Refund & Cancellation Policy

This Refund and Cancellation Policy ("Policy") applies to all services offered by ChronoSparkSolutions, a custom software development and IT solutions company, Santhipuram, Kuppam, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh — 517425, India.

We understand that circumstances change, and we aim to be fair and transparent. However, because our services involve bespoke software engineering, creative design, and dedicated engineering time that cannot be "returned" or resold once performed, our refund policy necessarily reflects the nature of professional services.

This Policy is compliant with:

• The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (India)
• The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 (India)
• The Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 and RBI guidelines on payment refunds
• The Information Technology Act, 2000
• General international best practices for IT and software service businesses

The following payments are strictly non-refundable under all circumstances:

• Kickoff / Advance Deposit: The initial payment (typically 25–50% of the total project value) collected before development begins is non-refundable. This covers project planning, architecture design, team allocation, initial research, and resource reservation.
• Completed Milestone Payments: Payments made for milestones that have been delivered and approved (explicitly or by lapse of review period per SLA) are non-refundable.
• Consultation & Discovery Fees: Fees charged for paid discovery sessions, requirement workshops, system audits, or technical consulting are non-refundable once the session has occurred.
• Domain, Hosting & Third-Party Costs: Any amounts paid to third-party providers on your behalf (domain registration, SSL certificates, hosting setup, API subscriptions, cloud provisioning) are non-refundable as they are governed by the third party's own refund policies.
• Design Assets: Custom graphic design, UI/UX mockups, branding assets, or prototypes that have been delivered — even if not implemented — are non-refundable.
• Rush / Priority Service Fees: Premium charges for expedited delivery are non-refundable regardless of outcome.
• Subscription / Maintenance Retainers: Monthly or quarterly maintenance retainer fees, once a billing period has commenced, are non-refundable for that period.

A refund (full or partial) may be considered only under the following conditions:

• Project Not Started: If the Client cancels the project before any work has commenced and before the kickoff deposit is collected, a full refund of any erroneously collected advance may be issued.
• Material Breach by ChronoSparkSolutions: If we fail to deliver contracted services within the agreed timeline by more than 30 days (excluding delays attributable to the Client or Force Majeure), and the Client provides written notice and a 15-day remedy period that we fail to remedy, a prorated refund of undelivered milestones may be considered.
• Duplicate Payment: If a technical error results in duplicate payment being processed, the duplicate amount will be refunded in full within 5–7 business days of confirmation.
• Failed Transactions: If a payment is deducted from your account but not credited to us, we will coordinate with the payment gateway to resolve the issue within 7–10 business days. RBI guidelines mandate that failed transaction amounts be reversed within T+5 business days by banks.
• Mutual Agreement: In exceptional circumstances, a partial refund may be granted through mutual written agreement between both parties, based on a fair assessment of work completed vs. payment received.

Refunds are NOT applicable merely due to a change of mind, change in business direction, or dissatisfaction with subjective creative choices that were approved during the process.

Where a refund is determined to be appropriate, it will be calculated on a pro-rata basis considering:

• Work Completed: The percentage of agreed deliverables successfully completed and handed over at the time of refund request.
• Engineer Hours Consumed: For time-and-materials projects, the total billable hours logged up to the cancellation date at the agreed hourly rate.
• Third-Party Costs Incurred: Any costs already paid to third-party vendors on the Client's behalf are deducted from any refundable amount.
• Administrative & Project Management Costs: A reasonable administrative fee (not exceeding 10% of the refundable balance) may be deducted to cover project management and onboarding costs already expended.

The final refund amount will be communicated in writing and agreed upon by both parties before processing. Disputes regarding the refund amount may be escalated as per the dispute resolution process in our Terms & Conditions.

To initiate a project cancellation, the Client must follow this process:

1. Written Notice: Submit a written cancellation notice by email to accounts@chronosparksolutions.com with the subject line: "Project Cancellation — [Your Project Name]". Verbal or informal notifications will not be accepted as valid cancellation.
2. Notice Period: A minimum of 14 calendar days' notice is required (unless the cancellation is due to a material breach by ChronoSparkSolutions). During this period, we will continue to work and will invoice for work completed.
3. Final Settlement: Within 5 business days of the notice period ending, we will provide a final settlement statement detailing work completed, amounts due, and any refundable balance.
4. Asset Handover: Upon settlement of all outstanding dues, we will deliver all work-in-progress code, design assets, and credentials in our possession to the Client.
5. IP Transfer: Intellectual property rights transfer only upon full payment of all outstanding amounts.

