Refund Policy

1. Overview

At KritIQ Labs, we invest significant time, expertise, and resources into every project and product we deliver. Our refund policy is designed to be fair to both our clients and our team. We distinguish between two primary categories of engagement: custom development projects (including websites, software, and consulting) and SaaS product subscriptions (such as Maintainease).

Please read this policy in conjunction with our Terms and Conditions which govern all engagements with KritIQ Labs.

2. Custom Development Projects

Custom development projects include bespoke software applications, website design and development, IT consulting engagements, and any other project delivered under a specific project agreement or Statement of Work.

2.1 The 50% Advance Payment

As stated in our Terms and Conditions, all custom development projects require a 50% non-refundable advance payment before KritIQ Labs commences work. This advance is non-refundable once work has begun because it covers:

• Project discovery, requirements analysis, and technical planning sessions.
• Dedicated allocation of our team's time and capacity to your project.
• Initial design work, wireframing, and prototyping.
• Setup of development environments, repositories, and infrastructure.
• Any third-party tool or service costs incurred at the outset of the project.

If you decide not to proceed with the project before work has commenced (i.e., prior to KritIQ Labs beginning any discovery, planning, or development activities), you may request a full refund of the advance payment within 48 hours of payment. After work has commenced, the advance is non-refundable.

2.2 Milestone-Based Refunds

For projects structured with milestone-based billing, the following refund rules apply to payments made for specific milestones:

• Milestone not yet started: If you cancel the project before KritIQ Labs has begun work on a particular milestone, the payment for that milestone (if already made) will be refunded in full, less any costs already incurred (such as third-party service fees or materials purchased).
• Milestone in progress: If you cancel the project after KritIQ Labs has begun work on a milestone but before that milestone is complete and delivered, you will receive a partial refund based on the percentage of the milestone work not yet completed, as reasonably determined by KritIQ Labs based on our records of work completed. KritIQ Labs will provide a written breakdown of work completed to support the refund calculation.
• Milestone completed and delivered: Once a milestone has been completed and delivered to you (and you have had a reasonable opportunity to review and request revisions), no refund is available for that milestone payment, even if you subsequently choose to cancel the overall project.

2.3 Project Cancellation by KritIQ Labs

In the rare event that KritIQ Labs is unable to continue or complete a project due to circumstances within our control, we will refund to you the full value of any work not yet delivered, calculated on a proportionate basis against the total project value. We will always communicate with you promptly if we foresee any risk to project delivery.

2.4 Completed Projects

No refunds are available once a project has been fully completed and all agreed deliverables have been handed over to you. Completion is defined as the delivery of all files, source code, and agreed documentation, and the launch or handover of the final product as specified in the project agreement.

2.5 Revision Requests vs. New Work

Our project agreements typically include a defined number of revision rounds. If you are dissatisfied with a deliverable, we strongly encourage you to raise your concerns during the revision period rather than seeking a refund, as we are committed to delivering work that meets the agreed specifications. Requests for changes that go beyond the agreed scope will be treated as new work and quoted separately.

3. SaaS Subscription Refunds (Maintainease)

Our SaaS products, including Maintainease, are available on monthly or annual subscription plans. The following refund terms apply:

3.1 The 7-Day Refund Window

If you are not satisfied with your Maintainease subscription, you may request a pro-rated refund within 7 calendar days of your billing date, provided that you have not substantially used the product during that period. "Substantially used" means you have not actively onboarded your organisation's data, created significant records, or used the platform's core features beyond initial exploration.

To request a refund under this provision, email us at hello@kritiqLabs.in within 7 days of your billing date with your registered email address and the reason for your refund request. Approved refunds will be processed within 7–10 business days to your original payment method.

3.2 No Refund After 7 Days

After the 7-day window has passed, no refunds will be issued for SaaS subscription fees for the current billing period, regardless of whether you continue to use the service. This applies to both monthly and annual subscription plans.

