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Legal Document
Chores Away Limited (trading as Chores Away) NZBN 9429051748593 | 1111/30 Beach Road, Auckland Central, Auckland www.choresaway.co.nz | legal@choresaway.co.nz
These Terms of Use govern your access to and use of the Chores Away platform, including our website at www.choresaway.co.nz and our mobile application (together, the "Platform"). By creating an account or using the Platform, you agree to these terms. If you do not agree, you must not use the Platform.
These terms apply to all users: Customers who book cleaning services and Partners who provide cleaning services through the Platform.
Key Rules at a Glance
Topic Key rule Who we are A marketplace operator -- not a cleaning business, not an employer Payment No charge at booking. Card pre-authorised 48 hours before your Job; captured after Check-out. Cancellation Free if you cancel more than 24 hours before your Job; 50% charge between 2-24 hours; full charge less than 2 hours before Insurance Active from Partner Check-in to Check-out on every platform-booked Job Partners Independent contractors -- vetted, not employed by Chores Away Non-circumvention Neither Customers nor Partners may arrange work directly with each other if introduced through Chores Away. Applies for 12 months after the last booking between them. Governing law New Zealand
"Chores Away" means Chores Away Limited (trading as Chores Away), NZBN 9429051748593.
"Platform" means the Chores Away website at www.choresaway.co.nz, the Chores Away mobile application (iOS and Android), and any related technology services operated by Chores Away.
"Customer" means a person or organisation who creates an account on the Platform to book cleaning services.
"Partner" means an independent contractor registered on the Platform to provide cleaning services to Customers.
"Job" means a confirmed booking for cleaning services made through the Platform.
"Check-in" means the geolocation-verified action taken by a Partner on arrival at a Job address, which activates insurance coverage for that Job.
"Check-out" means the action taken by a Partner to mark a Job as complete, which terminates insurance coverage for that Job.
"Service Fee" means the amount payable to a Partner on completion of a Job, as set by Chores Away.
"Wallet" means the in-app account recording a Partner's earned Service Fees pending weekly payout.
"Content" means any text, images, reviews, ratings, messages, or other material submitted to the Platform by any user.
2.1 By creating an account on the Platform, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.
2.2 If you are registering on behalf of a company or other legal entity, you confirm that you have authority to bind that entity to these terms.
2.3 These terms form a binding agreement between you and Chores Away. We may ask you to reconfirm acceptance if we make material changes to these terms.
3.1 You must be at least 18 years of age to create a Customer account.
3.2 Partners must meet the onboarding requirements set out in section 10.
3.3 By creating an account, you confirm that the information you provide is accurate, complete, and current. You must keep your account information up to date.
3.4 Chores Away may refuse to create an account, or suspend or close an existing account, if we reasonably believe you do not meet the eligibility requirements or have provided false information.
4.1 Your account is personal to you. You must not share your login credentials with any other person.
4.2 You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account. If you become aware of any unauthorised access to your account, contact us immediately through the Platform.
4.3 Authentication on the Platform is handled through Microsoft Entra ID. Chores Away does not store your raw password.
4.4 Chores Away is not liable for any loss resulting from unauthorised use of your account where you have failed to keep your credentials secure.
5.1 What Chores Away does. Chores Away operates a marketplace that connects Customers seeking cleaning services with Partners who provide those services. Chores Away is the platform operator. We are not a cleaning company and we are not the employer or principal of any Partner.
5.2 Relationship between Customers and Partners. Each Job creates a service arrangement between the Customer and the Partner. Chores Away's role is to enable that arrangement by providing the booking system, handling payment collection and distribution, and supplying the tools and systems that support service delivery.
5.3 Independent contractors. Partners are independent contractors. They are not employees, agents, or representatives of Chores Away. Chores Away does not direct how Partners perform their cleaning work.
5.4 No guarantee of availability. Chores Away does not guarantee that a Partner will be available for any particular time or location. Partner availability is set and managed by Partners themselves.
6.1 The Platform offers the following categories of cleaning service:
(a) Residential - Fixed Price: The Essential Upkeep (standard regular clean), The Easy Move (end of tenancy / move-in / move-out clean), and The Deep Detail (intensive seasonal deep clean).
(b) Residential - Hourly: Tailored Standard Care (flexible standard cleaning), Bespoke Deep Care (intensive deep cleaning), and The Residence Assistant (premium housekeeping including laundry, beds, dishes, and tidying).
