Terms of Service

1. Agreement

These Terms are an agreement between you and handipay, the business that operates this Service. In these Terms, "handipay", "we", "us" and "our" all mean that business.

These Terms apply when you create an account, sign in, or use the Service. When you click continue on our sign up or sign in screen, you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

If you are paying an invoice or responding to a quote without an account, you do not need to accept these Terms. Section 7 and our Privacy Policy apply to you instead.

2. What handipay is

2.1 The Service

handipay is a payment and invoicing platform for Canadian tradespeople. The Service includes:

• Creating and sending invoices
• Creating and sending quotes that your customers can accept or decline online
• Accepting payments by credit card and Canadian pre-authorized bank debit
• Letting your customers add an optional tip when they pay
• Recording payments you receive outside handipay, such as cash (mark as paid)
• Handling refund requests and issuing refunds
• Managing customer information, jobs, and payment history
• Generating receipts and payment records
• Estimating sales tax on invoices and quotes
• Inviting team members to work in your account with different permission levels
• Exporting your invoice history
• Requesting deposits and splitting an invoice into scheduled payments; each payment is processed under these Terms when it is made, and our fees apply to each payment

We are improving handipay constantly, and features may change, be added, or be removed as the product evolves.

2.2 Our role

handipay is a software platform. We are not a bank, a deposit-taking institution, or a money services business, and we never hold your money. All payments are processed, and all funds are held and paid out, by our payment processor, Stripe. Funds in transit are held by Stripe, not by handipay, and are not insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation. handipay is not a party to the agreements between you and your customers, and we do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice.

2.3 Stripe agreements

Payment processing for merchants on handipay is provided by Stripe and is subject to the Stripe Connected Account Agreement, which includes the Stripe Services Agreement for Canada (together, the Stripe Agreements). By accepting payments through handipay you agree to the Stripe Agreements, as Stripe may update them from time to time. This is a condition of accepting payments through handipay. You authorize us to share your information, and information about your business and transactions, with Stripe for identity verification, risk, and compliance purposes, and to record the date, time, and IP address of your acceptance and provide that record to Stripe. You agree to give us and Stripe accurate, complete, and up-to-date information, and to respond promptly if Stripe asks for more. If your Stripe account is restricted or closed, your ability to accept payments through handipay may be suspended or end. Stripe is a third party beneficiary of these Terms and may enforce the sections that concern payment services.

3. Account registration

3.1 Eligibility

To register an account and use handipay as a merchant, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be a resident of Canada or operate a Canadian business
• Have the legal authority to enter into binding contracts
• Not be prohibited from using payment services under applicable law

By creating an account you confirm these things are true. We rely on them and can close accounts where they are not. People paying an invoice or responding to a quote do not need an account; Section 7 applies to them.

3.2 Account security

You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials
• All activities that occur under your account
• Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized access

3.3 Accurate information

You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and to update such information as necessary. We may suspend or terminate accounts with inaccurate information.

3.4 Teams

You can invite others to work in your merchant account and set their permission levels. You are responsible for everything done in your account by the people you invite, at the permission levels you give them. If you accept these Terms on behalf of a business, you confirm you have the authority to bind that business, and the business is bound.

4. Merchant accounts

4.1 Verification requirements

To accept payments, you must complete our merchant verification process, which includes providing:

• Personal identification information, such as your date of birth and home address
• Business registration details (if applicable)
• Bank account information for payouts
• Tax registration numbers (GST/HST, if registered)
• Any additional information Stripe requires to verify your identity, which can include your Social Insurance Number. Our Privacy Policy explains how this information is handled.

4.2 Prohibited activities

You may not use handipay for:

• Illegal goods or services
• Fraudulent or deceptive practices
• Money laundering or terrorist financing
• Adult content, gambling, or controlled substances
• Any business or activity on Stripe's Prohibited and Restricted Businesses list

4.3 Payout pauses and holds

Your funds are held by Stripe, not by handipay. If we reasonably believe there is fraud, a high risk of chargebacks, illegal activity, or a serious breach of these Terms, we may pause or delay your payouts, ask Stripe to hold a reserve, suspend your ability to accept payments, or close your account while we investigate. If we pause your payouts, we will tell you within 2 business days, explain what we need from you, and review the pause at least every 30 days, releasing it as soon as the risk is resolved. Separately, Stripe has its own right under its agreement with you to hold, reserve, delay, or reverse funds. Stripe makes those decisions independently, and we cannot override them.

