Terms & Conditions

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using The Salon Hub ("the Platform"), operated by THE HUB COLLECTIVE LTD, a company registered in England and Wales, you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use our services.

2. Description of Service

The Salon Hub is a UK B2B marketplace connecting beauty salons, suppliers, and professionals. We provide:

• A directory of verified suppliers for the UK tanning and beauty salon industry
• A directory for beauty professionals seeking employment opportunities
• 91 educational compliance guides with interactive quizzes
• Job listings and recruitment services
• Insurance quote facilitation through Oak Insurance Brokers (FCA-regulated)
• Industry news aggregation
• Points-based rewards and gamification system
• Community Q&A forum (Connect)

3. User Accounts

3.1 Registration & User Types

The Salon Hub serves three types of users:

• Salons (FREE): Beauty salon owners and managers - full access to supplier directory, guides, jobs, and community features at no cost
• Professionals (FREE): Beauty industry workers (stylists, therapists, technicians) - browse jobs, build profiles, apply for positions, and access all educational content at no cost
• Suppliers (PAID): Businesses providing products/services to salons - subscription required to appear in directory (see Section 5.3 for pricing)

All users must:

• Provide accurate and complete information during registration
• Maintain the confidentiality of their account credentials
• Update their information if business or personal details change

3.2 Supplier Account Activation

• All supplier accounts are subject to admin approval before activation
• Approval typically takes 1-2 business days
• Once approved, suppliers must subscribe to appear in the directory (see Section 5.3)
• We reserve the right to reject any application without explanation

3.3 Account Termination

• You may delete your account at any time
• We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms
• Supplier subscriptions are non-refundable upon termination

4. Acceptable Use Policy

You agree NOT to:

• Post false, misleading, or fraudulent information
• Impersonate another business or individual
• Upload harmful content (viruses, malware, etc.)
• Harass, abuse, or threaten other users
• Scrape or copy content without permission
• Use the platform for illegal activities
• Spam other users with unsolicited communications
• Post offensive, discriminatory, or inappropriate content

Violation of this policy may result in immediate account termination.

5. Supplier Listings

5.1 Listing Requirements

• Suppliers must be legitimate, registered UK businesses
• All information provided must be accurate and up-to-date
• Suppliers must update their listing if business details change
• Listings are subject to approval and verification by admin

5.2 Verification Badge

• The "Verified" badge is awarded at admin discretion
• Verification indicates the supplier is legitimate and established
• Verification can be revoked if circumstances change

5.3 Subscription & Payment

Suppliers must choose one of the following subscription plans:

• Basic Plan - £14.99/month: Standard directory listing with contact details and business description
• Premium Plan - £35/month: Enhanced listing with analytics dashboard, featured badge, priority placement, and newsletter features

• Payment is required to appear in the supplier directory
• Subscriptions renew automatically monthly
• Payments are non-refundable
• You can upgrade from Basic to Premium or cancel at any time via your dashboard

5.4 Failed Payments & Cancellation

We operate a fair payment policy with multiple retry attempts:

• Failed Payment: If your monthly payment fails, we will notify you by email with instructions to update your payment method
• Payment Retry Schedule: We will automatically retry your payment twice - once after 1 day, and again after 7 days
• Grace Period: Your listing remains visible during the retry period (approximately 8 days) while we attempt to collect payment
• Cancellation: If all retry attempts fail after 15 days, your subscription will be cancelled and your listing removed from the directory
• Reactivation: To restore your listing after cancellation, you must subscribe again via your dashboard
• Data Retention: Your account and listing data will be retained for 30 days after cancellation, allowing easy reactivation

6. Directory Boosts

All user types (Suppliers, Salons, and Professionals) can purchase directory boosts for enhanced visibility:

6.1 Featured Listing

• Displays your listing in a special "Featured" section with an orange star badge
• Pricing: £8/week or £25/month
• Available as one-time purchase or auto-renewing subscription

6.2 Top Placement

• Pins your listing at the absolute top of all directory searches with a gold crown badge
• Pricing: £15/week or £50/month
• Available as one-time purchase or auto-renewing subscription

6.3 Boost Terms

• Boosts activate immediately upon successful payment
• Boost durations are calculated from the purchase date
• Auto-renewing subscriptions can be cancelled at any time via your dashboard
• Boost payments are non-refundable once activated
• We reserve the right to remove boosts from listings that violate our terms
• Boosts can also be earned for free through our points system

