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Legal Document
1.1 These terms govern your use of the Chores Away platform and your purchase of cleaning services through it. Read them before making a booking.
1.2 Chores Away is operated by CHORES AWAY LIMITED (NZBN 9429051748593, company number 9008588), registered at 1111/30 Beach Road, Auckland Central, Auckland ("Chores Away", "we", "us").
1.3 By creating an account or completing a booking through the Platform, you agree to these terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Platform.
1.4 These terms apply to all bookings made through the Chores Away website (www.choresaway.co.nz) and mobile application.
1.5 You must be 18 years or older to create a Customer account and make bookings.
"Chores Away" means CHORES AWAY LIMITED (NZBN 9429051748593, company number 9008588), registered at 1111/30 Beach Road, Auckland Central, Auckland.
"Check-in" means the geolocation-verified action a Partner takes on arriving at the service address to begin a Job.
"Check-out" means the action a Partner takes through the Platform to mark a Job as complete.
"Customer" means a person or organisation who creates an account and books services through the Platform.
"Job" means a confirmed booking for cleaning or related services placed through the Platform.
"Partner" means an independent contractor registered on the Platform to provide cleaning services.
"Platform" means the Chores Away website (www.choresaway.co.nz), mobile application (iOS and Android), and related systems used to facilitate bookings, communications, and payments.
"Job Price" means the total price charged to you for a Job as displayed at the time of booking, including GST.
3.1.1 To book a Job, you create an account, select a service type, provide your service address, choose a date and time, and confirm payment.
3.1.2 A booking is confirmed once you receive a booking confirmation from Chores Away. Until that confirmation is issued, no contract exists between you and Chores Away for that Job.
3.1.3 You select which Partner will perform your Job. The Platform shows available Partners ranked by rating (highest rated Partners are shown first). You may browse Partner profiles (including ratings, reviews, experience, and bio) before making your selection. You may also select a Partner first and then choose from that Partner's available time slots.
3.1.4 Chores Away may decline to accept a booking at its discretion. If a booking cannot be fulfilled, Chores Away will notify you and issue a full refund of any payment taken.
3.2.1 Chores Away offers residential and commercial cleaning services, including fixed-price and hourly options. Available services are listed on the Platform and may change from time to time.
3.2.2 Residential services include: The Essential Upkeep (regular clean), The Easy Move (end of tenancy/move), The Deep Detail (intensive deep clean), Tailored Standard Care (hourly standard), Bespoke Deep Care (hourly deep clean), and The Residence Assistant (premium housekeeping). Add-on tasks are also available.
3.2.3 Commercial services include: Workspace Care (standard commercial) and Detail by the Hour (intensive commercial deep clean).
3.2.4 Service descriptions, inclusions, and pricing are set out on the Platform. Chores Away may update service offerings at any time.
3.3.1 You must ensure the Partner has safe access to the property at the agreed time. This includes providing any access codes, keys, or entry instructions needed to start the Job.
3.3.2 If a Partner arrives at the property at the scheduled time but cannot access it because you did not provide the necessary access information or means (such as keys, entry codes, or instructions), the booking is treated as a cancellation with full charge. The full Job Price will be charged to your payment card and no refund is issued, consistent with clause 5.1.3. The Partner receives their full Service Fee for this cancelled booking.
3.3.3 Where access cannot be gained due to circumstances beyond your control (for example, a building access system failure that you were not aware of), contact Chores Away immediately through the Platform and we will assess the situation on a case-by-case basis.
3.4.1 You may set up recurring bookings for regular cleaning services. Recurring bookings continue until you cancel them through the Platform.
3.4.2 Chores Away may adjust the pricing for recurring bookings. You will receive at least 14 days' notice of any price change before it takes effect, and you may cancel the recurring booking before the new price applies if you do not accept the change.
3.5.1 The following tasks are outside the scope of all services offered through the Platform. Partners will not carry out these tasks under any booking, regardless of Customer request:
(a) moving, lifting, or carrying any single item weighing more than 15 kilograms, or any item of furniture regardless of weight;
(b) removing or handling hazardous materials, including asbestos, toxic chemicals, or any substance requiring specialist handling under New Zealand health and safety law;
(c) mould remediation beyond minor surface treatment with standard cleaning products;
(d) cleaning any area affected by an active pest infestation;
(e) cleaning, handling, or removing bodily fluids, human or animal waste, sharps (including needles and IV tubing), or any biohazardous material; and
(f) any task requiring a specialist trade qualification, including plumbing, electrical work, or working at height using scaffolding or ladders above a standard step-stool.
3.5.2 If a Partner arrives at a property and determines that a condition in clause 3.5.1 is present, the Partner may decline to carry out the affected task. Where that condition is the sole reason the service cannot be completed and you did not disclose it before the booking, Chores Away will assess whether a refund or credit is appropriate on a case-by-case basis. Your entitlement to a refund is reduced where the condition existed and was known to you at the time of booking.
3.5.3 Chores Away is not liable for any loss arising from a Partner declining to carry out a task that falls within clause 3.5.1.
4.1.1 All prices displayed on the Platform are in New Zealand dollars (NZD).
4.1.2 Prices for fixed-price services are shown at the time of booking. Prices for hourly services are shown as an hourly rate and the total will depend on the time taken.
4.1.3 Prices are displayed inclusive of GST (15%), unless the Platform expressly states otherwise at checkout.
4.1.4 There are no additional booking fees or platform charges to Customers. You pay the displayed Job Price only.
4.2.1 Payment is processed through Stripe, a third-party payment processor. Chores Away does not store your card details. Stripe handles all card data under PCI DSS standards.
4.2.2 No payment is charged at the time of booking. Approximately 48 hours before your scheduled Job, Chores Away will pre-authorise your card for the full Job Price to reserve the funds. Payment is captured (confirmed) after the Partner completes Check-out. Funds are held by Stripe on behalf of Chores Away and transferred to the Partner at the next weekly payout.
4.2.3 Stripe's terms of service and privacy policy apply to the processing of your payment. You can review Stripe's terms at https://stripe.com/nz/legal.
4.2.4 If Chores Away is unable to pre-authorise your card approximately 48 hours before the Job, Chores Away may contact you to update your payment details or cancel the booking.
4.3.1 Chores Away is registered for GST in New Zealand. GST at 15% is included in all prices displayed to Customers unless stated otherwise.
4.3.2 A GST-compliant receipt is available through your account after each completed Job.
4.4.1 If your payment fails, your booking may not be confirmed. Chores Away will notify you of a failed payment and give you the opportunity to provide updated payment details.
4.4.2 You are responsible for ensuring your payment details are current. Chores Away is not liable for losses arising from a failed booking due to a payment failure on your account.
5.1.1 Cancellation more than 24 hours before the scheduled start time: no charge. Any pre-authorisation on your card will be released.
5.1.2 Cancellation between 2 hours and 24 hours before the scheduled start time: 50% of the Job Price is charged to your payment card. No refund is issued. This charge is treated as a cancellation fee to compensate for the Partner's reserved time and Chores Away's administrative costs.
5.1.3 Cancellation less than 2 hours before the scheduled start time: the full Job Price is charged to your payment card and no refund is issued.
5.1.4 No cancellation charge applies where you cancel because of a confirmed error by Chores Away, including a booking made for the wrong service, wrong date, or wrong address due to a Platform fault.
5.1.5 To cancel a booking, log in to your account and cancel through the Platform at any time before the Job begins, or contact us through the Platform. These cancellation terms are consistent with and should be read alongside the Platform Terms of Use (clause 9).
5.2.1 Chores Away may cancel a booking if a Partner becomes unavailable due to illness, emergency, or circumstances outside Chores Away's control. Chores Away will notify you as soon as reasonably practicable and will offer you the option to: (a) select a different available Partner for the same date and time, (b) reschedule with the original Partner if available, or (c) cancel the booking. Any pre-authorisation on your card will be released and no charge will be made.
5.2.2 Chores Away may cancel or suspend access to bookings if your account is found to have breached these terms.
5.3.1 Where you cancel a booking before payment has been captured, no charge is made and any pre-authorisation is released. Where payment has already been captured (after Check-out), refunds are processed to your original payment method via Stripe.
5.3.2 Where a refund is due under these terms, the refund is processed to your original payment method within 10 business days. No refund is issued for cancellations made within 24 hours of the scheduled start time under clauses 5.1.2 and 5.1.3, except where Chores Away determines a refund is warranted following a service quality dispute under clause 11.
5.3.3 If a Job is incomplete or the service did not meet a reasonable standard, you may raise a dispute under clause 11. Chores Away will assess the complaint and may offer a partial or full refund at its discretion, subject to clause 8.
5.3.4 Nothing in this clause limits your rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.
5.3.5 Chores Away may offer an account credit in lieu of a cash refund at its discretion. Where you are otherwise entitled to a cash refund, accepting a credit is voluntary. Credits cannot be exchanged for cash and expire 12 months from the date of issue.
5.4.1 If a Partner does not arrive for a confirmed Job, Chores Away will contact you immediately and offer you the option to: (a) select a different available Partner for the same date and time, (b) reschedule with the original Partner or a different Partner, or (c) cancel the booking. Any pre-authorisation on your card will be released and no charge will be made.
6.1.1 You must provide accurate information when creating your account and keep your account details current.
6.1.2 You are responsible for all activity on your account. Keep your login credentials secure and notify Chores Away immediately through the Platform if you suspect unauthorised access.
6.1.3 You must not create more than one Customer account or create an account on behalf of another person without their authorisation.
6.2.1 You must treat Partners with respect. Behaviour that is abusive, threatening, discriminatory, or unsafe toward a Partner will result in suspension or termination of your account.
6.2.2 You must not contact, engage, or arrange services with any Partner outside the Platform if that Partner was introduced to you through Chores Away — whether through a completed Job, a booking attempt, or any other Platform interaction. You must not:
(a) contact a Partner you identified through the Platform to arrange a cleaning job directly;
(b) pay, or offer to pay, a Partner for services that were not booked through the Platform; or
(c) knowingly arrange or receive cleaning services from a Partner who is acting in breach of their obligations to Chores Away.
This obligation applies while your account is active and for 12 months after the date of your last booking with that Partner through the Platform. Attempting to circumvent Chores Away's booking system is a serious breach of these terms and may result in immediate suspension or permanent closure of your account. Chores Away also reserves the right to seek damages for loss arising from circumvention, including platform margin on services arranged outside the Platform. Any work arranged directly with a Partner is excluded from Chores Away's insurance coverage.
6.2.3 You must not make fraudulent, misleading, or exaggerated complaints about Partners or the services provided.
6.2.4 When selecting a Partner, your choice must be based on legitimate factors such as the Partner's rating, reviews, experience, availability, or previous service to you. You must not refuse to book a Partner, or select a Partner, on the basis of prohibited grounds of discrimination under the Human Rights Act 1993, including sex, marital status, religious belief, colour, race, ethnic or national origins, disability, age, political opinion, employment status, family status, or sexual orientation. Chores Away monitors selection patterns and reserves the right to investigate and address any pattern of selection or rejection that appears to be based on discriminatory grounds.
6.3.1 You must ensure the property is in a safe condition for the Partner to work in before the Job begins. This includes:
(a) securing all pets in a location where they cannot access the work area;
(b) disclosing all known hazards at the property, including mould, asbestos, unsafe flooring, or any structural risk;
(c) removing or clearly identifying any fragile or irreplaceable items in the work area, or communicating their location to Chores Away before the booking date;
(d) securing or storing valuables, including jewellery, cash, and sensitive documents, before the Partner's arrival; and
(e) ensuring any construction, renovation, or trades work at the property has been completed and all contractors have left before the scheduled Job start time.
6.3.2 You must not ask a Partner to perform tasks outside the scope of the booked service or outside the exclusions in clause 3.5, including heavy lifting, working at height, or handling biohazardous material.
6.3.3 If you are aware of any health or safety hazard at the property, you must inform Chores Away before the booking date.
6.3.4 A Partner may decline to start or continue a Job if, in their reasonable judgment, the working conditions present a genuine risk to their health or safety. This right is consistent with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. Where a Partner declines a Job for a safety reason attributable to your failure to comply with this clause, the full Job Price will be charged and no refund will be issued.
6.4.1 After each completed Job, you will be invited to leave a review. Reviews must be honest and relate to the actual service provided.
6.4.2 You must not post false, defamatory, or misleading reviews. Chores Away may remove reviews that breach this clause.
7.1.1 Chores Away is a marketplace operator. It facilitates bookings between Customers and Partners. Chores Away is not itself a cleaning business and does not employ the Partners who carry out your Job.
7.1.2 Partners are independent contractors. The cleaning services you receive are delivered by a Partner, not by Chores Away. Chores Away is responsible for the operation of the Platform and the standards it sets for Partners, but not for the acts or omissions of individual Partners except to the extent set out in these terms.
7.2.1 All Partners have undergone an identity and criminal record check before activation on the Platform. Criminal record results are confidential and are reviewed by Chores Away's operations team only. Results are never shared with Customers.
7.2.2 Chores Away applies a minimum 4.8/5.0 star performance standard across its Partner network. Partners who fall below acceptable standards may be removed from the Platform.
7.2.3 Vetting and performance monitoring reduce risk but cannot eliminate it entirely. Chores Away does not warrant that every Partner will meet your individual expectations on every occasion.
7.3.1 Chores Away will make reasonable efforts to keep the Platform available. The Platform may be unavailable at times due to scheduled maintenance or circumstances outside Chores Away's control. Chores Away will give reasonable notice of planned outages where practicable.
7.3.2 Chores Away is not liable for losses arising from Platform downtime except to the extent required by NZ law.
7.4.1 To the extent permitted by the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and the Fair Trading Act 1986, Chores Away's liability to you is limited to:
(a) resupply of the affected service; or
(b) a refund of the amount paid for the affected service.
7.4.2 Nothing in these terms limits or excludes any liability that cannot be excluded under New Zealand law, including the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.
7.4.3 Chores Away is not liable for:
(a) indirect or consequential loss;
(b) loss of profit, revenue, or anticipated savings; or
(c) any loss not reasonably foreseeable at the time of booking.
7.5.1 Scheduled arrival times displayed on the Platform are estimates only. Chores Away and Partners will use reasonable efforts to arrive within the scheduled window, but neither Chores Away nor a Partner is liable for delays caused by events outside their reasonable control, including traffic congestion, road incidents, adverse weather, a prior Job running longer than expected, vehicle breakdown, or any other event beyond their control.
7.5.2 Where a Partner will be significantly delayed, Chores Away will notify you through the Platform as soon as reasonably practicable.
8.1.1 Chores Away holds a Master Marketplace Insurance policy that covers Partners during platform-booked Jobs. This policy includes:
(a) Public Liability Insurance - $10,000,000 per occurrence, covering third-party bodily injury or accidental damage to property (other than the property being cleaned) arising from a Partner's actions during a Job.
(b) Property Being Worked On Insurance - $100,000 aggregate per policy year, covering accidental damage to the specific property or surface being cleaned during a Job.
8.1.2 Insurance coverage activates when the Partner presses Check-in (geolocation-verified at the service address) and terminates when the Partner presses Check-out.
8.1.3 Insurance does not cover:
(a) incidents that occur outside a booked, checked-in Job;
(b) work arranged directly with a Partner outside the Platform;
(c) intentional damage or gross negligence by a Partner;
(d) pre-existing damage that was not caused by the Partner; or
(e) personal injury to the Partner (the Partner's own personal injury is covered by the Partner's own ACC levies, not by this policy).
8.2.1 If you believe a Partner has caused damage to your property during a Job, contact Chores Away through the Platform as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any event within 24 hours of the Job's completion, consistent with the service quality reporting timeframe in the Platform Terms of Use (clause 9.4).
8.2.2 You must preserve evidence of the damage, including photographs taken before any remediation.
8.2.3 Chores Away will assess the claim and liaise with the insurer on your behalf. Chores Away does not guarantee any particular insurance outcome.
8.2.4 Chores Away also holds Cyber Liability cover (covering data breaches and system outages affecting Platform data) and Statutory Liability cover (covering unintentional breaches of NZ Acts of Parliament, including the Fair Trading Act 1986 and the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993). The limits for these covers are as specified in the current Master Policy schedule.
8.3.1 You are responsible for ensuring your property is in a safe condition before each Job. You must disclose known hazards, fragile items, or surfaces that require special care to Chores Away at the time of booking.
8.3.2 Chores Away and the Partner are not liable for damage to items or surfaces where you failed to disclose relevant information or where the damage arose from a pre-existing fault.
8.4.1 To the extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Chores Away, its directors, employees, and agents from and against any claim, liability, loss, damage, or expense (including reasonable legal costs) arising from:
(a) your breach of these terms;
(b) your failure to disclose a known hazard at the property resulting in injury to a Partner or damage to another person's property;
(c) false or misleading information you provided in your booking or account registration; or
(d) your wilful or negligent act or omission in connection with a Job.
8.4.2 This clause does not limit or reduce any rights you hold under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 or any other applicable New Zealand consumer law.
9.1.1 Chores Away collects the personal information you provide when creating an account and making bookings, including your name, email address, billing information, and service address.
9.1.2 Chores Away may also collect device information, usage data, and communications through the Platform for the purposes of operating, improving, and securing the Platform.
9.1.3 The Platform may optionally use your device's current location to suggest or pre-fill your service address. Chores Away does not track Customer location continuously or retain location data after the address has been provided.
9.2.1 Chores Away uses your information to:
(a) process bookings and payments;
(b) communicate with you about your Jobs;
(c) improve the Platform and our services;
(d) comply with legal obligations; and
(e) send you marketing communications where you have given consent.
9.2.2 Chores Away will not share your personal information with a Partner beyond what is necessary to complete your Job (for example, your service address and booking details).
9.2.3 Chores Away does not sell your personal data to third parties.
9.3.1 Your data is stored on servers hosted by Microsoft Azure in the Australia region. This means your data is processed outside New Zealand. Chores Away has taken steps to ensure this transfer complies with the NZ Privacy Act 2020, including the information privacy principles governing overseas disclosure.
9.3.2 Chores Away uses the following third-party services that may process your data:
(a) Stripe (United States) - payment processing;
(b) Google (United States) - address verification and mapping services;
(c) Twilio / SMSGlobal - communications (SMS and messaging);
(d) Microsoft Entra ID - authentication.
9.3.3 Your payment card details are processed directly by Stripe under PCI DSS standards. Chores Away does not store your raw card data.
9.4.1 Financial records related to your bookings are retained for a minimum of 7 years as required by the Tax Administration Act 1994.
9.4.2 Personal account data (non-financial information, including your profile, preferences, and address history) is deleted 2 years after account closure. Booking history and Platform communications are retained for 6 years from account closure, consistent with the Limitation Act 2010.
9.5.1 Under the NZ Privacy Act 2020, you have the right to:
(a) request access to the personal information Chores Away holds about you;
(b) request correction of any inaccurate information; and
(c) request deletion of your personal information, subject to Chores Away's legal retention obligations.
9.5.2 To exercise these rights, contact us through the Platform or see our Privacy Policy for the full process.
9.5.3 If you have a privacy concern that Chores Away cannot resolve, you may complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (www.privacy.org.nz).
9.6.1 Chores Away will only send you marketing communications if you have opted in. You may unsubscribe at any time by following the unsubscribe link in any marketing email or through the Platform settings.
9.6.2 Marketing communications comply with the NZ Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007.
10.1.1 All content on the Platform, including text, images, logos, software, and data, is owned by or licensed to Chores Away. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, or use any Platform content for commercial purposes without Chores Away's written permission.
10.2.1 When you submit a review, message, or other content through the Platform, you grant Chores Away a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use, display, and publish that content on the Platform and in Chores Away's marketing materials.
10.2.2 You retain ownership of content you submit. Chores Away will not sell your content to third parties.
10.2.3 You must not submit content that infringes any third party's intellectual property rights.
10.3.1 If you provide suggestions or feedback about the Platform, Chores Away may use that feedback without restriction or payment to you.
11.1.1 Contact Chores Away through the Platform with your complaint as soon as practicable. Service quality complaints (including damage to your property) must be raised within 24 hours of Job completion, consistent with the Platform Terms of Use (clause 9.4). All other complaints about the Platform, a booking, or a Partner should be raised within a reasonable time of the relevant event.
11.1.2 Provide as much detail as possible, including photos, dates, and your booking reference.
11.1.3 Chores Away will acknowledge your complaint within 2 business days and work with you to resolve it. We aim to provide an outcome within 10 business days of receiving full details of the complaint.
11.2.1 If Chores Away cannot resolve your complaint informally, the parties will attempt mediation before commencing formal proceedings, consistent with the Platform Terms of Use (clause 19). Mediation will be conducted by a mediator agreed between the parties, or if no agreement is reached within 10 days of either party requesting mediation, by a mediator appointed by the President of AMINZ (Arbitrators' and Mediators' Institute of New Zealand) under its then-current mediation rules.
11.2.2 If mediation does not resolve the dispute, you may refer it to the Disputes Tribunal (www.disputestribunal.govt.nz) for claims up to NZD 30,000, or to the District Court for larger claims.
11.2.3 Nothing in this clause prevents either party from seeking urgent relief from the New Zealand courts, or you from exercising any right under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 or Fair Trading Act 1986.
12.1 Chores Away may update these terms at any time. Updated terms will be posted on the Platform with the date of the change.
12.2 Chores Away will give you at least 14 days' notice of any material change to these terms, consistent with the Platform Terms of Use (clause 21).
12.3 Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date of updated terms constitutes acceptance of those terms.
12.4 If you do not accept updated terms, you must stop using the Platform and cancel any pending bookings. If prepaid bookings are affected, Chores Away will issue a refund.
13.1 These terms are governed by the laws of New Zealand.
13.2 Any dispute relating to these terms that is not resolved under clause 11 is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the New Zealand courts.
13.3 The Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 applies to services provided to you as a consumer. Nothing in these terms limits your rights under that Act.
14.1 Entire Agreement. These terms, together with the Platform Terms of Use, any booking confirmation, and the Chores Away Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Chores Away regarding use of the Platform.
14.2 Severability. If any provision of these terms is unenforceable, that provision is severed and the remaining terms continue in force.
14.3 No waiver. Chores Away's failure to enforce any provision of these terms on a particular occasion does not waive its right to enforce that provision on a future occasion.
14.4 Assignment. You may not assign your rights under these terms. Chores Away may assign its rights and obligations to a successor entity operating the same or substantially similar platform.
14.5 Contact. Questions about these terms may be directed to Chores Away through the in-app support system on the Platform at www.choresaway.co.nz.