Cancellation & Refund Policy

This Cancellation & Refund Policy explains the general treatment of cancellations, rescheduling, project termination, deposits, prepaid fees, and refund requests for consulting services provided by Fish & Owl Holdings. Project-specific written terms may establish different rules and will control when they conflict with this Policy.

1. Nature of Consulting Work

Consulting services require professional time, analysis, planning, scheduling, and allocation of capacity. Some work may occur before a meeting or visible deliverable is produced, including review of client materials, planning, research, coordination, internal preparation, and project setup.

2. Cancellation Before Work Begins

If a client requests cancellation before substantive work begins, Fish & Owl Holdings will review the status of the engagement, any non-recoverable costs, any time already spent, and any written terms that apply. If no substantive work has been performed and no non-recoverable cost has been incurred, any refund due will be determined according to the applicable proposal, invoice, or written agreement.

3. Cancellation After Work Begins

Once work has started, fees attributable to work already performed, time already used, completed analysis, project preparation, or committed third-party costs are generally non-refundable. If the client has prepaid for work that has not yet been performed, any remaining refundable amount will be evaluated based on the documented project status and applicable written terms.

4. Ongoing Consulting

For ongoing consulting arrangements, cancellation notice requirements should be stated in the applicable written agreement. Services continue through the agreed notice period unless the parties agree otherwise. Fees already earned for completed work remain due.

5. Rescheduling

Requests to reschedule meetings or project milestones should be made as early as reasonably possible. Rescheduling is subject to availability and may affect the project timeline. Repeated or material client-caused delays may require a revised schedule or scope.

6. Scope Changes

A reduction or change in project scope is not automatically treated as a cancellation of work already completed. If the client changes objectives after work has begun, the parties may agree to revise deliverables, fees, or timing. Time and work already invested remain billable unless otherwise agreed.

7. Third-Party Costs

Approved third-party expenses, vendor charges, software costs, filing charges, travel costs, or similar non-recoverable expenses are not refundable after they are incurred, unless the third party itself provides a refund that can reasonably be passed through to the client.

8. Refund Review

Refund requests should identify the client, engagement, amount at issue, reason for the request, and relevant invoice or project information. Fish & Owl Holdings will review the request against the project record, work completed, costs incurred, and written terms. A request does not guarantee approval.

9. Processing of Approved Refunds

If a refund is approved, it will generally be returned through a commercially reasonable method consistent with the original transaction or another agreed method. Processing times can vary based on the financial institution or payment provider involved.

10. Company-Initiated Cancellation

If Fish & Owl Holdings cancels an engagement for reasons not caused by client breach, client delay, unlawful conduct, nonpayment, or another contractual issue, the company will review prepaid fees and work performed to determine whether any unused amount should be returned.

11. No Waiver

Granting an exception in one situation does not create a continuing obligation to grant the same exception in another situation.