(c) Commercial - Hourly: Workspace Care (standard commercial cleaning) and Detail by the Hour (intensive commercial deep cleaning).
(d) Add-ons: Task-based additions at guaranteed task rates, including kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, outdoor, windows, walls and ceiling, and laundry tasks.
6.2 Service descriptions and pricing are set and displayed by Chores Away at the time of booking. Prices include GST at 15% unless otherwise stated.
6.3 Chores Away may add, modify, or remove services or service categories on reasonable notice.
6.4 Partners are not required to carry out the following tasks under any booking, regardless of Customer request: moving or lifting any item over 15 kilograms or any item of furniture; removing hazardous materials (including asbestos or toxic chemicals); extensive mould remediation; cleaning areas affected by pest infestations; cleaning, handling, or removing bodily fluids, animal waste, sharps, or other biohazardous material; or any task requiring a specialist trade qualification. The full list of scope exclusions is set out in the Customer Terms of Service (clause 3.5) and the Independent Contractor Agreement (clause 5.4).
7.1 To book a Job, a Customer selects the required service, provides the service address and a preferred time, and registers a payment card through the Platform.
7.2 A booking is confirmed when Chores Away sends a booking confirmation. Requests that have not been confirmed do not constitute a contract.
7.3 Customers select which Partner will perform their Job. The Platform displays available Partners ranked by rating. Customers may browse Partner profiles, ratings, reviews, and availability before selecting. Customers may select a date and time to see available Partners, or select a Partner and choose from that Partner's available time slots.
7.4 Chores Away reserves the right to reschedule or cancel a Job if no Partner is available, and will notify the Customer promptly. Any pre-authorisation on the Customer's card will be released and no charge will be made in that circumstance.
8.1 Job prices are set and displayed by Chores Away. All prices are in NZD and include GST at 15% unless stated otherwise.
8.2 No charge is made at the time of booking. The Customer's payment card details are registered securely through Stripe Connect, our payment processor. Chores Away never stores raw card data. Payment card handling is managed by Stripe, which is PCI DSS compliant.
8.3 Approximately 48 hours before the scheduled service start time, Chores Away pre-authorises the Customer's card for the full job amount. This reserves the funds but does not constitute a charge. Payment is captured (confirmed) after the Partner completes Check-out on the Job. Once captured, funds are held by Stripe on behalf of Chores Away and credited to the Partner's Wallet for the next weekly bank transfer.
8.4 Chores Away is GST-registered. GST at 15% applies to services supplied through the Platform. Each Partner is independently responsible for their own GST obligations based on their individual turnover.
8.5 The displayed job price is the total amount payable. No booking fees or platform fees are added at checkout. Prices may vary by service type, time of day, or date - for example, different rates may apply on public holidays or for after-hours bookings. Any such variation is reflected in the price shown to the Customer before they confirm the booking. No additional charge is applied after confirmation.
9.1 Customers may cancel a booking through the Platform at any time before the Job begins. The following terms apply:
(a) Cancellation more than 24 hours before the scheduled start time: no charge. Any pre-authorisation on the Customer's card will be released.
(b) Cancellation between 2 hours and 24 hours before the scheduled start time: 50% of the Job Price is charged to the Customer's payment card. The charge is GST-inclusive at 15%. No refund is issued. This cancellation fee compensates the Partner for reserved time and Chores Away for administrative costs (see the Independent Contractor Agreement, clause 8.1A).
(c) Cancellation less than 2 hours before the scheduled start time: the full Job Price is charged to the Customer's payment card. The charge is GST-inclusive at 15%. No refund is issued. The Partner receives their full Service Fee from this amount (see the Independent Contractor Agreement, clause 8.1A).
(d) If Chores Away or a Partner cancels a confirmed Job, no charge is made to the Customer. Any pre-authorisation is released immediately. Chores Away will offer the Customer the option to: (i) select a different available Partner for the same date and time, (ii) reschedule with the original Partner if available, or (iii) cancel the booking with no charge.
(e) Notwithstanding clauses 9.1(b) and 9.1(c), no cancellation charge applies where the Customer cancels 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. In that case, any pre-authorisation is released and no charge is made.