To request a refund where eligible, follow these steps:

1. Submit a Written Refund Request: Email accounts@chronosparksolutions.com with subject: "Refund Request — [Invoice Number / Project Name]". Include your full name, company, contact number, reason for refund request, and supporting documentation (e.g., payment receipts, communication records).
2. Review & Acknowledgement: We will acknowledge your request within 3 business days and may request additional information or a mutual discussion call.
3. Assessment: Our team will assess the request against this Policy and applicable agreements within 10 business days of receiving all required information.
4. Decision Communication: You will receive a written decision (approved / partially approved / declined) with a clear explanation.
5. Processing (if approved): Approved refunds will be processed within 7–10 business days via the original payment method. Bank transfer timelines are subject to the RBI's T+5 banking norms.

Once a refund is approved, the processing time depends on the original payment method:

• UPI / Bank Transfer (NEFT/RTGS/IMPS): 3–5 business days after initiation. Per RBI guidelines, banks must process refunds within T+5 working days.
• Razorpay / PayU (Credit/Debit Card): 5–10 business days, subject to the card-issuing bank's processing timelines. International cards may take up to 15 business days.
• Net Banking: 3–7 business days, depending on your bank.
• Cheque / DD: 7–14 business days (applicable for offline arrangements).
• Cryptocurrency or Barter Arrangements: Not applicable — we do not transact in cryptocurrency.

Refunds will be credited to the same account/card/UPI from which the original payment was made. We do not process refunds to a different account for fraud prevention reasons.

Any applicable GST that was paid on invoiced amounts may be subject to GST refund procedures under the CGST Act 2017 (Section 54). We will provide a revised credit note/invoice as required for GST purposes.

We strongly encourage Clients to contact us directly before initiating a chargeback or payment dispute with their bank or card issuer. Chargebacks triggered without prior communication are considered a breach of this Policy.

If a chargeback is filed:

• We will provide all relevant evidence (signed agreements, delivery proofs, communication records, payment confirmations) to the payment gateway and bank to contest the chargeback.
• Fraudulent chargebacks on completed, delivered work constitute a breach of contract and may result in legal action under applicable civil and criminal law, including recovery of damages, legal costs, and interest.
• We may restrict future service access or require upfront payment from Clients with a history of fraudulent chargebacks.

If you have a genuine payment dispute (e.g., unauthorized transaction, duplicate charge), please contact us immediately at accounts@chronosparksolutions.com or call +91 81848 92304 so we can resolve it promptly and avoid escalation.

For ongoing maintenance retainers, SaaS subscriptions, or recurring support agreements:

• Monthly Subscriptions: May be cancelled at any time with 30 days' written notice before the next billing cycle. No partial month refunds are provided; the cancelled subscription remains active until the end of the paid period.
• Annual Subscriptions (Prepaid): Cancellation within the first 30 days may be eligible for a prorated refund of the unused months (minus the first month fee). After 30 days, annual prepaid subscriptions are non-refundable but remain active until the end of the contract period.
• Auto-Renewal: Recurring plans auto-renew unless cancelled before the renewal date. We will send a reminder notice at least 7 days before renewal. Auto-renewed amounts are non-refundable if cancellation notice was not provided before renewal.
• Free Trial Conversions: No charges apply during a free trial period. Conversion to a paid plan after trial commencement is subject to the standard cancellation terms above.

As an Indian consumer, you are protected under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020. These rights include:

• Right to Information: The right to be informed about the quality, quantity, potency, purity, and price of goods or services to protect against unfair trade practices.
• Right to Redressal: The right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices, restrictive trade practices, or unscrupulous exploitation.
• Right to Consumer Disputes Redressal: You may file a complaint with the appropriate Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (District Commission, State Commission, or National Commission depending on the value of the claim).
• E-Commerce Rules: Under the 2020 E-Commerce Rules, we are required to clearly display our refund and return policies, grievance officer details, and respond to consumer complaints within 48 hours.

Our designated Nodal / Grievance Officer for consumer-related complaints:

We recognize that extraordinary situations — such as a serious medical emergency, bereavement, or natural disaster — may prevent a Client from continuing a project. We will approach such situations with empathy and good faith, and may offer:

• Project suspension / pause for up to 60 days with no additional charges, pending mutual agreement.
• Transfer of the project engagement to another company or individual (subject to due diligence and a signed novation agreement).
• A phased settlement plan to resolve outstanding dues without immediate financial pressure.
• In genuinely exceptional cases, a goodwill credit toward future services in lieu of a cash refund.

Such accommodations are made at our sole discretion, are not a waiver of our standard policy, and must be agreed in writing. If you are facing an exceptional circumstance, please reach out to us directly at info@chronosparksolutions.com before taking any formal action.

For all refund requests, billing disputes, and payment-related queries:

Please include your invoice number, project name, payment date, and the nature of your query in all correspondence for faster resolution.

We are committed to resolving all billing queries fairly, promptly, and in accordance with applicable Indian consumer protection laws and our contractual obligations.