Refund & Cancellation Policy

At QueryCode, we believe that our relationship with our clients is built on firm foundations of trust, transparency, and fairness, stemming from our religious and societal values that encourage honesty in dealings, fulfillment of commitments, and giving everyone their due rights.

As we provide our services in the fields of custom software development, technical consulting, and ongoing maintenance and support, we recognize that the nature of these services requires intellectual effort, meticulous planning, and the allocation of human and technical resources from the very first moment of starting any project. From this standpoint, we have established this policy to serve as a clear and binding reference that regulates the rights and obligations of both the platform and the client, achieving a balance between:

• Protecting the platform's rights and ensuring the sustainability of its business, in return for the effort, time, and resources it invests in each project.
• Respecting the client's rights in accordance with the latest international legislation, most notably the European Union laws on consumer protection and data protection (GDPR), which are among the most prestigious legal standards in this field.
• Adhering to Islamic and societal values in all provisions of this policy, by avoiding any unethical practices, upholding kindness and justice, and prioritizing amicable solutions before any legal proceedings.

This policy also takes into account the operational reality of the platform, including:

• Electronic payment gateway fees, which are non-refundable once the transaction is completed.
• The administrative and technical effort expended in receiving requests, preparing scope documents, and holding organizational calls.
• The necessity of setting a reasonable cancellation period that ensures the client's right to withdraw while preserving the platform's right to compensation for initial costs.

Under this policy, we commit to:

• Full clarity in every provision, without ambiguity or complexity.
• Prior notice of any future amendments, in respect of legal and ethical rights.
• Prompt response to any inquiry or refund request within the timeframe specified in this policy.

We kindly request our valued clients to read this policy carefully before proceeding with any request or payment, as completing any payment process or commencing use of our services constitutes explicit and binding acceptance of all its contents.

This policy applies to:

• All custom software development services (web, applications, APIs).
• Technical consulting and systems analysis services.
• Monthly maintenance contracts and ongoing technical support.
• Any other services provided through the platform for a monetary fee.

1. Nature of Services and Non-Refundability (Unless Otherwise Stipulated by Law):

Given the customized nature of software development and technical consulting services, which require intellectual effort and resource allocation from the very beginning:

• The Advance Payment (the first 50%): Is non-refundable under any circumstances once work on the design has commenced or human/technical resources have been allocated to the project, as compensation for the effort expended and the loss of other opportunities.
• Commencement of Actual Development: In the event that work on the source code (backend or frontend) has begun, the project is considered to have entered the execution phase, and the client is not entitled to request any refund.
• Milestone Approvals: When the client is granted access to the staging environment and approves any phase of the project, this is considered final acceptance of the work completed in that phase, and the rights to object or claim a refund for it automatically lapse.

2. Project Cancellation Within the Legal Grace Period (48 Hours) :

In accordance with EU consumer protection laws, the client is granted a grace period of 48 hours from the time of paying the advance payment, and prior to the commencement of any actual technical work, to cancel the project. However:

• Administrative and setup fees of no less than 20% of the advance payment will be deducted to cover pre-sales consultation costs, scope document preparation, and organizational calls.
• Payment gateway fees (ranging from 2.5% to 4% depending on the gateway) will also be deducted from the refunded amount, as these fees are non-refundable by the financial service provider.

3. Monthly Contracts (Maintenance and Technical Support) :

• Monthly maintenance and support services require a written cancellation notice at least 14 days prior to the end of the monthly cycle.
• Amounts prepaid for the current cycle are non-refundable, and service provision shall continue until the end of the paid cycle.
• In the event of cancellation during the cycle, no amounts are refunded for the remaining days.

4. Compliance with EU Laws and Data Protection (GDPR):

• The platform commits to protecting client data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
• No personal or technical data of the client shall be used for any purpose outside the scope of project execution, nor shall it be shared with third parties except upon explicit written consent or based on a legal obligation.
• The client has the right to request the deletion of their data at any time, provided that this is done after the conclusion of all contractual obligations, while retaining invoice and payment records for compliance with tax and legal requirements (in accordance with the legally prescribed period).

5. Compliance with Religious and Societal Values:

• The platform commits to providing its services in accordance with Islamic and societal values, adhering to transparency, honesty in dealings, and avoiding any usurious, fraudulent, or misleading practices.
• Any dispute or disagreement shall be resolved amicably and wisely, with a commitment to justice and fairness, and prioritizing conciliatory solutions before resorting to any legal proceedings.
• In the event of any suspicion of non-compliance with Sharia law in any service, the client has the right to notify the platform, and the matter shall be reviewed immediately.

6. Mechanism for Submitting Refund or Cancellation Requests:

• All requests must be submitted in writing via the official email address: [email protected] Or Contact Page.
• Requests shall be responded to within a maximum of 7 business days, with an explanation of the reasons for acceptance or rejection, and the amounts due (if any).
• In the event of an approved refund, it shall be executed within 14 business days from the date of approval, via the same original payment method, deducting any bank transfer fees or payment gateway fees if applicable.

7. Applicable Law and Disputes :

• These terms shall apply in accordance with internationally recognized laws, adopting Egyptian law as the primary law for interpreting the texts, while taking into account the provisions of EU laws regarding data protection and fundamental consumer rights.
• In the event of a conflict between any provision of this policy and the client's local laws, the provision that achieves the greatest degree of fairness and protection for both parties shall apply, with reference to fair trade practices.
• Any dispute that cannot be resolved amicably shall be submitted to accredited arbitration bodies or competent courts in Egypt, with the possibility of resorting to European mediation if the client is resident within the European Union.

8. Client Acknowledgment :

By completing the payment process, the client acknowledges that they have reviewed and fully understood this policy and agree to all its provisions without reservation.

9. Acceptance of Current Policies and Future Amendments:

• By using the platform's services, submitting a request, or completing any payment process, the client explicitly acknowledges that they have reviewed all the provisions of the current cancellation and refund policy, understood them, and agreed to them without any reservation.
• The client also acknowledges and agrees in advance that the platform reserves the full right to amend or update this policy at any time, in line with local and international legislative developments, payment gateway and financial institution requirements, improving user experience and ensuring service sustainability, and adherence to religious and societal values.
• Amendments become effective immediately upon publication on the platform's website or upon sending them to clients via their registered email.
• The client bears the responsibility of periodically reviewing the updated policies. Continued use of the services after any amendment constitutes implicit and direct acceptance of such amendments.
• If the client rejects any future amendment, they have the right to terminate the contract immediately, provided that this is done in accordance with the provisions of sections (2) and (3) of this policy regarding cancellation and refund, without being entitled to a refund of any amounts for the current work period.

10. Notice of Amendments:

• The platform upholds ethical and religious principles in its dealings, and therefore undertakes to notify registered clients of any material amendments to this policy via email at least 15 days prior to the effective date, whenever practically possible, in compliance with the transparency requirements of EU laws and consumer protection.
• In the event that the amendments result from a mandatory legal obligation or a change in the operation of payment gateways, the platform may apply them immediately with subsequent notice.