CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY

Gigstaan — A Product of Snehmit Business LLP Last Updated: April, 2026

This Cancellation & Refund Policy governs all cancellations, disengagements, and refunds for Gigs booked through the Gigstaan platform. It forms an integral part of Gigstaan’s Terms & Conditions.

Introduction & Scope

This Cancellation & Refund Policy (“Policy”) governs all cancellations, disengagements, and refunds for Gigs booked through the Gigstaan platform (“Platform”), operated by Snehmit Business LLP.

This Policy forms an integral part of Gigstaan’s Terms & Conditions. By using the Platform, you agree to be bound by this Policy. Terms not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Terms & Conditions.

This Policy applies to:

• Gigs booked and transacted through the Platform using the Escrow Service
• Both Service Providers and Service Consumers

This Policy does NOT apply to:

• Transactions conducted off the Platform (see Section 8.5 of the Terms & Conditions)
• Gigs where both parties have opted out of the Escrow Service (see Section 8.6 of the Terms & Conditions)
• Cash or offline payment transactions that are not processed through the Platform

Definitions

• “Cancellation” means the termination of a Gig or service request before the Gig is completed, initiated by either party through the Platform’s cancellation feature.
• “Disengagement” means the withdrawal of either party from an ongoing Gig after work has commenced, subject to the Rules of Disengagement agreed upon at the time of bidding/bid acceptance.
• “Rules of Disengagement” means the pre-agreed terms governing how a Disengagement will be handled, including partial work payment and asset transfer, selected by both parties from Gigstaan-provided templates (with optional customisation) at the time of bid acceptance.
• “Mutual Disengagement” means a Disengagement where both parties voluntarily agree to end the Gig, confirmed by both parties on the Platform.
• “Unilateral Disengagement” means a Disengagement initiated by one party without the consent of the other.
• “Initiating Party” means the party that initiates the Cancellation or Unilateral Disengagement.
• “Asset” means any deliverable, work product, document, design, code, or other output produced by the Service Provider during the course of a Gig.
• “Cancellation Fee” means a fee of 3% of the total Gig value, charged on all cancellations or disengagements occurring after Bid acceptance, and retained by Gigstaan to cover transaction and processing costs.

Rules of Disengagement — Setup

When Rules Are Established

• At the time of submitting a Bid (by the Service Provider) and accepting a Bid (by the Service Consumer), both parties must acknowledge and agree to the Rules of Disengagement that will govern the Gig in the event of a Disengagement.

Templates & Customisation

Gigstaan provides predefined Rules of Disengagement templates covering common scenarios, including but not limited to:

• Payment terms for partially completed work
• Asset transfer obligations
• Timeframes for handover of deliverables
• Conditions for milestone-based and one-time Gigs
• Both parties may customise these templates by mutual agreement before the Bid is accepted.
• Any customisation must be confirmed by both parties on the Platform and will form part of the binding agreement for that Gig.

Binding Nature

• Once agreed upon, the Rules of Disengagement are binding on both parties for the duration of that Gig.
• In the event of a Disengagement, the agreed Rules shall govern the settlement of payments, assets, and obligations, unless both parties mutually agree to different terms at the time of Disengagement.

Cancellation by Service Consumer

Before Any Bid Is Accepted — Free Cancellation

• A Service Consumer may cancel a service request or post at any time before accepting any Bid.
• No cancellation fee is charged.
• No payment is processed or held in escrow at this stage.

After Bid Acceptance but Before Gig Commencement

• A Service Consumer may cancel a Gig after accepting a Bid but before the Service Provider has commenced work.
• A cancellation fee of 3% of the total Gig value shall be charged and retained by Gigstaan to cover transaction and processing costs.
• The remainder of the escrowed amount (minus the 3% cancellation fee) will be refunded to the Service Consumer’s original payment method.
• No portion of the cancellation fee is credited to the Service Provider.