4.4 Card network rules

When you accept card payments you agree to follow the rules of the card networks (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), including their rules on refunds, surcharges, and use of their names and logos. The networks can change their rules at any time. If a card network or Stripe fines or charges us because of your transactions or your violation of network rules, you are responsible for that amount, and Section 5.5 applies.

5. Payments and fees

5.1 How payments work

When a customer pays an invoice through handipay, Stripe processes the payment. You appoint us, and through us Stripe, to collect payments from your customers on your behalf. Once Stripe receives a customer's payment, that customer's obligation to pay you is satisfied for the amount received, even if the funds have not yet reached your bank account.

5.2 Fees

handipay charges a service fee on each invoice, currently 1 percent of the invoice subtotal unless we agree to a different rate with you in writing. An estimated payment processing fee, currently 2.9 percent plus 30 cents, also applies. Both fees are added to the invoice as separate line items and are paid by your customer on top of your prices. You see the fee amounts on each invoice you create, and your customer sees them before paying. The processing fee is set when the invoice is created, at standard card rates, whatever payment method your customer later uses; differences between the estimated fee and Stripe's actual processing cost are not reconciled. Our fees do not include sales taxes; where the law requires, we will add GST, HST, or QST to our fees. You are responsible for making sure that adding these fees to your customers' invoices is allowed for your business, including under card network rules and the consumer protection and price display laws of your customers' provinces. We may change our fees with at least 30 days notice by email, and changes apply only to invoices created after the change takes effect.

5.3 Payouts

Money your customers pay collects in your Stripe account and is held there for you until it is paid out. Before a payout can happen, you need to finish payout setup: connect a bank account and verify your identity with Stripe. Stripe runs that step and tells you what it needs from you.

Payouts do not run on a fixed automatic schedule. Payouts are sent when you request them from your Payouts page, and bank transfers typically arrive within 1 to 2 business days. Timing after you request a payout is controlled by Stripe and your bank, and payouts are subject to Stripe's payout policies. If we introduce automatic payout schedules, we will tell you by email and update these Terms.

Because your money is held for you until payout setup is finished, there are limits on how much you can collect before that point. When you reach one of those limits, we may pause the creation of new invoices, and we will tell you in the app what is needed to lift the limit. Invoices you have already sent stay payable, and money you have already collected stays yours.

5.4 Refunds and chargebacks

Refunds. Refunds are your decision, except where the law requires one. Customers with a handipay account can request a refund from the invoice page; other customers should contact you directly. When you refund a payment through handipay, we return our service fee on the refunded amount, but Stripe does not return its processing fee, so refunds have a cost to you. Refunded amounts, including any refunded tip, are deducted from your funds.

Chargebacks. If a cardholder disputes a payment, the invoice is marked disputed and we notify you so you can respond with evidence. The disputed amount may be deducted from your funds while the dispute is decided, and Stripe charges its own dispute fee, currently 15 Canadian dollars. handipay does not charge its own chargeback fee. If that ever changes, we will publish the amount and give you at least 30 days notice.

5.5 Amounts you owe us

If a payment you received is refunded, disputed, or reversed, if your Stripe balance goes negative, or if you owe us fees, fines, or other amounts under these Terms, you authorize us and Stripe to deduct those amounts from your Stripe balance or from your future payments. If there is not enough to cover it, you will pay us the shortfall within 30 days of our request.

5.6 Tips

If you turn tips on, customers can add an optional tip when they pay. Tips belong to you and are paid out with the rest of the payment. Our service fee percentage applies to the total amount the customer pays, including any tip. Refunds can include the tip. You are responsible for handling tips lawfully, including any rules about sharing tips with your employees.

5.7 Bank debit payments

If your customer pays by bank debit, the payment runs under Canadian pre-authorized debit rules. Your customer authorizes the debit through the mandate Stripe shows them on the payment page, and they can dispute an unauthorized debit through their own bank for up to 90 days. A disputed or returned bank debit is treated like a chargeback under Section 5.4.