7. Refund Policy

We want you to be satisfied with our services. Please read our refund policy carefully:

7.1 General Policy

• Subscription payments are generally non-refundable
• Boost purchases are non-refundable once activated
• You may cancel your subscription at any time and continue to access services until the end of your paid period

7.2 Cooling Off Period (First-Time Subscribers)

In accordance with UK Consumer Contracts Regulations:

• First-time subscribers may request a full refund within 14 days of their initial subscription purchase
• This cooling off period applies only to your first subscription payment
• To request a refund, contact us at support@salonhub.co.uk within 14 days of purchase
• Refunds will be processed within 14 days of approval
• This right does not apply to renewals or subsequent payments

7.3 Exceptions

We may issue refunds at our discretion in the following circumstances:

• Technical Issues: If our platform experiences significant downtime or errors preventing you from using the service
• Duplicate Payments: If you are accidentally charged twice for the same service
• Billing Errors: If you are charged an incorrect amount

7.4 How to Request a Refund

• Email us at support@salonhub.co.uk with your account details and reason for the refund request
• Include your registered email address and the date of the payment
• We will review your request and respond within 5 business days
• Approved refunds are processed to your original payment method

7.5 Chargebacks

If you dispute a charge with your bank or card provider without first contacting us, we reserve the right to suspend your account pending resolution. Please contact us directly to resolve any billing concerns.

8. Job Postings

• Job postings must be genuine employment opportunities
• Jobs must comply with UK employment law
• We do not verify job postings or employers
• We are not responsible for disputes between employers and applicants
• Discriminatory job postings are strictly prohibited

9. Content and Intellectual Property

9.1 Your Content

• You retain ownership of content you post (listings, job posts, etc.)
• You grant us a license to display and distribute your content on the Platform
• You confirm you have the rights to post your content

9.2 Our Content

• The Salon Hub name, logo, and branding are our intellectual property
• Compliance guides and platform content are protected by copyright
• You may not reproduce our content without permission

10. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

10.1 No Warranties

The Platform is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. We do not guarantee:

• Uninterrupted or error-free service
• Accuracy of user-submitted content
• Availability of specific suppliers or jobs
• Business outcomes from using the Platform

9.2 Educational Guides and Quizzes

IMPORTANT: The educational guides and quizzes provided on The Salon Hub are:

• NOT official training courses - They are informal learning resources only
• NOT accredited qualifications - Completing guides or quizzes does not certify you professionally
• NOT a substitute for proper training - You must undertake appropriate accredited courses for professional qualifications
• For information and entertainment only - The quizzes are designed as a fun way to test general knowledge
• NOT comprehensive or exhaustive - They provide general guidance, not complete regulatory compliance

The points, badges, and certificates earned through our gamification system are internal rewards only and hold no professional, legal, or regulatory value. They cannot be used as evidence of formal training or qualification. Always ensure you and your staff complete appropriate, accredited training courses from recognised providers for your industry.

9.3 Not Professional Advice

• Compliance guides are for informational purposes only - NOT legal advice
• Insurance quotes are facilitated, not provided by us
• We are not regulated insurance advisors or legal professionals
• Always consult qualified professionals for legal, financial, or regulatory matters

9.4 Third-Party Services

• We are not responsible for suppliers listed in our directory
• We are not responsible for job postings or employment outcomes
• We do not endorse any particular supplier, product, or service
• Transactions and disputes are between users - we are not liable

9.5 Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, The Salon Hub shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Platform.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless The Salon Hub from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from:

• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any law or regulation
• Your content or business listings
• Your interactions with other users

12. Data Protection & Retention

Your use of the Platform is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal data in accordance with UK GDPR.

12.1 Data Retention Policy

We retain different types of data for different periods:

• Account Data: Retained while your account is active, plus 30 days after deletion request
• Points & Achievements: Retained permanently as lifetime records (these are earned rewards)
• Subscription & Payment History: Retained permanently for financial record-keeping
• Analytics Events: Raw analytics data (profile views, clicks) is automatically archived after 12 months - we keep monthly summaries for historical reporting
• Job Applications: Retained for 2 years after the job closes

This approach keeps our database lean while preserving the data that matters for your experience and our business records.

13. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify users of significant changes via email or platform notice. Continued use of the Platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the new Terms.

13. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

14. Contact Us

For questions about these Terms & Conditions, please contact us:

Email: support@salonhub.co.uk