Refund policy
This Refund, Cancellation and Rescheduling Policy applies to services provided by CLOWNHAUS (PTY) LTD, registration number 2020/479322/07 / K2020479322, trading as CLOWNHAUS®.
For purposes of this Policy, "CLOWNHAUS®", "we", "us" or "our" refers to CLOWNHAUS (PTY) LTD. "You" or "your" refers to any prospective client, client, requester, or other person who requests, books, accepts, or pays for services from CLOWNHAUS®.
CLOWNHAUS® operates as a South African cosmetic consulting and advisory services business. As at the effective date of this Policy, CLOWNHAUS® provides services only and does not sell, dispatch, deliver, or ship physical or digital products through the website.
This Policy must be read together with our Website Terms of Service, Service Terms / Terms of Engagement, Privacy Policy, No Physical Goods / No Shipping Currently Policy, Legal Notice, any applicable NDA, quotation, invoice, proposal, written scope of work, or other written agreement issued or accepted by CLOWNHAUS®.
1. Scope of this Policy
This Policy applies to fees, cancellations, rescheduling requests, refunds, and related administrative matters concerning CLOWNHAUS® services, including:
1. consultations;
2. cosmetic advisory services;
3. formulation support;
4. product development advisory;
5. regulatory support;
6. ingredient review;
7. label guidance;
8. claims support;
9. technical documentation support;
10. GMP/ISO 22716 readiness support;
11. cosmetic technical training;
12. strategic advisory work; and
13. any other service provided by CLOWNHAUS®.
This Policy does not apply to physical product returns, damaged parcels, courier delivery, product exchanges, product replacements, stock availability, shipping charges, or product return authorisation numbers, because CLOWNHAUS® does not currently sell or ship physical products through the website.
2. Services-Only Position
CLOWNHAUS® currently provides services only.
CLOWNHAUS® does not currently sell, dispatch, deliver, or ship physical cosmetic products through the website. Accordingly, product returns, return shipping, damaged-product claims, parcel tracking, courier delivery disputes, unopened-product returns, hygiene-related product exclusions, and product replacements do not apply to CLOWNHAUS® services at this stage.
If CLOWNHAUS® introduces digital products, downloadable resources, paid templates, training materials, or other online products in future, this Policy and the applicable website policies may be updated before or at the time those products are made available.
3. Consultation Fees
Consultation fees are non-refundable once paid, except where a refund is required by applicable law or expressly agreed by CLOWNHAUS® in writing.
Payment of a consultation fee secures time, preparation, administrative allocation, and availability for the scheduled consultation or advisory session. A consultation fee is not conditional on whether the client later proceeds with a broader project, proposal, formulation engagement, regulatory engagement, documentation engagement, or any other service.
CLOWNHAUS® may, in its discretion, decline to proceed with a consultation or service request where the request falls outside the scope of CLOWNHAUS® services, presents a conflict of interest, raises legal or regulatory concerns, falls outside CLOWNHAUS® capacity, or is otherwise unsuitable for engagement. Where CLOWNHAUS® declines to proceed after payment but before any consultation, preparation, review, or advisory work has commenced, CLOWNHAUS® may determine the appropriate refund or credit position on a case-by-case basis, subject to applicable law and written agreement.
4. Rescheduling Consultations
A consultation may be rescheduled only if CLOWNHAUS® receives written notice at least 48 hours before the scheduled consultation time.
Rescheduling requests must be submitted by email to:
info@clownhaus.com
Where a valid rescheduling request is received at least 48 hours before the scheduled consultation, CLOWNHAUS® may offer an alternative date and time, subject to availability.
CLOWNHAUS® is not obliged to provide unlimited rescheduling opportunities. Repeated rescheduling, failure to confirm availability, late responses, or unreasonable delay may result in the consultation fee being forfeited, unless CLOWNHAUS® agrees otherwise in writing.
5. Late Cancellations
A cancellation received less than 48 hours before the scheduled consultation time may be treated as a late cancellation.
Where a late cancellation occurs, the consultation fee may be forfeited, and no refund will be due, except where a refund is required by applicable law or expressly agreed in writing by CLOWNHAUS®.
CLOWNHAUS® may, in its discretion, allow a late rescheduling request where there are exceptional circumstances, but is not obliged to do so.
6. No-Shows
If you fail to attend a scheduled consultation, meeting, training session, or advisory session without providing at least 48 hours' written notice, this will be treated as a no-show.
In the event of a no-show:
1. the consultation or session fee may be forfeited;
2. CLOWNHAUS® is not obliged to provide a refund;
3. CLOWNHAUS® is not obliged to provide a replacement session; and
4. any further consultation, advisory session, or service may require a new booking and payment.
This does not limit any rights that may apply under applicable law and that cannot lawfully be excluded.
7. Project Fees and Service Engagements
Fees for project-based services, advisory work, technical documentation, formulation support, regulatory support, claims support, GMP/ISO 22716 readiness support, training, or other professional services are governed by the applicable quotation, invoice, proposal, written scope of work, Service Terms / Terms of Engagement, NDA, or other written agreement issued or accepted by CLOWNHAUS®.