We encourage you to take full advantage of any free trial or demo period we offer before committing to a paid subscription.

3.3 Annual Subscriptions

For annual subscriptions, the 7-day refund window applies from the date of the annual charge. If you cancel an annual subscription after the 7-day window, your subscription will remain active until the end of the current annual billing period, and no partial or pro-rated refund for the unused portion of the annual term will be provided.

3.4 Subscription Renewals

Subscriptions renew automatically at the end of each billing cycle. If you do not wish to renew, you must cancel your subscription before the renewal date. KritIQ Labs does not issue refunds for subscription fees charged due to failure to cancel prior to the renewal date, except at our discretion in cases where the renewal charge was clearly accidental and the request is made within 48 hours of the charge.

4. How to Cancel Your Subscription or Service

To cancel a SaaS subscription or to formally terminate a project engagement, please follow the process below:

• Send an email to hello@kritiqLabs.in from the email address registered with your account or associated with your project.
• Use the subject line: "Cancellation Request — [Your Name / Organisation Name]"
• In the email, state clearly whether you are cancelling a SaaS subscription (and specify the product and plan), terminating a project engagement, or both.
• Include any relevant account or project reference numbers if available.

We will acknowledge your cancellation request within 1 business day and confirm the effective date of cancellation and any applicable refund amounts within 3 business days.

Cancellations are effective from the date we receive and acknowledge your written request. Verbal or informal cancellations (e.g., via WhatsApp messages without a formal email follow-up) are not accepted as valid cancellation notices.

5. Exceptions — Non-Refundable Items

Regardless of the circumstances, the following items are not eligible for refund:

• Completed work and delivered deliverables: Any project work that has been completed and delivered, and for which you have had the opportunity to review and request revisions within the agreed revision period.
• Third-party costs: Any costs we have incurred on your behalf for third-party services, tools, software licences, stock assets, domain registrations, hosting fees, API credits, or any other external expenditure directly attributable to your project. These costs are non-refundable as they are paid to third parties and cannot be recovered by us.
• Rush or expedited fees: Any additional fees charged for expedited or rush turnaround on a project or deliverable are non-refundable.
• Consulting sessions: Fees paid for completed consulting, discovery, or strategy sessions are non-refundable once the session has taken place.
• Advance payments after commencement: The 50% advance payment for custom projects once work has commenced, as described in Section 2.1.
• SaaS fees beyond the 7-day window: Subscription fees for periods beyond the initial 7-day refund window, as described in Section 3.2.

6. Refund Processing

Approved refunds will be processed as follows:

• Refunds will be issued to the same payment method used for the original transaction wherever technically possible.
• Processing time is typically 7 to 10 business days from the date of refund approval. The time for the funds to appear in your account may vary depending on your bank or payment provider.
• For bank transfers (NEFT/RTGS/IMPS), we will require your bank account details (account number and IFSC code) to process the refund. Please provide these details promptly upon receiving our refund approval notification.
• Refunds will be issued in Indian Rupees (INR) at the original INR amount charged, regardless of any currency fluctuation.

7. Disputes and Disagreements

If you believe a charge was made in error or you have a dispute related to billing or refunds, please contact us at hello@kritiqLabs.in within 30 days of the disputed charge. We will review the matter in good faith and work towards an amicable resolution.

If we are unable to resolve the dispute directly, the matter shall be handled in accordance with the dispute resolution provisions set out in our Terms and Conditions, which provide for resolution under the jurisdiction of courts in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

We strongly encourage open communication before any escalation. Most billing concerns can be resolved quickly and fairly when raised with us directly.

8. Changes to This Policy

KritIQ Labs reserves the right to update or modify this Refund Policy at any time. Changes will be effective from the "Last Updated" date displayed at the top of this page. Your continued use of our services after any changes to this policy constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms. We recommend checking this page periodically for updates.

9. Contact Us

For all refund requests, cancellations, or questions about this policy, please reach out to us: