Before operator accepts (status: pending):

→ Full refund. Always. Customer is never charged if operator has not accepted.

Within 5 minutes of operator accepting:

→ Full refund. No penalty.

After 5 minutes (driver en route):

→ 25% cash refund to original payment method.

→ 25% as Velise credit (never expires, choose how much to apply at next checkout).

→ Operator keeps 50% for their time and commitment.

Driver mandate:

→ Once accepted, the chauffeur MUST be en route within 5 minutes. No exceptions.

→ A chauffeur is not permitted to accept a booking unless they are prepared to depart immediately.

→ If a chauffeur accepts and fails to depart within the 5-minute grace, the booking falls under the en-route refund policy AND the operator is automatically flagged for review.

Before operator accepts (status: pending):

→ Full refund. Always.

48+ hours before pickup:

→ Full refund. No penalty.

24–48 hours before pickup:

→ Full refund. No penalty (the operator has more than enough time to fill the slot, and you have time to rebook).

12–24 hours before pickup:

→ 75% cash refund.

→ 25% retained.

2–12 hours before pickup:

→ 75% cash refund.

→ 25% retained.

Under 2 hours before pickup:

→ 50% cash refund.

→ 50% retained.

A customer is a confirmed no-show when ALL of the following are true:

• Customer is not physically present within 10 minutes after scheduled pickup time
• Chauffeur is at the exact pickup location OR within 200 meters with active GPS tracking
• Chauffeur has attempted contact (call or in-app message)

Communication rule:

Messages from the customer do NOT prevent a no-show classification unless the customer physically arrives within the 10-minute window. Delayed, inconsistent, or non-responsive messages do not count.

Result:

→ No refund.

→ 100% of ride value charged.

→ No credit issued.

How a no-show is filed:

Chauffeurs file from the ride screen. The system requires their GPS to have been actively reporting within the last 5 minutes — proof they're on-site. Without fresh GPS, the system rejects the report. Once filed, the customer has 24 hours to dispute. A dispute freezes the charge until an admin reviews both stories alongside the GPS log.

• Card charged at the start of each hour before that hour begins. Never at the end.
• If payment declines at start of any hour → ride ends immediately. Driver notified via SMS.
• Customer may extend by one hour at any time via the app. Charged immediately on extension.
• No cancellation or refund once an hourly session has started.
• Before session starts, operator not accepted → full refund.
• Before session starts, operator accepted → treated as instant booking cancellation policy above.

Within 5 minutes of accepting:

→ Customer receives full refund.

→ No penalty to operator.

→ No strike issued.

After 5 minutes (driver en route):

→ Customer receives full refund.

→ Customer receives 50% of ride value as Velise credit.

→ 50% credit amount deducted from operator's next payout.

→ Operator receives 1 strike.

48+ hours before pickup:

→ Customer receives full refund.

→ No penalty to operator.

→ No strike issued.

24–48 hours before pickup:

→ Customer receives full refund.

→ No penalty to operator (customer has more than enough time to find another ride).

→ No strike issued.

12–24 hours before pickup:

→ Customer receives full refund.

→ Customer receives 25% of ride value as Velise credit.

→ 25% credit amount deducted from operator's next payout.

→ Operator receives 1 strike.

2–12 hours before pickup:

→ Customer receives full refund.

→ Customer receives 25% of ride value as Velise credit.

→ 25% credit amount deducted from operator's next payout.

→ Operator receives 1 strike.

Under 2 hours before pickup:

→ Customer receives full refund.

→ Customer receives 50% of ride value as Velise credit.

→ 50% credit amount deducted from operator's next payout.

→ Operator receives 1 strike.

After pickup time has passed:

→ Customer receives full refund.

→ Customer receives 100% of ride value as Velise credit.

→ 100% credit amount deducted from operator's next payout.

→ Operator receives 1 MAJOR strike. Three majors = removal.

An operator is a confirmed no-show when ALL of the following are true:

• Chauffeur has not arrived within 10 minutes after scheduled pickup time
• No phone call, text message, or in-app update from the chauffeur
• GPS tracking is not active or shows chauffeur is not en route

Result:

→ Customer receives full refund.

→ Customer receives 100% of ride value as Velise credit (never expires).

→ Full credit amount deducted from operator's next payout.

→ Operator receives 1 major strike.

→ Operator account flagged for immediate admin review.

A delay is classified as a delay (not a no-show) only if ALL of the following are true:

Acceptable delay causes:

• Traffic congestion
• Road closures
• Accidents
• Weather conditions affecting driving (rain, snow, ice, storms)
• Police stops or checkpoints

AND the chauffeur:

• Has active GPS tracking enabled showing they are en route
• Provides communication via phone call, text message, OR in-app update

If the chauffeur is delayed for any other reason, OR fails to communicate, OR does not have active GPS tracking:

→ Treated as a no-show after 10 minutes. No exceptions.

Customer right during a delay:

If the chauffeur is 10+ minutes late to pickup for any reason, even with valid communication and GPS active, the customer may cancel for a full cash refund. No credit issued. No penalty to customer.

Operator Misconduct

A ride is immediately terminated and classified as compromised if the chauffeur:

• Departs before completing all agreed stops or the agreed destination
• Ends or marks the ride as complete while the customer is still entitled to service
• Keeps the ride active without the customer present
• Deviates more than 1km from the agreed route without explicit in-app customer consent
• Accepts, begins, or completes another booking while an active ride is in progress
• Fails to return to a scheduled stop within 15 minutes without communication
• Arrives to a booking visibly ungroomed, with a noticeable odor, or in unprofessional attire
• Ignores confirmed customer preferences that were shared before the ride (temperature, music, fragrance preference, greeting style, silence or conversation preference)

Result:

→ Ride terminated immediately.

→ Customer receives full refund.

→ Customer receives 75% of ride value as Velise credit.

→ Full 75% credit amount deducted from operator's next payout.

→ Operator receives 1 major strike.

→ Three major strikes = permanent removal. No appeal.

Customer Misconduct

Velise reserves the right to terminate a ride without refund if the customer:

• Is verbally abusive, threatening, or physically aggressive toward the chauffeur
• Refuses reasonable safety instructions from the chauffeur
• Causes damage to the vehicle interior or exterior
• Engages in behaviour that creates genuine safety concerns for the chauffeur

Process:

• Chauffeur must document the incident via the in-app report button before ending the ride
• Chauffeur submits written description of the incident
• Velise reviews all reported incidents within 24 hours
• If misconduct confirmed → ride terminated, no refund, customer account flagged
• False reports by either party → account suspension pending review

• All operator payouts processed within 48 hours of ride completion via Stripe Connect
• Operator receives 90% of booking value. Velise retains 10% commission.
• All penalties and credits owed by operators are deducted automatically from their next Stripe Connect payout
• Operator is notified via SMS when a penalty is deducted with the reason and amount
• If operator has insufficient payout balance to cover a penalty:
  • Account balance goes negative
  • Future payouts automatically deducted until balance is cleared
  • If negative balance is not cleared within 30 days → account suspended until cleared
  • Velise does not absorb operator penalties under any circumstances

• 1 standard strike: late cancellation, delayed response, missed response window
• 1 major strike: no-show, ride misconduct, route deviation, operating another booking during active ride
• 3 standard strikes: formal warning issued, 30-day improvement period begins
• 5 standard strikes: permanent removal
• 3 major strikes: permanent removal. No improvement period. No appeal.
• Rating below 4.5 stars: formal warning, 30-day improvement period
• Rating below 4.0 stars after improvement period: account flagged for admin review. Removal is not automatic — an admin examines the rating distribution, recent reviews, ride history, and dispute outcomes before any decision. This protects operators from being unfairly removed by a small cluster of bad-faith reviews.

• All disputes must be submitted within 48 hours of ride completion
• After 48 hours all charges, credits, and penalties are final and non-disputable
• Disputes submitted via in-app support chat
• Velise reviews all disputes within 24 hours
• Decision communicated to both parties via SMS and email
• Velise's decision is final

• Refund timelines depend on the payment provider. Typically 5–10 business days to original payment method.
• Velise credits are optional at checkout — apply any amount you like, the rest stays on your balance. Never expire.
• Abuse of the refund or dispute system may result in account restrictions or permanent removal
• All policy terms apply to all bookings made through the Velise platform
• By confirming a booking, both customers and operators agree to these terms in full