Terms of Service

1. About These Terms

These terms govern your access to and use of Refer, a curated referral network and software platform for New Zealand professionals. Refer is operated by Refer Limited, based in Auckland, New Zealand.

Submitting an application is a request to join Refer, not an acceptance by us. These terms become binding when Refer approves your membership and you complete your first paid checkout, and they continue to apply while you use the platform or remain a member. Nothing in these terms limits any rights that cannot lawfully be excluded under New Zealand law.

2. Membership Eligibility & Approval

Refer is a curated business network. Membership is intended for professionals using the service for business purposes. All memberships are subject to approval, and we may accept, decline, pause, or defer an application at our discretion.

You must provide accurate application, profile, and business information and keep it up to date. We may request additional information, hold a fit call, or verify details before approving or continuing membership. You are responsible for ensuring you have the authority to provide any personal information or business details you submit to Refer.

3. Plans, Billing & Renewal

Membership is offered on quarterly ($867 + GST) or annual ($2,997 + GST) subscription plans. All prices are in New Zealand Dollars and are exclusive of GST unless your checkout or invoice shows GST as a separate line.

Payment is processed via Stripe. By completing payment, you authorise Refer and Stripe to charge the subscription fees, taxes, and any other amounts clearly disclosed at checkout or on your invoice. Membership renews automatically at the end of each billing period unless cancelled before the next renewal date.

We may change pricing, plan structure, or included features from time to time. If we make a material pricing change, it will apply on a future renewal date and we will give reasonable notice before the new pricing takes effect. Unless we clearly say otherwise, plan changes do not entitle you to a refund for the current paid term.

4. Cancellation, Failed Payments & Refunds

You may cancel your subscription at any time by contacting cameron@joinrefer.co.nz. Cancellation stops future renewal charges and takes effect at the end of the current paid billing period. Fees already paid are not refundable except where required by law or under the guarantee set out below.

If a payment fails, is reversed, or is subject to chargeback, we may suspend access to the platform, pause introductions, or change your member status until the issue is resolved. We may also retry failed payments through Stripe where permitted.

If you believe a charge was made in error, contact us first so we can investigate and try to resolve it quickly.

5. The Guarantee

If Refer does not deliver at least 4 hand-picked introductions in your first 90 days, you are entitled to a 50% refund of your first quarter plus 2 months of free membership.

To qualify for the guarantee:

• Complete onboarding within 7 days of joining
• Keep your profile, availability, and business details accurate
• Respond to introduction requests within 48 hours
• Engage constructively with the introductions provided and close the loop on outcomes
• Not be in “strike” status for ghosting partners

An “introduction” means a personalised email or equivalent direct connection initiated by Refer between you and another member with matching context. It does not include a contact you already had an active business relationship with before joining, or a member you refuse to engage with for reasons outside Refer's control.

Any guarantee claim must be made within 14 days after the end of your first 90-day period. The guarantee is your sole refund remedy for dissatisfaction with introduction volume during that initial period, except to the extent any non-excludable legal rights apply.

6. Member Conduct & Acceptable Use

As a member you agree to:

• Respond to introductions and referral notifications within 48 hours
• Close the loop on referrals and report outcomes to relevant partners
• Treat referred clients with priority, professionalism, and care
• Maintain accurate business, licensing, and contact information
• Comply with all applicable laws, privacy obligations, disclosure requirements, and industry regulations relevant to your business
• Not misuse member contact details, confidential information, or platform data
• Not spam, harass, intimidate, or mislead other members or referred clients
• Not scrape, export, resell, or build a competing directory from Refer data
• Not solicit or poach another member's clients in bad faith

7. Introductions, Referrals & Private Arrangements

Refer facilitates introductions between members. Any commercial arrangements (including success fees) between members are private agreements between those members. Refer does not receive any portion of success fees and accepts no liability for fee disputes.

Members are responsible for ensuring any fee arrangements comply with applicable laws and industry regulations, including disclosure requirements under the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013. Lawyers are exempt from success fee arrangements due to regulatory constraints.

8. Privacy, Confidentiality & Member Data

Your personal information is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020. By becoming a member, you consent to your name, business details, industry, and matching profile being used by Refer to facilitate introductions and operate the service.

You must treat non-public information received through Refer as confidential, including member contact details, private business conversations, and non-public resources. You must not use that information for unrelated marketing, disclosure, or any purpose outside genuine participation in the network. These confidentiality obligations continue after your membership ends.

9. Intellectual Property & Platform License

All content, templates, matching algorithms, and platform features are owned by Refer Limited. We grant you a limited, revocable, non-transferable right to use the platform and resources for your own internal business purposes during your membership.

You retain ownership of the information you submit about your own business, but you grant us a limited license to host, use, and display that information as needed to operate Refer. You may not copy, redistribute, reverse engineer, resell, or commercially exploit Refer's materials, methodology, platform features, or member data. This section survives termination of your membership.

10. Suspension & Termination

We may suspend or terminate your membership immediately if you fail to pay, materially breach these terms, misuse the network, create regulatory or reputational risk, or engage in fraud, harassment, or serious misconduct.

We will usually try to communicate concerns before removal where reasonable, but we do not have to do so in urgent or serious cases. If your membership is terminated for cause, you are not entitled to a refund for the unused portion of the current billing period. Clauses dealing with fees owed, confidentiality, intellectual property, liability, and governing law continue after termination.

11. Service Changes & Availability

Refer may update, improve, suspend, or remove features, workflows, matching criteria, educational resources, or parts of the platform from time to time. We do not guarantee uninterrupted availability or that any specific feature, channel, or matching method will remain unchanged for the life of your membership. We may also act to protect the platform, comply with legal obligations, or reduce fraud and security risk.

12. Disclaimers & Limitation of Liability

Refer facilitates professional introductions and does not provide financial advice, legal advice, recommendations, or endorsements. We are not a broker, agent, employer, partnership, or fiduciary. Members are independent professionals responsible for their own compliance, service quality, contracts, disclosures, and business outcomes.

We do not guarantee referrals, deal flow, conversion rates, revenue, partner behaviour, or business results. Any introductions, tools, templates, or guidance are provided on an “as is” basis.

To the maximum extent permitted by New Zealand law, Refer's liability is limited to the membership fees paid in the 12 months prior to any claim. Refer is not liable for any indirect, special, or consequential loss arising from membership or partner relationships. Nothing in this section excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.

13. Changes to These Terms

We may update these terms from time to time. Non-material changes may take effect when posted. If we make a material change, we will give notice by email or through the platform. Continued use of Refer after the effective date of the updated terms constitutes acceptance of those updated terms. If any part of these terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining parts continue in full force.

14. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of New Zealand. Any disputes will be resolved in the courts of Auckland, New Zealand.

15. Contact

For any questions about these terms, contact us at cameron@joinrefer.co.nz.