Terms of Service

Last updated: 19 August 2026

These terms govern your use of Refund ("Refund", "we", "us"). By using the service you agree to them. Please read them alongside our Privacy Policy.

1. What Refund is, and is not

Refund is an independent service that helps people in New Zealand challenge parking and transport fines and make related claims. We use software (including AI) to read your notice, identify the grounds your facts support, draft letters and submissions, and, with your authorisation, lodge them with the relevant council or transport authority and follow them up.

Refund is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. We provide general information and document-drafting to help you exercise your existing rights. Nothing we produce is legal advice or creates a lawyer–client relationship. For complex, high-value or unusual matters you should consult a lawyer or your free local Community Law Centre.

2. Authorising us to act for you

When you start a case and ask us to proceed, you authorise Refund to act as your representative for that matter, to prepare correspondence in your name and communicate with the relevant authority on your behalf.

You can withdraw that authority at any time by emailing support@refund.co.nz. We'll stop acting on the case and confirm that we have. Two things withdrawal can't do: anything we have already lodged has been sent and can't be unsent, and the authority keeps dealing with it until you tell them otherwise. The notice, and its deadline, remain yours.

You confirm that:

  • the information and documents you give us are true and accurate to the best of your knowledge;
  • you will not ask us to lie, mislead an authority, or fabricate evidence, and we won't;
  • you remain responsible for the underlying notice (including any deadline) until it is resolved.

3. No guaranteed outcome

We make the strongest honest case we can, but the decision rests with the authority or a court or tribunal. We do not and cannot guarantee any particular result. Choosing to escalate (for example to the District Court or the Disputes Tribunal) is your decision and may carry its own costs and risks.

4. Fees: no win, no fee

Refund is no win, no fee. There is nothing to pay unless we save you money on a matter you engaged us to handle. If we do, a success fee of 25% of the amount waived, reduced or recovered applies, with a $5 minimum. We charge it to the payment method you save with us, via our payment processor (Stripe), and issue an invoice. If a charge can't be completed we may contact you to arrange payment. Some matters you can handle yourself for free, and we'll always be upfront about that. All amounts are in New Zealand dollars.

The success fee is earned when we obtaina favourable outcome for you: a waiver, reduction, settlement or refund. It remains payable even if you then deal with the other party directly, settle or pay the matter outside Refund, or simply don't tell us how you'd like to proceed, once we have secured that outcome. Where the other party offers a reduction or settlement, we'll put it to you to accept or to push on; if you don't respond within the time we tell you, we may accept that favourable offer on your behalf so the result isn't lost, and the success fee then applies to the amount saved. You can always choose to push on, or to stop, instead. Just make that choice before the time we give you.

5. Your account and acceptable use

  • Keep your account details accurate (your name is used to sign letters we send for you).
  • Use Refund only for your own genuine matters, lawfully, and not to harass anyone.
  • Don't misuse, copy, or attempt to disrupt the service.

6. Liability

Where you are a consumer, you have rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and the Fair Trading Act 1986 that cannot be excluded, and nothing in these terms limits those rights. Subject to that, to the extent permitted by law, Refund is not liable for indirect or consequential loss, for the outcome of any matter, or for amounts greater than the fees you have paid us for the matter concerned. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any council, transport authority or government agency.

7. Changes, and ending your use

You can stop using Refund at any time. We may update these terms; we'll change the date above and, for material changes, let you know. Continued use after a change means you accept the updated terms.

8. Governing law & contact

These terms are governed by the laws of New Zealand. Questions, or want us to stop acting on a case? Email support@refund.co.nz.

Refund is an independent service. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any council, transport authority or government agency. It provides general information and document drafting to help you exercise your rights. This is not legal advice.