9.1A No-Access Charge
If a Partner arrives at the scheduled time and location but cannot access the property because the Customer did not provide the necessary access information or means (such as keys, entry codes, or instructions), the full Job Price is charged to the Customer's payment card. No refund is issued. The Partner receives their full Service Fee for this cancelled booking, consistent with clause 9.1(c). Where access cannot be gained due to circumstances beyond the Customer's control, Chores Away will assess the situation on a case-by-case basis.
9.2 Where a charge has been made and a refund is due under these terms, the refund will be processed to the Customer's original payment method within 10 business days. No refund is issued for cancellations made within 24 hours of the scheduled start time under clauses 9.1(b) and 9.1(c), except where a service quality dispute under clause 9.4 is upheld and Chores Away determines that a refund is the appropriate remedy.
9.3 Chores Away may offer account credits in lieu of refunds at its discretion. Where a Customer is otherwise entitled to a cash refund under these terms, acceptance of a credit is voluntary. Account credits cannot be exchanged for cash and expire 12 months after the date of issue.
9.4 If a Customer is dissatisfied with a completed service, the Customer must contact Chores Away within 24 hours of Job completion through the Platform. We will assess the complaint and may arrange a re-clean, partial refund, or credit at our discretion.
10.1 Persons applying to become Partners must complete the following requirements before being activated on the Platform:
(a) Obtain a completed NZ criminal record check and upload the resulting documentation to the Platform. Chores Away recommends Veritas Check (veritascheck.co.nz) for this purpose. Partners may instead use any equivalent NZ police vetting provider. The cost of the check is set by the chosen vetting provider and is paid by the applicant.
(b) Provide valid identity documents (NZ Driver Licence or Passport).
(c) Complete Stripe identity verification before receiving any payout.
(d) Attend a virtual onboarding session (approximately 30 minutes).
10.2 Criminal record check results are reviewed solely by the Chores Away Operations Manager and are never shared with Customers. Documents are handled in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020 and our Privacy Policy.
10.3 Chores Away reserves the right to decline an application without providing reasons.
11.1 Partners using the Platform agree to:
(a) Comply with all applicable NZ laws, including the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 while on client premises.
(b) Attend Jobs on time and perform cleaning services to a professional standard.
(c) Supply all cleaning equipment and products required for the Job.
(d) Use the Check-in function on arrival and the Check-out function on completion of each Job.
(e) Keep their availability calendar accurate and up to date.
(f) Meet their own tax obligations with IRD, including filing income tax returns and paying their own ACC levies.
(g) Not solicit, arrange, or perform work for Customers they have met through the Platform outside of the Platform (see also section 14).
11.2 Partners may work on other platforms or directly with clients they have not met through Chores Away.
11.3 Full obligations applying to Partners, including the Code of Conduct and Payment Terms schedules, are set out in the Independent Contractor Agreement, which every Partner must sign before their first Job.
11.4 Partners have the right to decline to start or continue a Job if, in their reasonable judgment, the working conditions present a genuine risk to their health or safety that cannot be managed by ordinary precaution. This right is consistent with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. Where a Partner exercises this right, they must notify Chores Away promptly through the Platform.
12.1 Customers using the Platform agree to:
(a) Provide a safe working environment for Partners before the Job begins. This includes: securing all pets; disclosing known hazards (including mould, asbestos, and unsafe flooring); securing valuables before the Partner's arrival; removing or identifying fragile items in the work area; and ensuring any ongoing construction or trades work is completed before the Partner arrives.
(b) Provide accurate booking information, including the correct service address and access details.
(c) Not be abusive, threatening, or harassing toward Partners.
(d) Not contact, engage, or arrange services with any Partner outside the Platform if that Partner was introduced through Chores Away. See clause 14.3.
(e) Not submit false or misleading reviews or ratings.
12.2 Chores Away may suspend or terminate a Customer account for breach of these obligations.
13.1 After each completed Job, both Customers and Partners are invited to rate and review each other. All reviews are subject to the standards in this section.
13.2 Reviews must:
(a) Reflect the reviewer's genuine experience of the Job.
(b) Not contain personal insults, threats, or discriminatory language.
(c) Not include personal contact details such as phone numbers, email addresses, or social media handles.
(d) Not contain advertising or promotional content.
13.3 Chores Away may remove a review that breaches these standards without notice. We will not remove a review solely because it is negative.
13.4 Chores Away monitors Partner ratings as part of its quality standards. Where a Partner receives a rating below 3.0 on any Job, the Chores Away Operations Manager may reach out to discuss service quality. This is a support process, not a disciplinary measure, and Job rejection by a Partner carries no punitive consequence.
