Refund & Dispute Policy

1. Overview and Escrow Model

doBid operates a secure escrow payment flow to protect both Clients and Pros. When a Client accepts a Pro's bid, payment is captured and held in escrow by Stripe on behalf of both parties. doBid does not hold user funds; it facilitates release. Funds are released only when (1) the Client releases payment, (2) doBid releases on the Client's behalf after the Review Window, or (3) dispute resolution determines the outcome. This Policy is incorporated into the doBid Terms of Service. If this Policy conflicts with the Terms, the Terms of Service control (see Terms § 16).

2. Payment Timeline

doBid does not hold user funds. When a Client accepts a Pro's bid, payment is captured and held in escrow by Stripe. doBid facilitates — and administers the timing of — release. Funds are not released by an automatic timer.

Review Window: The Review Window is 72 hours from the time the Pro marks the job complete.

No automatic release: Funds are released only when (1) the Client affirmatively releases, (2) a dispute is resolved, or (3) doBid, after the Review Window and an internal review, releases on the Client's behalf.

doBid's release discretion: To protect both parties and manage chargeback, fraud, and quality risk, doBid may, in its reasonable discretion, extend a hold, require additional information or photos, place or maintain a reserve, or decline to release where risk indicators are present — including high job value; higher-risk jobs; missing or inadequate “after” photos; a newly onboarded Pro; or dispute, chargeback, or fraud signals. Release of funds does not waive doBid's right to reverse a transfer, recover released funds, offset against future payouts, or pursue other remedies if a chargeback, dispute, or fraud is later identified.

3. Cancellations and Pre-Job Refunds

• Before work begins: Client receives a full refund (including platform fee). Cancel via in-app messaging plus support@dobid.app.
• Pro has already traveled to the site, Client cancels without cause: doBid may withhold a cancellation fee of up to 15% of the job value (minimum $15, maximum $75) to compensate the Pro. The Client may dispute this within 7 days.
• Pro cancels (any reason): Client receives a full refund, no fee. If the Pro cancels with less than 4 hours' notice, the Pro's cancellation count increases; repeated cancellations may lead to suspension.

Refund processing: doBid authorization 1–3 business days; bank posting an additional 3–5 business days.

4. Post-Completion Review Window

After a Pro marks a job complete, within the Review Window the Client may:

• Release payment (final; transfers funds to the Pro; waives dispute rights except for fraud later discovered);
• Open a dispute (pauses release; see Section 6); or
• Take no action — when the Review Window closes, doBid conducts an internal review and, absent a reason to hold, releases payment to the Pro on the Client's behalf. Release is administered by doBid and is not automatic.

Late disputes (after release, within 30 days): allowed only if the Client was demonstrably unavailable during the window, a defect was not reasonably discoverable earlier, or a doBid system error prevented timely filing. Late disputes carry a higher evidentiary burden (clear and convincing evidence).

5. How to Open a Dispute

Within the Review Window, the Client taps “Report Issue,” selects a reason, provides a written explanation, and uploads at least 2 photos (3+ recommended). doBid acknowledges by email within 1 hour and notifies the Pro within ~2 hours; the Pro has 48 business hours to respond with evidence.

Dispute Reasons

1. Work Not Completed — work in the bid was not fully performed. Evidence: photos of incomplete work + bid description. Outcomes: full/partial refund, or Pro completes within 5 days.
2. Work Quality Defective — visible defects below the residential industry standard. Evidence: before/after + close-ups of the defect. Outcomes: refund, rework, or upheld.
3. Doesn't Match Description — wrong scope/materials/area vs. the bid. Evidence: bid wording + photos. Outcomes: refund, redo, or upheld.
4. Property Damage — work damaged the Client's property. Evidence: damage photos + repair estimate + causal link. Handling: see Section 8.
5. Safety Violation — unsafe work or condition. Evidence: photos/messages. Outcomes: refund + Pro suspension pending investigation (fast-tracked, ~48 hours).
6. Pro No-Show — Pro never arrived or worked. Evidence: message history + proof of no-show. Outcomes: full refund + suspension (fast-tracked, ~24 hours).

Not disputes: “I changed my mind,” “I thought it would cost less,” subjective dissatisfaction without an objective defect, or unrelated conduct complaints (handled separately).

6. Dispute Resolution and Evidence

doBid decides on a preponderance of the evidence (which account is more likely true). Evidence hierarchy (most to least reliable): (1) before/after photos, (2) the bid description, (3) message history, (4) party statements. Quality is judged against standard residential industry practice for the service category in the Client's area, not luxury/commercial standards.

Photo standards: clear, well-lit, in focus, showing the disputed area; “after” photos should roughly match the “before” angles. If a Pro uploaded no “after” photos, the presumption favors the Client; if a Client uploaded no “before” photos, the Client's burden is higher.

Possible outcomes: full refund to Client; full release to Pro; partial refund allocating value to completed/acceptable work; conditional (Pro completes/fixes within 5 days or refund issues); or — only when evidence is genuinely balanced and both sides documented adequately — a 50/50 split (rare).

Decisions are issued in writing to both parties with findings, evidence relied on, the standard applied, and the outcome.

