REFUND POLICY
Effective Date: [ 07-09-2023 ]
1. Introduction and Scope:
This Refund Policy (“Policy”) applies to payments made to “AustCham India” (also referred to as "IACC", the "Chamber", "we", "us" or "our"), through www.austchamindia.com or through other payment channels expressly authorised by the Chamber. It sets out the circumstances in which admission fees, membership fees, event registration fees and other fees may be refunded.
This Policy should be read with the Website Terms and Conditions. Nothing in this Policy is intended to exclude any non-excludable right or remedy available under applicable law.
2. Definitions
2.1.
Admission Fee means the one-time fee collected towards your membership application when you join us as a member.
2.2.
Membership Fee means the fee collected towards your membership with us for a given period.
2.3.
Registration Fee means the fee collected towards your participation in any specific events organised by us.
2.4.
“Member Authorised by the Board” means any person duly authorised by the Board of the Chamber, by resolution or otherwise in accordance with the Articles of Association of the Chamber, to exercise the relevant powers or perform the relevant functions on behalf of the Chamber.
2.5.
“CEO” means the Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, or any person performing the functions of the Chief Executive Officer, as appointed or authorised in accordance with the Articles of Association of the Chamber and the applicable decisions of its Board.
2.6.
“Member Authorised by the Board” means any person duly authorised by the Board of the Chamber, by resolution or otherwise in accordance with the Articles of Association of the Chamber, to exercise the relevant powers or perform the relevant functions on behalf of the Chamber.
2.7.
“Board” means the Board of Directors or other governing body of the Chamber, as applicable under its legal constitution and Articles of Association.
2.8.
“Chamber” means AustCham India, also referred to in this Policy as “IACC”, “we”, “us” or “our”, as applicable.
2.9.
“Member” means an individual or entity whose application for membership has been accepted by the Chamber and whose membership remains valid and subsisting in accordance with the Articles of Association and applicable membership terms.
2.10.
“Policy” means this Refund Policy, as amended or updated from time to time.
2.11.
“Refund” means the repayment of all or part of an Admission Fee, Membership Fee, Registration Fee or any other amount paid to the Chamber, where such repayment is permitted under this Policy or required under applicable law.
2.12.
“Articles of Association” or “AOA” means the Articles of Association governing the Chamber, as amended from time to time, to the extent applicable to the Chamber.
2.13.
“Website” means the Chamber’s official website, currently accessible at www.austchamindia.com, and any replacement website notified by the Chamber from time to time.
2.14.
“Working Day” means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday on which the Chamber’s relevant administrative office is ordinarily open for business, unless otherwise specified under applicable law.
3. Eligibility for Refunds:
3.1.
Refunds Applicable
3.1.1.
Membership Not Accepted
- Admission Fees and Membership Fees are not refundable once paid, except where the Chamber does not accept your membership application. In that case, the Membership Fee (if paid) will be refunded in full. The Admission Fee is retained by the Chamber to cover the cost of processing the application and is not refunded.
3.1.2.
Event Cancellation: In the event of cancellation of an event by the Chamber, the Registration Fee paid by the registered participant for such event shall be refunded in full. However, no refund shall be admissible in the event of cancellation of registration or withdrawal from the event by the participant.
3.2.
Refund not Applicable : No refund of any Fee paid shall be made upon cessation of your membership with us. The circumstances under which your membership or fellow membership may cease are set out below: A member’s membership or fellow membership will cease:
i.
on the date that the CEO or such other person as may be authorized by the Board receives written notice of resignation from that member or fellow;
ii.
in the case of a natural person, upon that member or fellow dying;
iii.
upon that member or fellow no longer satisfying the criteria for its respective class of membership (unless transferred to another classes of membership/ by the representative council);
iv.
upon that member or fellow becoming bankrupt or insolvent or making an arrangement or composition with creditors of the person’s joint or separate estate generally;
v.
if that member or fellow fails to pay a Membership Fee within one (1) month after it falls due;
vi.
if the member or fellow is expelled from the company pursuant to any disciplinary action;
vii.
if, being a corporate member:
A.
that member is dissolved or otherwise ceases to exist
B.
that member has:
1.
a receiver
2.
a receiver and manager
3.
a liquidator
4.
an administrator
5.
an administrator of a deed of company arrangement
6.
a trustee of other person administering a compromise or arrangement between the member and someone else; appointed to it
viii.
In accordance with the Chamber's Articles of Association (AOA), the Chamber in a general meeting may resolve by Special Resolution to terminate the membership of a member or a fellow whose conduct or circumstances, if in the opinion of the Chamber, renders it undesirable for them to continue as a member or a fellow. In the event of such a termination, no refund of membership fees, subscriptions, or dues shall be provided. The exact disciplinary and voting processes are set out in our AOA. To request an official copy of the Articles of Association, please write to our Membership, Finance, and Administrative Officer at membership-officer@indoaustchamber.com.
Refund Procedure :
4.1.
To request a refund, or to raise any grievance relating to a payment, please email the Membership, Finance and Administrative Officer at membership-officer@indoaustchamber.com and provide the following:
- your full name and contact details;
- your membership or application ID;
- the payment date, amount and transaction or reference number;
- a brief explanation of the reason for your refund request; and
- supporting documents, where reasonably available, such as a payment receipt or confirmation email.
We may ask you for additional information to verify your request. Incomplete requests may take longer to process.
Processing and Payment of Refunds
5.1.
Once we receive your request, we will review it and inform you whether it is eligible. If your request is approved, the refund will be processed within twenty-one (21) working days of approval.
5.2.
Refunds will be made to the original mode of payment or to the bank account you provide for this purpose. The time taken for the refunded amount to be credited shall depend on the relevant bank, card issuer or payment service provider and shall be beyond the Chamber’s control. The Chamber shall not be responsible for any delays, charges or deductions imposed by such third parties. The Chamber shall not be liable for any incorrect bank account details or other payment information furnished by the participant, or for any resulting delay or failure in the transfer of funds, except to the extent caused by the Chamber’s own negligence or wilful misconduct. Any refund shall be limited to the amount approved by the Chamber under the applicable refund policy and shall not include any transaction fees, processing charges or other non-refundable charges, where applicable.
5.3.
The Chamber shall not be held responsible for any delay, failure or inability to process a refund arising from circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to fire, flood, natural disasters, strikes or bank strikes, power failures, system failures, breakdown of computer or telephone lines due to unforeseeable causes, disruptions in payment systems, or interference from external forces. In such circumstances, the processing of refunds may be delayed until the relevant disruption is resolved.
Changes to the Refund Policy :
6.1.
We reserve the right to modify or update this Refund Policy at any time. The most current version of the Policy will be posted on our website, and the effective date will indicate the latest revision.
Dispute Resolution :
7.1.
All disputes arising out of this Refund Policy shall be settled as per the terms of the Terms & Conditions provided in our Website.
7.2.
Consumer grievances relating to non-refundable transactions may be submitted to the Grievance Officer of the Chamber using the contact details displayed on the Website. The Chamber shall ensure that the Grievance Officer acknowledges receipt of each consumer complaint within forty-eight (48) hours and redresses the complaint within one (1) month from the date of receipt, in accordance with applicable law. The name, designation, email address and other prescribed contact details of the Grievance Officer shall be prominently displayed on the Website before publication of this Policy.
7.3.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding our Refund Policy, please don't hesitate to contact us at Membership, Finance and Administrative Officer AustCham India Email: membership-officer@indoaustchamber.com. We are committed to providing transparent and fair policies for our members.