13.5 Partners on the Platform are expected to maintain a 4.8 out of 5.0 star average over time. A performance-based bonus, proportional to rating and punctuality, may apply. Details are in the Independent Contractor Agreement.
13.6 Reviews and ratings are personal data under the Privacy Act 2020 and are handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
14.1 You must not use the Platform in any way that:
(a) Is unlawful, deceptive, or fraudulent.
(b) Infringes the rights (including intellectual property or privacy rights) of any other person.
(c) Introduces malware, viruses, or other harmful code to the Platform or its systems.
(d) Attempts to gain unauthorised access to any system, account, or data connected to the Platform.
(e) Scrapes, copies, or harvests data from the Platform without our prior written permission.
(f) Uses automated tools, bots, or scripts to interact with the Platform in a way not intended for normal user access.
(g) Impersonates another person or entity.
(h) Sends unsolicited commercial messages in breach of the NZ Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007.
(i) Engages in any conduct that Chores Away reasonably considers harmful to the Platform, its users, or its reputation.
14.2 Chores Away may suspend or terminate access to the Platform for any breach of this section without prior notice where we consider it necessary to protect the Platform or other users.
14.3 Non-Circumvention. Neither Customers nor Partners may arrange, accept, or carry out cleaning or related services directly between themselves if they were first introduced through Chores Away, other than through the Platform booking system. Customers must not contact or engage a Partner they identified through the Platform to arrange direct work. Partners must not solicit, accept, or carry out work for any Customer they were introduced to through the Platform, outside a confirmed Platform booking. These obligations apply while a user's account is active and for 12 months after the last booking between that Customer and Partner through the Platform. Nothing in this clause prevents a Partner from working for clients they had an established independent relationship with before those clients joined the Platform. A breach of this clause is grounds for account suspension or termination under section 20 and may result in a damages claim by Chores Away, including loss of platform margin on any work performed in breach. Work performed outside the Platform is excluded from Chores Away's insurance coverage under clause 16.5.
15.1 All intellectual property in the Platform, including its software, design, trade marks, and content created by Chores Away, is owned by or licensed to Chores Away. You may not copy, reproduce, modify, distribute, or create derivative works from any part of the Platform without our prior written consent.
15.2 The "Chores Away" name and logo are trade marks of Chores Away Limited. Nothing in these terms grants you a licence to use our trade marks.
15.3 By submitting Content to the Platform (including reviews, messages, and profile information), you grant Chores Away a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use, store, display, and distribute that Content for the purpose of operating and improving the Platform.
15.4 You retain ownership of Content you submit. By submitting Content, you confirm that you have the right to do so and that the Content does not infringe any third party's rights.
15.5 Customer reviews submitted through the Platform are owned by the Customer who wrote them. By submitting a review, the Customer grants Chores Away a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to display, publish, and use that review on the Platform and in Chores Away's marketing materials. Chores Away may moderate or remove reviews that breach these terms. Partners may not claim ownership of reviews written about them.
15.6 If you believe that any content on the Platform infringes your intellectual property rights, contact us at legal@choresaway.co.nz with details of the alleged infringement.
15.7 Subject to these terms, Chores Away grants you a limited, personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and revocable licence to access and use the Platform for the purpose of booking or providing cleaning services as described in these terms. You may not copy, modify, distribute, sublicense, or commercially exploit any part of the Platform. You may not reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to extract the source code of any Platform software. This licence terminates immediately if your account is suspended or closed.
16.1 Chores Away holds a Master Marketplace Insurance policy that covers Partners on platform-booked Jobs. Partners are not required to hold their own individual public liability insurance.
16.2 Coverage activates when a Partner presses the Check-in button (geolocation-verified against the Job address) and terminates when the Partner presses the Check-out button.
16.3 The Master Public Liability policy covers third-party bodily injury or collateral property damage arising during a Job, up to $10,000,000 per occurrence.
16.4 A separate Property Being Worked On policy covers damage to the specific surface or item being cleaned or serviced during a Job, up to $100,000 aggregate per policy year across all Partners. Where a Partner is found to be at fault, Chores Away reserves the right to recover any applicable insurance excess or deductible from that Partner. Repeated or reckless damage may result in termination of a Partner's access to the Platform.
