Decision / Attorney Input

Company / entity details (placeholders):

  • [LEGAL ENTITY NAME], [ENTITY TYPE], [REGISTERED ADDRESS], [CONTACT EMAIL], [EFFECTIVE DATE]
  • [SUPPORT PHONE / IN-APP SUPPORT PATH]
  • Stripe, Inc.
  • [VENUE/COUNTY], Texas

Cross-referenced documents:

  • [TERMS OF SERVICE / HOMEOWNER TERMS] and [PROVIDER / INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT] — incorporation and [ORDER OF PRECEDENCE]
  • [SERVICE QUALITY / SATISFACTION POLICY] — to be drafted (Section 7)
  • Confirm whether an arbitration clause / class-action waiver applies (Section 13)

Fee amounts — ALL OPEN BUSINESS DECISIONS (pending accounting/legal sign-off):

  • Late Cancellation Fee amount/percentage — $[PLACEHOLDER] / [PLACEHOLDER]% (Section 4.2)
  • Cancellation Fee allocation: Provider share vs. Yardly retention vs. Processing Costs (Section 4.2)
  • In-Progress cancellation charge model: full / pro-rated / other (Section 4.3)
  • No-Show Fee amount/percentage and allocation — $[PLACEHOLDER] / [PLACEHOLDER]% (Section 11)
  • Provider penalty amount/structure for late cancel / no-show — $[PLACEHOLDER] / [PLACEHOLDER]% (Section 6)
  • Whether a separate Homeowner-facing platform/service fee exists (Section 2, Total Charge)

Policy boundary decisions:

  • Whether the Homeowner free-cancellation window ends at Accept or at En Route (recommended: En Route) (Sections 3, 4.1)
  • Precise definition of the En Route trigger (in-app tap vs. geolocation) (Section 2)
  • Repeated/abusive cancellation threshold — [PLACEHOLDER] count within [PLACEHOLDER] days (Section 4.5)
  • Whether off-app cancellations are honored and their time of record (Section 4.4)

Provider economics / classification (1099 contractors):

  • Legality and structure of Provider cancellation/no-show penalties for independent contractors — worker-classification risk; attorney review required (Section 6)
  • Penalty collection/offset mechanism — depends on forthcoming ACH payout system (Section 6.2)

Payments / refunds (Stripe):

  • Refund initiation SLA — [PLACEHOLDER] business days (Section 9.4)
  • Pre-authorize-and-capture vs. charge-at-booking model (Section 9.6)
  • Treatment of non-recoverable Processing Costs: absorbed by Yardly vs. deducted from fee vs. deducted from refund (Section 9.5)
  • Chargeback-handling procedure with Stripe (Section 7.3)

Tips:

  • Tip treatment where a Job is partially performed before cancellation (Section 8.2)

Tax:

  • Taxability of Cancellation Fees and No-Show Fees under Texas law — tax advisor input required (Section 10.2)

Service-quality refunds:

  • Dispute window [PLACEHOLDER] hours/days, evidence standard, and who funds quality refunds (Provider / Yardly / shared) (Section 7)

Force majeure / weather:

  • Who may invoke a weather/safety cancellation, evidence standard, and rescheduling preference (Section 12.3)

Notices:

  • Notice method for Policy changes — in-app and/or email (Section 14.1)