Unless otherwise stated in writing:
1. fees are payable according to the applicable invoice or written agreement;
2. work may only commence once required payment, documentation, approvals, and onboarding requirements have been received;
3. project fees are not automatically refundable once work has commenced;
4. fees paid for time, expertise, document review, advisory work, research, preparation, analysis, drafting, formulation review, technical assessment, or consultation are not refundable merely because the client elects not to continue with the project;
5. delays caused by the client do not automatically entitle the client to a refund; and
6. additional work outside the agreed scope may be charged separately.
8. Client Delays, Incomplete Information and Scope Changes
CLOWNHAUS® relies on the information, documents, instructions, and materials provided by the client.
Where a service is delayed, interrupted, restricted, or made impracticable because the client has not provided required information, approvals, documentation, access, payment, or cooperation, CLOWNHAUS® may:
1. pause the service;
2. revise timelines;
3. request additional information;
4. charge for additional time where applicable;
5. issue a revised quotation or scope;
6. decline to proceed until the issue is resolved; or
7. close the matter where the delay remains unresolved.
Client delay, incomplete information, inaccurate information, changed instructions, or scope changes do not automatically entitle the client to a refund.
9. Advisory Nature of CLOWNHAUS® Services
CLOWNHAUS® provides cosmetic consulting, advisory, documentation, formulation support, regulatory support, claims support, technical training, and related services.
CLOWNHAUS® does not guarantee:
1. regulatory approval;
2. product registration or market acceptance;
3. claim approval;
4. manufacturer acceptance;
5. supplier approval;
6. laboratory approval;
7. formulation success;
8. product stability;
9. preservative efficacy;
10. packaging compatibility;
11. commercial performance;
12. sales performance;
13. consumer acceptance; or
14. any specific business outcome.
Unless expressly agreed in writing, CLOWNHAUS® advisory services do not replace the client's responsibility to obtain appropriate legal, regulatory, toxicological, manufacturing, laboratory, safety, stability, microbiological, preservative efficacy, packaging compatibility, commercial, accounting, or other professional input.
Dissatisfaction with a lawful advisory opinion, technical assessment, risk assessment, recommendation, or professional conclusion does not automatically entitle the client to a refund.
10. Statutory Rights
Nothing in this Policy is intended to exclude, restrict, or limit any consumer rights, statutory cooling-off rights, refund rights, cancellation rights, or other rights that cannot lawfully be excluded under applicable South African law.
Where a statutory cooling-off right, consumer right, or other non-excludable right applies, CLOWNHAUS® will consider the request in accordance with applicable law, the nature of the transaction, the nature of the service, whether work has commenced, whether the client requested urgent or immediate performance, and any applicable written agreement.
Where services have already commenced, been performed, or been partly performed at the client's request, CLOWNHAUS® may be entitled to retain reasonable fees for work already performed, to the extent permitted by law.
11. Direct Marketing
Where a transaction is concluded as a result of direct marketing and a statutory cooling-off right applies, the client may have rights under applicable South African consumer protection law.
Any request to cancel a transaction concluded as a result of direct marketing must be submitted in writing to:
info@clownhaus.com
CLOWNHAUS® may require sufficient information to identify the transaction, verify the requester, assess whether a statutory cooling-off right applies, and determine whether any service has already commenced or been performed.
12. Refund Processing
Where CLOWNHAUS® approves a refund, the refund will be processed using a reasonable payment method determined by CLOWNHAUS®, unless otherwise required by law or agreed in writing.
CLOWNHAUS® may require:
1. proof of payment;
2. invoice details;
3. banking details for refund processing;
4. verification of identity or authority;
5. confirmation of the relevant transaction; and
6. any other information reasonably required to process the refund lawfully and securely.
Refund timelines may depend on banking systems, verification requirements, administrative processing, public holidays, third-party service providers, and the payment method used.
CLOWNHAUS® is not responsible for delays caused by incorrect banking details, incomplete information, third-party payment systems, banking institutions, or the requester's failure to provide required information.
13. Chargebacks and Payment Disputes
You should contact CLOWNHAUS® first at info@clownhaus.com before initiating a chargeback, payment reversal, or external payment dispute.
Where a chargeback, payment reversal, or payment dispute is initiated without first allowing CLOWNHAUS® a reasonable opportunity to address the matter, CLOWNHAUS® reserves its rights to provide transaction records, invoices, correspondence, service records, consultation records, and other relevant information to the bank, payment provider, legal advisor, insurer, regulator, or other competent party involved in the dispute.
This clause does not limit any rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.
14. How to Request a Cancellation, Rescheduling or Refund
Requests must be submitted in writing to:
info@clownhaus.com
Your request should include:
1. your full name;
2. business name, if applicable;
3. invoice number or payment reference;
4. consultation or service date, if applicable;
5. reason for the request;
6. proof of payment, where relevant;
7. preferred outcome; and
8. any supporting information.
CLOWNHAUS® will review the request and respond within a reasonable period, subject to the nature of the request, information provided, applicable law, and any applicable written agreement.
15. Contact
For cancellation, rescheduling, refund, or service-fee queries, contact:
CLOWNHAUS (PTY) LTD
Trading as CLOWNHAUS®
Company registration number: 2020/479322/07 / K2020479322
Email: info@clownhaus.com