16.5 Insurance coverage does not apply to:
(a) Incidents occurring outside a booked, checked-in Job.
(b) Work arranged or performed off-platform or under any side arrangement between a Customer and Partner.
(c) Partner personal injury (Partners hold their own ACC accounts and are responsible for their own ACC levies).
(d) Travel to or from a Job address.
(e) Partner equipment or tools.
(f) Gross negligence or intentional damage.
16.6 Insurance claims arising from a Job must be reported to Chores Away within 24 hours of the incident through the Platform.
17.1 The Platform is provided on an "as available" basis. Chores Away does not guarantee that the Platform will be available at all times or free from errors or interruptions.
17.2 Chores Away is not a party to the service arrangement between a Customer and a Partner and is not responsible for the quality of services performed by a Partner, except to the extent that our own acts or omissions cause loss.
17.3 To the extent permitted by law, Chores Away's total liability to you for any claim arising from your use of the Platform is limited to the amount you paid to Chores Away in the three months before the event giving rise to the claim.
17.4 Nothing in these terms limits or excludes any liability that cannot be excluded under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, the Fair Trading Act 1986, or any other applicable NZ law.
17.5 Chores Away is not liable for any indirect or consequential loss, loss of profit, or loss of data arising from use of the Platform, except where such exclusion is not permitted by law.
17.6 To the extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Chores Away, its directors, and agents from and against any claim, liability, loss, or expense (including reasonable legal costs) arising from: your breach of these terms; your provision of false or misleading information when registering or making a booking; or your wilful or negligent conduct in connection with a Job. This indemnity does not reduce any rights you hold under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.
18.1 Chores Away collects and handles personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020 and our Privacy Policy, available at www.choresaway.co.nz/privacy.
18.2 By using the Platform, you consent to the collection and use of your personal information as described in the Privacy Policy.
18.3 Our Privacy Policy forms part of these terms and applies to all users.
19.1 If you have a complaint about the Platform or a Job, contact us through the Platform. We aim to acknowledge complaints within 2 business days and work with you to resolve the matter.
19.2 If we cannot resolve your complaint informally within a reasonable period, we will attempt to resolve the dispute through mediation before either party commences proceedings.
19.3 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.
19.4 Nothing in this section prevents either party from seeking urgent interlocutory relief from the New Zealand courts.
19.5 These terms and any dispute or claim arising from them are governed by New Zealand law. The parties submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the New Zealand courts.
20.1 You may close your account at any time through the Platform.
20.2 Chores Away may suspend or terminate your access to the Platform if:
(a) You breach these terms and (where the breach is capable of remedy) you do not remedy it within a reasonable period after notice from us.
(b) We are required to do so by law or a regulatory authority.
(c) Continued access would pose a risk to other users or the integrity of the Platform.
(d) You have provided false or misleading information when registering or using the Platform.
20.3 On termination:
(a) Customers will be refunded for any Jobs not yet completed, less amounts already paid to Partners for work performed.
(b) Partners will receive any Service Fees earned for completed Jobs at the next scheduled weekly payout.
(c) Your right to access the Platform ceases immediately on termination.
20.4 Termination of your account does not affect any rights or obligations that arose before termination.
21.1 Chores Away may update these terms from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by email or by a notification on the Platform at least 14 days before the changes take effect.
21.2 Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.
21.3 If you do not agree to updated terms, you must stop using the Platform and close your account before the changes take effect.
22.1 Entire agreement. These terms, together with the Privacy Policy and (for Partners) the Independent Contractor Agreement, are the entire agreement between you and Chores Away regarding your use of the Platform. They replace all prior representations, discussions, and arrangements.
22.2 Severability. If any provision of these terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, that provision is to be read down or severed to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions continue in full force.
22.3 No waiver. Failure by Chores Away to enforce any provision of these terms does not constitute a waiver of the right to enforce it at a later time.
22.4 Assignment. You may not transfer your rights or obligations under these terms to any other person without our prior written consent. Chores Away may transfer or assign these terms to a successor entity or in connection with a sale or restructure of the business, on reasonable notice to you.
22.5 Governing law. These terms are governed by the laws of New Zealand. The parties submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the New Zealand courts.
22.6 Contact. Formal notices and correspondence regarding these terms should be directed to:
Chores Away Limited 1111/30 Beach Road, Auckland Central, Auckland legal@choresaway.co.nz www.choresaway.co.nz