This Refund & Cancellation Policy applies to freelance engineering services (backend development, AI systems, automation, and related consulting) provided by Otito Ogene through otito.site. It sits alongside — and does not replace — any signed statement of work, proposal, or contract that governs a specific engagement.
1. Nature of the Services
The services offered are custom, time-based professional services. They are not physical products, downloadable software licences, or subscription plans. Because work is bespoke, refund terms are structured around the stage of the engagement rather than a fixed return window.
2. Engagement Structure
Most engagements follow one of these models:
- Fixed-scope project — an upfront deposit (typically 30–50%) followed by milestone payments tied to agreed deliverables.
- Hourly / retainer — billed weekly or monthly in arrears against a logged number of hours.
- Consulting call or audit — paid in full in advance of the scheduled session.
3. Deposits
Deposits reserve capacity in my schedule and cover initial discovery, planning, and setup work. Deposits are:
- Fully refundable if you cancel in writing within 48 hours of payment and before any work has started.
- Non-refundable once discovery, planning, or build work has begun, because that time has already been committed to your project.
4. Milestone Payments
Milestone payments cover work already completed and delivered. They are non-refundable once the corresponding milestone has been accepted, or where you have used, deployed, or built upon the deliverable in any way.
If a milestone is delivered but does not meet the agreed specification, I will revise the deliverable at no additional cost until it does, or, at my discretion, refund the specific milestone payment in full.
5. Hourly & Retainer Work
Hourly and retainer invoices cover time that has already been worked and logged. These are non-refundable once billed. You may cancel a retainer at any time with 7 days’ written notice; work already performed within that notice period remains payable.
6. Consulting Calls and Audits
For paid consulting calls or one-off audits:
- You may reschedule once at no cost with at least 24 hours’ notice.
- Cancellations more than 48 hours before the scheduled time are fully refundable.
- Cancellations within 48 hours, or no-shows, are non-refundable.
7. Cancellation by the Client
You may cancel a project at any time by written notice. On cancellation:
- All fees for work completed to date remain payable.
- Any non-refundable deposit is retained.
- I will deliver whatever work-in-progress has been produced up to the cancellation date, in its current state.
8. Cancellation by Me
I may terminate an engagement early if the scope, working relationship, or client conduct becomes untenable (for example: non-payment, unlawful requests, or repeated abusive communication). Where I terminate for reasons that are not the client’s fault, I will refund any deposit or prepaid amount not yet earned.
9. Chargebacks
If you believe a charge is incorrect, please contact me first at otitodrichukwu@gmail.com so I can review it. Raising a chargeback with your bank or payment provider without first attempting to resolve the issue directly may result in immediate termination of the engagement and forfeiture of any pending deliverables.
10. How to Request a Refund
Send a written request to otitodrichukwu@gmail.com with:
- Your name and the invoice or transaction reference
- The date of payment
- A brief description of the reason for the request
I will acknowledge the request within 3 business days and, where a refund is approved, process it within 10 business days to the original payment method. Bank or payment-processor timelines may add additional days before the refund appears in your account.
11. Contact
For questions about this policy or a specific transaction:
Otito Ogene
Enugu, Nigeria
Email: otitodrichukwu@gmail.com