Refund Policy
A definitive financial framework defining our commitment-based billing and resource allocation policies.
Last Updated: August 03, 2026
01. Engineering Resource Finality
The Runtime Group operates on a high-intensity engineering model where specialized resources are allocated immediately. We only issue refunds in the event that we are technically unable to fulfill the core project requirements as defined in the initial scope.
02. Milestone-Based Payment Structure
Engagements follow a strict tiered structure: a 30% initial lockup fee to commence engineering, 20% upon delivery of a functional prototype for review, and the final 50% upon live deployment. Once a deposit or milestone payment is processed, it is non-refundable, and project cancellation does not entitle the client to a return of committed fees.
03. Recurring Billing & Late Protocol
Monthly billing for ongoing maintenance or infrastructure is issued on the 25th of each month. Payments are subject to a 3-working-day grace period. Failure to settle invoices within this window will result in an automatic 10% late fee applied to the monthly total, with no exceptions.
04. Cancellation Window & Notice
To prevent the next billing cycle, a formal cancellation request must be submitted at least 14 days prior to the renewal date. Failure to provide timely notice results in the automatic processing of the next cycle, which remains non-refundable.
05. No Prorated Settlement
We do not provide prorated refunds or credits for mid-cycle cancellations. If you choose to terminate a subscription before the end of the paid period, you will retain access until the end of that cycle, at which point the service will expire.
06. Discretionary Engineering Credits
While cash refunds are prohibited, the Group may, at its sole and absolute discretion, issue engineering credits in exceptional circumstances. These credits have no cash value and can only be applied toward future high-performance services.
07. Strict Billing Dispute Period
Any perceived discrepancies in an invoice must be reported within 7 business days of issuance. After this period, the invoice is considered accurate and binding. Reporting a dispute does not waive the obligation to pay undisputed portions of a bill.
08. Third-Party Infrastructure Costs
Fees paid to third-party providers (such as AWS, Cloudflare, or specialized GPU clusters) as part of a project are pass-through costs and are never refundable, regardless of the status of the primary engagement.
09. Project Stoppage Liability
If a project is halted or paused by the client for any reason, the client remains liable for all engineering hours logged and expenses incurred up to the moment of formal notification. No refunds will be issued for unutilized project phases if a deposit was already committed.
10. Scope Reductions & Reallocation
Refunds are not issued if a project scope is reduced mid-development. Instead, the remaining budget may be reallocated to other technical priorities within the same engagement, subject to an updated Statement of Work.
11. Technical Quality Assurance
Our 'refund' is our commitment to technical excellence. We guarantee that all deliverables will meet the agreed-upon technical specifications. If a bug is identified, our sole obligation is to remediate the defect to match the original brief.
12. Unauthorized Payment Reversals
Initiating an unauthorized chargeback or payment reversal is a material breach of our Terms of Service. Such actions result in immediate and permanent termination of all services, deletion of hosted data, and possible legal action to recover the funds and associated costs.
13. Tax & Regulatory Finality
All payments are final regarding VAT, GST, and other digital service taxes. We do not issue refunds for tax amounts once the transaction has been processed through the relevant governmental portals.
14. Transaction & Processing Fees
In the highly improbable event that a discretionary refund is approved, it will be issued net of all payment processor transaction fees and administrative handling costs incurred by the Group.
15. Currency Fluctuation Shield
Refunds, if any, are issued in the original currency of the transaction. The Runtime Group is not responsible for any losses incurred due to fluctuations in international exchange rates or cryptocurrency values between the time of payment and the time of refund.
16. Promotional & Beta Credits
Credits issued as part of a promotional campaign, beta testing program, or referral incentive are non-transferable, have no monetary equivalent, and are not subject to refund or payout upon account closure.
17. Hardware & Specialized Asset Costs
Physical hardware, specialized licenses, or high-value digital assets purchased specifically for a client's project are non-returnable and non-refundable once the procurement process has been initiated.
18. Emergency Support & Incident Response
Fees for emergency technical support, security incident response, or disaster recovery are billed based on mobilization and expertise. These fees are non-refundable, regardless of the ultimate success of the recovery efforts.
19. Non-Refundability for Compliance Violations
If a client's account is terminated due to a violation of our Acceptable Use Policy, export controls, or other legal requirements, no refunds will be issued for any pre-paid services or remaining subscription time.
20. Definitive Financial Inquiries
All billing-related questions, invoice requests, and financial enquiries must be directed to our primary business gateway. We strive to resolve all professional billing dialogues within 48 business hours.
Eligibility Matrix: 30/20/50 Framework
Phase 01: Initial Lockup (30%)
Allocated for infrastructure & engineering slots. Non-refundable once work commences.
Phase 02: Prototype Review (20%)
Released upon delivery of reviewable code/design. Non-refundable after review phase.
Phase 03: Live Deployment (50%)
Final payment for production handover. Only refundable if delivery fails technical specs.
Note: In all cases, project cancellation does not entitle the client to a return of deposit fees.
Billing Inquiries
For all billing-related questions and service enquiries: