Refund Policy

1. Overview

We do not sell digital products or subscriptions. We deliver bespoke professional services under a Statement of Work (SOW) or written proposal. Because services are delivered against agreed milestones and time, refund mechanics differ from a typical e-commerce return policy.

Three principles guide every refund decision:

• Client only pays for delivered value.
• Cancellations are handled in writing, with clear effective dates.
• If we fail to meet our own commitments, the remedy is a fair adjustment.

2. Dedicated QA Team (monthly retainer)

Cancel at any time with 30 days' written notice. The paid month continues until its end; the next month is not billed.

If you cancel before the engineer is staffed (i.e., before the kickoff date), you receive a full refund minus a 10% administration fee for sourcing and contract setup. Once kickoff has occurred and the engineer is allocated, the first month is not refundable, but you may pause or end the retainer with 30 days' notice without further charge.

3. Project-Based engagement

Project-based work is billed 50% on signing, 50% on delivery.

• Before kickoff: 100% refund of the deposit minus a 10% administration fee.
• After kickoff, before midpoint: 50% refund of the deposit; you receive all work-in-progress artifacts.
• After midpoint: No refund of the deposit; however, the final 50% invoice is reduced proportionally to the undelivered portion of the agreed scope.

If we materially fail to deliver an agreed milestone and the issue is not cured within 15 business days of written notice, you are entitled to a refund of the deposit for that milestone.

4. Hourly engagement

You pay only for hours actually logged and delivered. Bi-weekly invoices list each hour with a description of the work. If a logged hour is disputed, notify us within 10 business days and we will review the description and either justify or remove the hour from the invoice.

5. 14-day cooling-off period (consumer protection)

For online contracts concluded by a natural person acting outside their business purposes, Article 8 of the Ukrainian Law "On Protection of Consumer Rights" grants a 14-day cooling-off period during which the consumer may withdraw from the contract without giving reasons.

Most Trident QA engagements are B2B contracts with legal entities or sole proprietors, to which the cooling-off period does not apply. However, where the cooling-off period applies:

• You may withdraw within 14 calendar days from the date the contract was concluded.
• If we have already started providing the service at your express request before the 14 days lapse, you remain liable for the fair value of services delivered up to the date you notified us of withdrawal.
• To exercise the right, submit the contact form with the "Legal" topic, subject "Withdrawal from contract" and your engagement reference.

6. Refund routing

Approved refunds are issued via the same channel through which the original payment was received — typically bank wire transfer to the originating account. Refunds typically clear within 5–14 business days, depending on the receiving bank. We do not charge any fee for the refund itself.

If online card payment is offered for a particular engagement (after activation of the relevant acquiring agreement), refunds for such invoices will be processed back to the original card via the same acquirer; specific terms will be provided in the invoice.

7. Dispute resolution

If you disagree with a charge or a refund decision:

1. Step 1: Submit the contact form with the "Legal" topic and a description of the issue. We respond within 5 business days.
2. Step 2: If unresolved, a 30-day good-faith negotiation period between authorised representatives.
3. Step 3: If still unresolved, the dispute is referred to the competent commercial courts of Kyiv, Ukraine, per our Terms of Service.

8. How to request a refund

9. Contact

Refunds and disputes: use the contact form with the "Legal" topic.

General inquiries: use the contact form.