Appeals: Either party may appeal within 30 days to legal@dobid.app, citing specific error or new evidence. Appeals are reviewed by a different reviewer and decided within 7 business days; the appeal decision is final. Nothing here limits a party's right to small claims court (<$5,000) or arbitration under Terms § 13.

7. Chargebacks

A chargeback is when a Client disputes the charge with their card issuer instead of using doBid's process. doBid prefers its own dispute process and submits available evidence to the issuer when a chargeback is filed.

• Legitimate chargebacks (work demonstrably not performed, fraud, double-charge, or doBid process failure): no account penalty.
• Abusive/fraudulent chargebacks (charging back after voluntary release or after losing a dispute, or contradicted by the Client's own evidence): graduated consequences — 1st: warning; 2nd: 7-day suspension; 3rd: 30-day suspension; 4th: permanent termination.

doBid will not pursue collections or litigation for amounts under $1,000, even if abusive. For $1,000+, doBid may pursue small claims, arbitration, or collections with proper notice.

8. Property Damage

doBid is a facilitator and payment intermediary — not an insurer, surety, guarantor, or party to the service agreement between the Client and the Pro. doBid does not perform, supervise, direct, or control the Pro's work; does not guarantee the work or its outcome; does not assume the Pro's liability; and does not pay damages from its own funds. Any remedy doBid administers is limited to the escrowed job payment held by Stripe.

Pros are independent contractors. Each Pro is an independent contractor solely responsible for the means, methods, safety, and results of their work.

If a Pro causes property damage:

1. The Client documents the damage (clear photos, a repair estimate, and information showing the Pro's work caused the damage) and opens a “Property Damage” dispute within the Review Window.
2. The Pro responds within 48 hours.
3. doBid holds the disputed payout, facilitates communication, and — where the evidence clearly shows the Pro's work caused the damage — may, in its discretion, refund up to the amount of the job payment. Damage exceeding the job payment is not doBid's responsibility. If the Pro carries general liability insurance, the Client may pursue that coverage directly. doBid does not require Pros to carry insurance (except where required by law), does not guarantee that any Pro carries insurance or that any coverage exists or is adequate, and cannot compel any insurer to pay.

Nature of doBid's dispute decisions: Any review, refund, release, partial allocation, or split by doBid is a contractual administration of the escrowed job payment only. It is not insurance, not the adjustment or adjudication of an insurance claim, and not an indemnity, assumption, or guarantee of any party's liability, and it creates no insurer–insured relationship. doBid's determinations resolve the disposition of escrowed funds between Client and Pro and do not determine, limit, or expand either party's rights against the other under applicable law.

Insurance: doBid does not require Pros to carry insurance except where insurance is required by law for the work performed. doBid recommends that Pros carry general liability insurance — and, for higher-value jobs (for example, jobs over $2,000), at least $500,000 — but does not require it unless the law does. Clients should not assume any Pro is insured. A Client may request a Certificate of Insurance before work begins and may require coverage as a condition of awarding the job. Any insurance a Pro does carry is primary as to that Pro's work; any insurance doBid may carry is excess, secondary, and non-contributory, and applies only to doBid's own acts or omissions as a platform — not to the Pro's work, negligence, or property damage. Pro insurance requirements (where any apply) are set out in Pro Agreement § 3.2.

Statutory rights preserved (Texas RCLA and other law): Some work arranged through the Platform — including repairs, remodels, additions, and certain landscaping, fence, driveway, pool, and outdoor work — may be “construction” subject to the Texas Residential Construction Liability Act, Tex. Prop. Code Ch. 27 (“RCLA”), or other applicable law. The Platform's dispute process is a private, contractual remedy that administers escrowed funds. It is not, does not constitute, and does not satisfy, replace, toll, or waive any notice, inspection, opportunity-to-cure, offer-of-settlement, or other right or obligation a Client or Pro may have under RCLA or other law. Under RCLA, the homeowner generally must give the contractor written notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, at least 60 days before suit or arbitration. Participation in, or the outcome of, a Platform dispute is without prejudice to and does not limit these rights.

Limitation of liability: doBid's aggregate liability arising out of or relating to any job, dispute, or property damage is limited as set out in the Terms of Service (see Terms § 11). To the extent of any conflict, the Terms of Service control.

9. Platform Fee Refundability

Platform fees are refunded when a job is cancelled before the Pro begins work, when doBid resolves a dispute in the Client's favor, when doBid cancels for system error or fraud, or where required by law. Platform fees are non-refundable once payment is released or a dispute is resolved in the Pro's favor.

10. Force Majeure

Neither party is in breach for failures caused by events beyond reasonable control (natural disaster, government emergency, severe weather preventing travel, serious injury/illness, extended utility outage). The affected party should notify within 2 hours; the job may be cancelled with a full refund or rescheduled by agreement without penalty.

11. Contact and Changes

Initiate refunds/disputes in-app or via support@dobid.app (include the job ID). Policy questions: legal@dobid.app.

doBid may modify this Policy with 14 days' notice for routine updates and 30 days' notice for material changes, by email and Platform notice.

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After a job is marked complete, you have the Review Window to release payment or open a dispute. If you take no action, doBid will review the job and release payment to the Pro on your behalf after the window closes — release is administered by doBid, not automatic. Review completed work promptly.