During an Ongoing Gig — Unilateral Disengagement

If a Service Consumer wishes to disengage from an ongoing Gig without the Service Provider’s agreement, this constitutes a Unilateral Disengagement.

• A cancellation fee of 3% of the total Gig value shall be charged to the Service Consumer and retained by Gigstaan.

Payment for work completed shall be settled as follows:

• Completed Milestones: Payment for all fully completed Milestones shall be released to the Service Provider in full, upon the Service Consumer receiving the corresponding Assets.
• Ongoing/Partial Milestone: Both parties shall have 72 hours (3 days) to mutually agree on the percentage of work completed for the current Milestone. If agreed, payment corresponding to the agreed percentage shall be released to the Service Provider, and the corresponding Assets shall be transferred to the Service Consumer.
• Failure to Agree on Percentage: If both parties cannot agree on a percentage within 72 hours, neither party receives anything for the ongoing Milestone — no Assets are transferred to the Service Consumer and no payment is released to the Service Provider for that Milestone. Payment is settled only up to the last fully completed Milestone.

Cancellation by Service Provider

Withdrawing a Bid Before Acceptance — Free (Bidding Fee Non-Refundable)

• A Service Provider may withdraw a submitted Bid at any time before the Service Consumer accepts it.
• No cancellation fee is charged for withdrawing a Bid.
• However, any bidding fee paid for submitting the Bid is non-refundable.

After Bid Acceptance but Before Gig Commencement

• A Service Provider may cancel after their Bid has been accepted but before work has commenced.
• A cancellation fee of 3% of the total Gig value shall be charged and retained by Gigstaan to cover transaction and processing costs.
• The full escrowed amount shall be refunded to the Service Consumer’s original payment method. The 3% cancellation fee is borne by the Service Provider and deducted separately.
• Repeated cancellations after Bid acceptance may result in reduced visibility, penalties, or account suspension at Gigstaan’s discretion.

During an Ongoing Gig — Unilateral Disengagement

If a Service Provider wishes to disengage from an ongoing Gig without the Service Consumer’s agreement, this constitutes a Unilateral Disengagement.

• A cancellation fee of 3% of the total Gig value shall be charged to the Service Provider and retained by Gigstaan.

Payment for work completed shall be settled as follows:

• Completed Milestones: Payment for all fully completed Milestones shall be released to the Service Provider in full, upon the Service Consumer receiving the corresponding Assets.
• Ongoing/Partial Milestone: Both parties shall have 72 hours (3 days) to mutually agree on the percentage of work completed for the current Milestone. If agreed, payment corresponding to the agreed percentage shall be released to the Service Provider, and the corresponding Assets shall be transferred to the Service Consumer.
• Failure to Agree on Percentage: If both parties cannot agree on a percentage within 72 hours, neither party receives anything for the ongoing Milestone — no Assets are transferred to the Service Consumer and no payment is released to the Service Provider for that Milestone. Payment is settled only up to the last fully completed Milestone.

Mutual Disengagement

Process

• Either party may propose a Mutual Disengagement through the Platform.
• The Disengagement is only effective once both parties confirm their agreement on the Platform.
• If the other party does not accept the proposal, the Gig continues as scheduled, and the proposing party may choose to proceed with a Unilateral Disengagement under Sections 4.3 or 5.3 instead.

Fees

• In the case of a Mutual Disengagement, the 3% cancellation fee (of total Gig value) shall still apply and be retained by Gigstaan to cover transaction and processing costs. This fee shall be split equally between both parties (1.5% each) unless both parties agree otherwise on the Platform.

Settlement of Payment & Assets

• Completed Milestones: Payment for all fully completed Milestones shall be released to the Service Provider in full, upon the Service Consumer receiving the corresponding Assets.
• Ongoing/Partial Milestone: Both parties shall have 72 hours (3 days) to mutually agree on the percentage of work completed for the current Milestone.

If agreed:

• Payment corresponding to the agreed percentage shall be released to the Service Provider, and the corresponding Assets shall be transferred to the Service Consumer.

If not agreed within 72 hours:

• Neither party receives anything for the ongoing Milestone — no Assets are transferred to the Service Consumer and no payment is released to the Service Provider for that Milestone. Payment is settled only up to the last fully completed Milestone.

One-Time Gigs (Non-Milestone)

For one-time Gigs where no Milestone structure exists:

• Both parties shall have 72 hours (3 days) to mutually agree on the percentage of work completed.
• If agreed: Payment corresponding to the agreed percentage shall be released to the Service Provider, and the corresponding Assets shall be transferred to the Service Consumer.
• If not agreed within 72 hours: Neither party receives anything — no Assets are transferred and no payment is released. The full escrowed amount (minus the 3% cancellation fee) is returned to the Service Consumer.

Refunds

Refund Method

• All refunds shall be processed to the original payment method used by the Service Consumer at the time of booking.
• Refunds cannot be issued to a different payment method, bank account, or third-party account.

Refund Timeline

• Refund processing times are subject to the policies and timelines of the payment gateway provider and/or escrow service partner used for the transaction.
• Gigstaan will initiate the refund promptly upon resolution, but does not control the processing speed of external payment providers.

Refund Amounts

Refund amounts are calculated after deducting any applicable:

• 3% cancellation fee (of total Gig value), retained by Gigstaan
• Payments released to the Service Provider for completed Milestones or agreed partial work
• Platform fees or commissions already earned by Gigstaan on completed Milestones

Non-Refundable Items

The following are non-refundable under any circumstances:

• Bidding fees paid by Service Providers
• Platform subscription fees (unless Gigstaan’s subscription terms explicitly state otherwise)
• Featured listing fees, once the listing has been published
• The 3% cancellation fee charged under this Policy
• Payments already released to Service Providers for fully completed Milestones

Cancellation & Fee Summary

Escrow Handling During Cancellations & Disengagements

Escrow Freeze

• Upon initiation of a Cancellation or Disengagement, the escrowed funds for the Gig shall be immediately frozen pending resolution.
• No payouts shall be made from the escrow until the Cancellation or Disengagement is fully settled in accordance with this Policy.

Escrow Release

Escrowed funds shall be released as follows:

• To the Service Provider: Payment for completed Milestones (upon Asset transfer) and agreed partial work
• To the Service Consumer: The remaining balance after all deductions, refunded to the original payment method
• To Gigstaan: The 3% cancellation fee, retained to cover transaction and processing costs

Escrow Opt-Out Gigs

• For Gigs where both parties have opted out of the Escrow Service, Gigstaan has no role in processing refunds, handling payment disputes, or settling cancellation-related claims. All payment arrangements are entirely between the Service Provider and the Service Consumer.

Repeated Cancellations & Abuse Prevention

Service Consumer Abuse

Service Consumers who repeatedly cancel Gigs after Bid acceptance or repeatedly initiate Unilateral Disengagements may face:

• Increased cancellation fees
• Temporary restriction from booking new Gigs
• Account suspension or termination in severe cases

Service Provider Abuse

Service Providers who repeatedly cancel after Bid acceptance or repeatedly disengage from ongoing Gigs may face:

• Reduced visibility and lower ranking in search results
• Loss of verification badges or trust indicators
• Temporary restriction from submitting new Bids
• Account suspension or termination in severe cases

Fraudulent Cancellations

• Any attempt to misuse the Cancellation or Disengagement process for fraudulent purposes — including but not limited to falsely claiming work was not completed, manipulating the percentage agreement process, or colluding to defraud the Escrow — shall be treated as a violation of the Terms & Conditions and may result in immediate account termination and legal action.

Disputes Arising from Cancellations & Refunds

Internal Resolution

• If either party disputes a Cancellation, Disengagement, or refund decision, they may raise the matter through the Platform’s dispute resolution feature or by contacting Gigstaan’s support team.
• Gigstaan will review the dispute and the applicable Rules of Disengagement and endeavour to resolve it within 30 days.

Escalation

• If the dispute cannot be resolved internally, it shall be escalated through the three-tier dispute resolution process outlined in Section 15 of the Terms & Conditions (Internal Mediation → Binding Arbitration → Courts in Bengaluru).

Escrow During Disputes

• Escrowed funds related to a disputed Cancellation or Disengagement shall remain frozen until the dispute is resolved through the applicable resolution process.

Exceptions & Special Circumstances

Force Majeure

• If a Gig cannot be completed due to circumstances beyond either party’s reasonable control (such as natural disasters, medical emergencies, government orders, or pandemics), either party may request a Cancellation or Disengagement without penalty.
• Gigstaan will review force majeure claims on a case-by-case basis and may waive the 3% cancellation fee at its sole discretion.
• Proof or reasonable evidence of the force majeure event may be required.

Safety Concerns

• If a Cancellation or Disengagement is initiated due to safety concerns (including but not limited to violations of the Women Safety & Anti-Harassment Policy under Section 7A of the Terms & Conditions), no cancellation fee shall be charged to the party raising the safety concern, subject to verification.
• The matter will be handled in accordance with the safety and enforcement provisions of the Terms & Conditions.

Strict Review Process:

• All safety-related cancellation or disengagement requests shall be strictly reviewed by Gigstaan’s safety team before the fee waiver is granted.
• The party raising the safety concern may be required to provide supporting evidence, a detailed account of the incident, and any other information Gigstaan deems necessary for its review.
• Gigstaan reserves the right to deny the fee waiver if the safety claim cannot be substantiated upon review.

False Accusations — Strict Consequences:

• If upon investigation, a safety concern is found to be false, fabricated, or made in bad faith — including but not limited to filing false harassment claims, exaggerating incidents to avoid cancellation fees, or weaponising the safety mechanism to harm another user — the following consequences shall apply:
• Immediate and permanent suspension of the account of the party that filed the false claim, without prior warning
• Forfeiture of all pending payouts and escrowed funds associated with the Gig in question
• The 3% cancellation fee shall be retroactively charged to the party that filed the false claim
• Gigstaan reserves the right to report the false accusation to law enforcement authorities, particularly where the false claim constitutes defamation, criminal intimidation, or filing a false complaint under applicable Indian law
• The affected party (who was falsely accused) may be entitled to compensation or restoration of any losses suffered, at Gigstaan’s discretion
• Reinstatement of an account terminated under this clause shall not be permitted under any circumstances

Platform-Initiated Cancellations

Gigstaan reserves the right to cancel a Gig at any time if:

• A user’s account is suspended or terminated
• Fraudulent or illegal activity is detected in connection with the Gig
• Continuation of the Gig poses a safety risk to any party
• In such cases, refund and payment settlement shall be determined by Gigstaan at its sole discretion based on the circumstances.

Off-Platform Transactions

• This Policy does not apply to any transaction, payment, or engagement conducted outside the Gigstaan Platform.
• Gigstaan shall bear no responsibility for cancellations, refunds, or payment disputes arising from off-platform transactions.
• Users are strongly encouraged to conduct all transactions through the Platform to avail the protections offered by the Escrow Service and this Policy.

Modifications to This Policy

• Gigstaan reserves the right to modify this Policy from time to time.
• For material changes, Gigstaan will notify users at least 15 days before the changes take effect through in-app notifications, email, or a prominent notice on the Platform.
• The updated Policy will apply to all Gigs booked after the effective date of the change. Gigs already in progress at the time of the change shall continue to be governed by the version of the Policy in effect at the time of booking.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns regarding cancellations, refunds, or disengagements, please contact us:

Email: support@gigstaan.com

Grievance Officer

As required under applicable Indian law, we have appointed a Grievance Officer:

Name: Sneha Kanade

Designation: Founder & CEO

Email: support@gigstaan.com

All complaints will be acknowledged within 24 hours and resolved within 15 days from the date of receipt.

© 2026 Snehmit Business LLP. All rights reserved.