Terms & Conditions

2. Who can use BetweenBells

• You must be 18 or older to use BetweenBells.
• Providers must be a New Zealand resident or a New Zealand-based entity.
• Customers can be anyone aged 18 or over with a valid payment method.
• BetweenBells may refuse or terminate any account at its discretion.

3. Provider obligations

If you use BetweenBells to offer a service, you agree that:

• Your profile information is accurate and kept up to date.
• You hold any licences, registrations, or certifications required by New Zealand law for the services you offer (for example, building, electrical, and plumbing trades).
• You carry appropriate insurance for your work. BetweenBells does not provide insurance.
• You agree to Stripe's Connected Account Agreement when you link your bank account for payouts.
• You do not offer any service listed in Section 9 (Prohibited uses).
• You are responsible for your own GST registration and for meeting your Inland Revenue obligations on income earned through the platform.

4. Customer obligations

If you use BetweenBells to book a service, you agree that:

• The information you provide in a booking request is accurate.
• You will use the BetweenBells internal dispute process (Section 7) before initiating a chargeback with your card issuer.
• You will pay the amount confirmed when the provider accepts your booking, using the payment link provided.

5. Payments

Payments on BetweenBells are processed by Stripe. By using BetweenBells, you also agree to Stripe's Terms of Service.

When a provider accepts a booking, they set the price for the job. The customer is then sent a payment link showing the full price breakdown: the quoted job amount, a 10% BetweenBells platform fee, and the total to be charged.

The platform fee is 10% of the quoted job price and is charged to the customer in addition to the quoted amount. The provider receives exactly what they quoted.

Paying the payment link authorises a hold on the customer's card for the total amount. The hold is not captured until the provider marks the job complete.

If no dispute is raised within 24 hours of the provider marking the job complete, payment is released to the provider automatically.

The platform fee is non-refundable except at BetweenBells' sole discretion.

BetweenBells holds funds briefly during this window as a payment intermediary. This is not a trust account.

6. Cancellations

• Either party may cancel a booking before the customer has authorised payment. No charge applies.
• Once payment has been authorised, any cancellation is treated as a dispute under Section 7.
• BetweenBells may cancel a booking at its discretion if it suspects fraud or a policy violation.

7. Disputes

If a customer is not satisfied with a job after it has been marked complete, they must raise a dispute within 24 hours by emailing hello@betweenbells.co.nz with a description of the issue.

BetweenBells will contact both parties and aim to provide a decision within 2 business days.

A dispute has three possible outcomes:

• A full refund to the customer.
• A partial refund to the customer.
• Full release of funds to the provider.

The platform fee is non-refundable except at BetweenBells' sole discretion.

BetweenBells' decision on disputes is final.

Customers agree to exhaust this process before initiating a chargeback with their bank. Initiating a chargeback without first raising a dispute under this section is a breach of these terms.

BetweenBells is not liable for disputes about the quality of work. The service contract is between the provider and the customer.

8. Limitation of liability

BetweenBells is a marketplace platform, not a service provider. BetweenBells is not liable for the quality, safety, or legality of any service performed by a provider.

BetweenBells' total liability to any party is limited to the platform fees paid in connection with the relevant booking.

Nothing in these terms limits liability for fraud, wilful misconduct, or any liability that cannot be excluded under New Zealand law.

The Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 applies to BetweenBells' platform services (that is, the marketplace itself). It does not impose obligations on BetweenBells for the services performed by providers. Those obligations sit with the provider as the supplier of that service.

The Fair Trading Act 1986 applies. BetweenBells will not make misleading representations.

9. Prohibited uses

You may not use BetweenBells to:

• Offer any illegal service.
• Offer a service that requires a licence you do not hold.
• Misrepresent your identity, qualifications, or experience.
• Harass, discriminate against, or threaten any other user.
• Take a transaction off-platform to avoid fees after contact has been made through BetweenBells.
• Create fake or duplicate accounts.

10. Intellectual property

BetweenBells owns its platform, brand, and content. Providers own their profile content and photos.

By uploading content to BetweenBells, providers grant BetweenBells a non-exclusive licence to display that content on the platform.

11. Changes to these terms

BetweenBells may update these terms from time to time. Material changes will be notified via email to the address on file. Continued use of the platform after notice is given constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

12. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of New Zealand. Any dispute about these terms will be resolved in the New Zealand courts.