5.8 Taxes

Tax amounts on invoices are estimates calculated automatically by a third party service (Stripe Tax), based on your customer's province and your business address. These estimates can be wrong or show as zero, for example when no province is on the invoice or the tax service is temporarily unavailable, so check the tax on every invoice before sending it. Tax amounts on quotes are always estimates and are recalculated when a quote becomes an invoice. You are solely responsible for confirming, charging, collecting, reporting, and remitting the correct taxes for your business. If you are registered for GST/HST or QST, you are responsible for making sure your registration number appears on your invoices and receipts and that tax is shown correctly. handipay does not provide tax advice and does not remit taxes for you.

6. Invoices and quotes

6.1 Invoice accuracy

You are responsible for making sure the invoices you create are accurate, describe the goods or services you actually provided, and comply with the laws that apply to your business. Once an invoice is issued it cannot be edited. To fix a mistake, void the invoice and issue a new one.

6.2 Quotes

A quote is an estimate you send to your customer. Your customer can accept or decline it online. Accepting a quote tells you your customer wants to go ahead; it is not a payment, and any contract formed by that acceptance is between you and your customer. handipay records the acceptance but is not a party to it. A quote can expire on the date you set. You can convert a sent or accepted quote into an invoice; the invoice is a new document, and the fees and tax on it are calculated when it is created.

6.3 Disputes with your customers

Disputes between you and your customers about invoiced amounts, quotes, or the underlying work are between you and them. handipay is not responsible for resolving those disputes, but Sections 5.4 and 7 still apply to the payments themselves.

7. If you are paying an invoice

This section is for people paying an invoice or responding to a quote through handipay. You do not need a handipay account, and the rest of these Terms do not apply to you except as this section says.

• The business that sent you the invoice or quote, not handipay, is selling you the goods or services and is responsible for them. handipay provides the payment page, and Stripe, our payment processor, processes your payment. Your card and bank details go directly to Stripe and never touch handipay's systems.
• The invoice total can include a service fee and a payment processing fee, shown as line items, and estimated tax. The amount shown before you confirm is the full amount you will pay.
• Once Stripe receives your payment, your payment obligation to the business is satisfied for the amount received.
• Tips are voluntary and go to the business.
• If you pay by bank debit, you authorize a pre-authorized debit under the mandate Stripe shows you, and you can dispute an unauthorized debit through your own bank for up to 90 days.
• We ask for your email address so we can send your receipt and payment updates. Our Privacy Policy explains how we handle it.
• Refunds come from the business, not from handipay. Ask the business first. If you have a handipay account you can request a refund from the invoice page, and you can contact us at support@handipay.ca if you need help reaching the business.
• Accepting a quote is not a payment and does not create a contract with handipay.
• Nothing in these Terms takes away rights you have under the consumer protection law of the place where you live, and you can always bring an eligible claim in the small claims court where you live.

8. Intellectual property and your content

The Service, including its design, features, and content, is owned by handipay and protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, distribute, or create derivative works without our express permission.

You keep ownership of the content you add to the Service, such as invoices, quotes, job records, business details, logos, photos, and customer records. You give us permission to host, copy, display, and share that content as needed to run the Service, for example showing your invoice and business name to the customer it is addressed to. This permission ends when the content is deleted, except for copies we must keep for legal or backup reasons.

9. Privacy

Your use of the Service is subject to our Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, and protect your personal information.

10. Disclaimers

The Service is provided as is and as available. To the extent the law allows, we do not promise that the Service will be uninterrupted or error free, that it will meet your specific requirements, or that any errors will be corrected, and we do not make implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. We do promise to handle personal information as described in our Privacy Policy and as the law requires. Nothing in this section limits rights you have under consumer protection laws that cannot be waived.

11. Limitation of liability

To the extent the law allows, handipay is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for lost profits, data, business opportunities, or goodwill. Our total liability to you for all claims combined is limited to the greater of (a) 100 Canadian dollars and (b) the fees handipay earned from transactions on your account in the 12 months before the event giving rise to the claim. These limits do not apply to your own funds held for you by Stripe, which remain yours less amounts you owe under these Terms. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for fraud, wilful misconduct, or gross negligence, and nothing limits rights you have under consumer protection laws that cannot be waived.

12. Indemnification

If someone else brings a claim against handipay (or our directors, officers, employees, or agents) because of (a) your breach of these Terms, (b) your invoices, quotes, goods, or services, (c) your violation of a law or of someone else's rights, or (d) a dispute between you and your customer, you will cover our resulting losses, damages, and reasonable legal costs. This does not apply to the extent the claim was caused by our own breach of these Terms, our negligence, or our wilful misconduct. We will notify you promptly of any such claim, will reasonably cooperate with you, and will not settle a claim on your behalf without your consent. We may choose to defend any claim at our own expense.

13. Termination

13.1 By you

You may close your account at any time by emailing us at support@handipay.ca from the email address on your account. Before your account closes, anything you owe us under Section 5.5 must be settled, and you can export your invoice records. Any remaining money in your Stripe account is handled under Section 13.3.

13.2 By us

We may suspend or terminate your account if you:

• Violate these Terms
• Engage in fraudulent or illegal activity
• Have excessive chargebacks or disputes
• Pose a risk to us, Stripe, or other users

We will provide notice of termination unless immediate action is required to prevent harm.

13.3 Effect of termination

When your account ends, your right to use the Service ends. Money in your Stripe account from your transactions will be paid out to your bank account under Stripe's rules within 30 days, after deducting anything you owe us under Section 5.5, unless a specific transaction is under investigation for fraud or is subject to an open dispute or refund. If we hold back a specific transaction, we will tell you which one and why, and release it as soon as the issue is resolved. The sections of these Terms that by their nature should continue survive termination, including Sections 5.5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13.3, 14, and 16.

14. Dispute resolution

14.1 Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to conflict of law principles.

14.2 Talk to us first

Before starting a court case, you agree to email us at support@handipay.ca describing the problem and to give us 30 days to try to resolve it. This step is not required where the law gives you the right to go directly to a court or a regulator.

14.3 Where disputes are decided

Any court case between us will be brought in the courts of Ontario, and both of us accept the jurisdiction of those courts. Two exceptions: (1) either of us may bring an eligible claim in the small claims court where you live or carry on business; and (2) if the law of your province gives you a right to sue where you live and that right cannot be waived, that right is not affected.

15. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms. If a change is material, we will email you and show a notice in the app at least 30 days before it takes effect, telling you what is changing and when. If you do not agree, you may close your account before the change takes effect. Changes do not apply to a dispute that arose before their effective date. If you live in Quebec, we will give any additional notice your law requires, and you may refuse the change and close your account without penalty within the time your law allows. Changes to our fees follow Section 5.2.

16. General provisions

• Entire agreement: These Terms and, for merchants accepting payments, the Stripe Agreements are the whole agreement between you and handipay about the Service. Our Privacy Policy explains how we handle personal information; it is a notice about our practices, not a set of contract terms, and if it conflicts with these Terms, these Terms govern.
• Severability: If any provision is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in effect.
• Waiver: Failure to enforce any provision does not waive our right to enforce it later.
• Assignment: You may not transfer your account or these Terms to someone else without our written consent, which we will not unreasonably refuse for a sale of your business. We may assign these Terms to an affiliate or to a successor of our business.
• Electronic documents: You agree that we may provide agreements, invoices, receipts, notices, and other records electronically, and that electronic records and electronic acceptance satisfy any legal requirement for writing or signature.
• Notices: We send legal notices to the email address on your account or by a notice in the app. Keep your email address current; a notice sent to the address on file counts even if you do not read it, and email notices count as received one business day after sending. You can send us legal notices at support@handipay.ca.
• Events outside our control: We are not responsible for delays or failures caused by events beyond our reasonable control, such as internet or power outages, strikes, natural disasters, government action, or failures of Stripe, banks, or card networks. We will work to restore the Service as quickly as we reasonably can.
• Currency: All amounts on the platform are in Canadian dollars unless clearly labelled otherwise.
• Relationship: These Terms do not make us partners, and neither of us is the other's agent, except for the limited payment collection role described in Section 5.1.
• Your legal rights: Some provinces give consumers rights that cannot be taken away by contract. Nothing in these Terms limits those rights.

17. Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact us: