Refund & Cancellation Policy
Version 1.0 | Effective date: 03.07.2026 | Last updated: July 2026
This Policy governs all cancellations, no-shows, and refund requests on the Zouris Platform. It applies to Clients (users booking sessions), Practitioners (coaches and healers delivering sessions), and Zouris FZE as the platform operator. It forms part of the Zouris Terms & Conditions and is incorporated by reference. By continuing to operate on the Platform after the effective date of this Policy, Practitioners are deemed to have accepted its terms.
1. Purpose and Guiding Principles
Applies to: All parties
This Policy is designed to be fair to everyone on the Platform. Its three guiding principles are:
Clarity: all parties know exactly what happens before a booking is confirmed
Fairness: Clients are protected from poor service; Practitioners are protected from lost income; Zouris maintains platform integrity
Compliance: the Policy meets the requirements of UAE Consumer Protection Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020) and applicable international consumer standards
Zouris acts as a technology platform and payment facilitator. It is not a party to the service agreement between Client and Practitioner, but administers this Policy to protect both sides equitably.
Payment processing: all 1:1 session payments on the Zouris Platform are processed through Stripe. All refund timelines in this Policy refer to the date on which Zouris initiates the refund instruction to Stripe — not the date the funds arrive in your account. Following initiation, funds typically appear in your account within 5–10 business days depending on your card and bank. Subscriptions and course purchases are processed separately through Apple Pay and are subject to their own terms set out in Section 8.
2. Definitions
Applies to: All parties
"Booking" means a confirmed, paid 1:1 session between a Client and a Practitioner on the Platform.
"Session" means a 1:1 wellness session booked and delivered through the Platform.
"Cancellation Window" means the 24-hour period before a Session during which a Client may cancel and receive a full refund.
"Late Cancellation" means a cancellation made after the Cancellation Window has closed but before the Session starts.
"No-Show" means failure by a Client to attend a confirmed Session without any prior notice, or failure to appear within 10 minutes of the scheduled start time.
"Practitioner Cancellation" means a cancellation of a confirmed Booking initiated by the Practitioner.
"Verified Emergency" has the meaning given in Section 4.3.
"Completed Session" means a Session in which the Practitioner was available and present for the full scheduled duration, regardless of how long the Client chose to participate.
"Refund" means a return of the Session Fee to the original payment method via Stripe, subject to standard bank settlement timelines.
"Refund Initiated" means the date on which Zouris submits the refund instruction to Stripe. This is distinct from the date funds arrive in the Client’s account.
"Session Fee" means the total amount paid by the Client at the time of Booking.
"Platform Commission" means the portion of the Session Fee retained by Zouris as set out in the Practitioner Agreement.
"Net Session Fee" means the Session Fee minus Platform Commission — the amount the Practitioner is entitled to receive for a delivered session.
"GST" means Gulf Standard Time (UTC+4), the timezone used for all timestamps on the Platform.
3. Client Cancellations
Applies to: Clients
3.1 Cancellation Policy
The following cancellation terms apply universally to all Bookings on the Platform and equally to all Practitioners. The applicable policy is displayed at checkout before payment is taken, confirmed in a pop-up notification immediately after payment is completed, and included in the booking confirmation email sent to the Client.
Cancellation more than 24 hours before the session:
– Client receives: 100% of the Session Fee — refund initiated within 2 business days
– Practitioner receives: Nothing (session not delivered)
Cancellation less than 24 hours before the session:
– Client receives: No refund
– Practitioner receives: Full Session Fee minus Platform Commission
No-Show (no contact, or arrival 10 or more minutes after the scheduled start time):
– Client receives: No refund
– Practitioner receives: Full Session Fee minus Platform Commission
3.2 Same-Day Bookings
Where a Client books a session scheduled to begin within 24 hours of the booking time, the booking is non-refundable from the moment of confirmation. This is displayed clearly at checkout before payment is taken.
Booking errors: Where a Client believes they have made a genuine booking error — such as selecting the wrong Practitioner or session time — they should contact admin@zouris.io immediately. Zouris will use reasonable endeavours to assist where the error is reported promptly and the session has not yet commenced. This is a goodwill gesture and not a contractual entitlement.
3.3 How to Cancel
Clients may cancel a Booking at any time through:
The Zouris app (My Bookings → Cancel)
Contacting Zouris support at admin@zouris.io with the booking reference
Cancellation is effective from the timestamp confirmed by the Platform, recorded in Gulf Standard Time (GST, UTC+4). Cancellations communicated directly to the Practitioner — by message, verbally, or through any channel outside the Platform — do not constitute valid cancellation for the purposes of this Policy and will not be processed as such.
Why must cancellations go through the Platform? The Platform timestamp is the only verifiable, objective record of when a cancellation occurred. Cancellations made directly to a Practitioner cannot be independently verified by Zouris, may not be reflected in the booking system, and create ambiguity about refund eligibility that cannot be fairly resolved. To protect both Clients and Practitioners, all cancellations must be made through the Platform or via admin@zouris.io.
3.4 Timestamp Disputes
All timestamps are recorded in GST (UTC+4). Where a Client believes a cancellation timestamp is inaccurate due to a Platform technical issue, they may submit a timestamp dispute to admin@zouris.io within 24 hours of receiving the cancellation confirmation, including:
A screenshot of the cancellation confirmation showing the timestamp
A screenshot of the Client’s device showing the time at which the cancellation was made
A brief description of what occurred
Zouris will review timestamp disputes within 2 business days. Where a Platform timing error is verified, Zouris will apply the more favourable cancellation tier to the Client. Disputes based solely on preference for a different outcome, without evidence of a technical error, will not be upheld.
3.5 Exceptional Circumstances
Where a Client requests a refund outside the standard window due to a sudden and unforeseen genuine emergency that made it impossible to attend, Zouris will review the request case by case. Qualifying circumstances include but are not limited to: acute personal illness or injury, a medical emergency or bereavement involving someone close to the Client, or a natural disaster or government-declared emergency.
Requests must be submitted to admin@zouris.io within 7 days of the missed session. Zouris recognises that genuine emergencies may make it difficult to act quickly, and the extended window reflects this. Supporting documentation should be provided where available. Acceptable documentation includes:
Medical certificate, hospital admission record, or doctor’s letter (for personal illness or injury)
Hospital record or doctor’s letter confirming a medical emergency involving someone close to the Client
Death notice, funeral announcement, or equivalent (for bereavement)
Official government notice, news reference, or equivalent confirmation (for natural disasters or government-declared emergencies)
Where formal documentation is not available, a statutory declaration or written statement may be accepted at Zouris’s discretion
Zouris will respond within 5 business days of receiving the request and documentation. Where approved, the refund is initiated within 2 business days of approval.
A change of mind, general dissatisfaction, or discomfort during a session do not constitute exceptional circumstances. See Section 7 for how service quality concerns are handled.
Where exceptional circumstances prevented a Client from raising a Service Quality Dispute within the standard 48-hour window, Zouris will consider late submissions at its discretion provided the Client contacts admin@zouris.io as soon as practically possible with a brief explanation.
3.6 Rescheduling
Clients may reschedule a Booking at no charge if the request is made more than 24 hours before the scheduled session. Rescheduling is subject to Practitioner availability and must be completed within 30 days of the original session date. Where no suitable slot is available within 30 days, the Client may cancel and receive a full refund.
Where a Client requests to reschedule within 24 hours of the session, this is treated as a Late Cancellation and a new Booking, and the applicable cancellation terms apply to the original slot.
4. Practitioner Cancellations
Applies to: Practitioners and Clients
4.1 Practitioner Obligations
All Practitioners on the Zouris Platform commit to honouring confirmed Bookings. This is a fundamental condition of operating on the Platform and is incorporated into the Practitioner Agreement. These terms exist to protect Clients, Practitioners, and the integrity of the Platform equally — not to penalise Practitioners for circumstances beyond their control.
By continuing to operate on the Platform after the effective date of this Policy, all Practitioners — including those onboarded prior to this date — are deemed to have accepted its terms as part of their ongoing platform obligations. Practitioners onboarded after the effective date are bound by this Policy from the date of their onboarding.
4.2 Client Rights When a Practitioner Cancels
If a Practitioner cancels a confirmed Booking for any reason, the Client is entitled to a full refund of the Session Fee. No payout is made to the Practitioner for a cancelled session regardless of the reason. Zouris will initiate the refund within 3 business days of the cancellation being confirmed, via Stripe. Funds typically appear in the Client’s account within 5–10 business days of initiation.
4.3 Verified Emergency
A Verified Emergency is any sudden, unforeseen, and serious circumstance beyond the Practitioner’s reasonable control that makes it genuinely impossible or unsafe to deliver the session. This includes but is not limited to: acute personal illness or injury, a medical emergency or bereavement involving someone close to the Practitioner, a natural disaster, or a government-declared emergency.
To have a cancellation classified as a Verified Emergency, the Practitioner must:
Notify Zouris at admin@zouris.io within 48 hours of the cancellation
Submit supporting documentation within 7 days where available. Acceptable documentation includes: a medical certificate, hospital record, or doctor’s letter; a death notice, funeral announcement, or equivalent; an official government notice or equivalent for natural disasters; or where formal documentation is unavailable, a statutory declaration or written statement, accepted at Zouris’s discretion
Zouris will respond to emergency documentation within 2 business days of receipt. Where verified, the cancellation is excluded from the Practitioner’s cancellation monitoring and treated as standard. Documentation not submitted within 7 days will be assessed at Zouris’s discretion; late submissions do not guarantee emergency classification.
A Verified Emergency does not affect the Client’s right to a full refund. The Client is always entitled to a full refund when a Practitioner cancels, regardless of the reason for the cancellation. The Verified Emergency classification affects only the Practitioner’s internal accountability record — not the Client’s remedy.
4.4 Practitioner Accountability
Zouris monitors Practitioner-initiated cancellations on a rolling 90-day basis. Only cancellations initiated by the Practitioner are counted in this monitoring. Client cancellations, client no-shows, and verified Platform technical failures are excluded.
Zouris reserves the right to take action — including issuing a written warning, pausing new bookings, or suspending an account — where a Practitioner’s cancellation pattern is deemed detrimental to Clients or platform standards. The full accountability framework is set out in the Practitioner Agreement.
4.4(a) Internal Review Process
Applies to: Practitioners
Where Zouris initiates a review of a Practitioner’s account under the accountability framework, the following process applies:
Zouris notifies the Practitioner in writing within 1 business day of any action being applied, stating the reason for the review and the period under consideration.
The Practitioner has 48 hours from notification to submit their account of the cancellations and any relevant context, including any Verified Emergency documentation not previously submitted.
Zouris conducts its review within 5 business days, considering: the nature and context of each cancellation; whether any qualify as Verified Emergencies; any patterns in timing or session type; the Practitioner’s overall track record; and the Practitioner’s written submission.
Zouris communicates its determination in writing to the Practitioner simultaneously with any profile status change. Possible outcomes are: (a) account reinstated with no further action; (b) account reinstated with a formal warning; (c) action extended pending further improvement; (d) full profile suspension; or (e) account termination.
Where a Practitioner believes any action was incorrectly applied, they may escalate using the formal dispute process under Section 12, which applies equally to Practitioners and Clients.
Where a full profile suspension is applied, all upcoming confirmed sessions are also frozen. Affected Clients are notified by Zouris within 1 business day and receive a full refund, initiated within 3 business days. The Practitioner receives no payout for suspended sessions. Any earnings accumulated but not yet paid out at the time of account termination will be handled in accordance with the Practitioner Agreement.
4.5 Disputed Funds During Quality Review
Where a Client raises a Service Quality Dispute under Section 7 in relation to a session, the portion of the Session Fee due to the Practitioner is held by Zouris pending the outcome of the review. The Practitioner will be notified that a dispute has been raised in relation to their session. Zouris will release or refund the held funds within 2 business days of the review determination being issued.
5. No-Shows
Applies to: All parties
5.1 Client No-Shows
A Client is considered a no-show where they do not attend a confirmed Booking and provide no prior notice, or where they fail to appear within 10 minutes of the scheduled session start time. No refund is issued in either case. The Practitioner receives the full Session Fee minus Platform Commission as compensation for the reserved time and preparation invested.
Zouris sends session reminders 24 hours and immediately before each Booking by push notification. Failure to receive reminders due to the Client’s own notification or device settings is not grounds for a refund.
5.2 Practitioner No-Shows
If a Practitioner fails to appear for a confirmed Booking without any prior notice, or is not available within 10 minutes of the scheduled start time, this constitutes a Practitioner no-show. The Client receives a full refund, initiated by Zouris within 1 business day of the no-show being verified.
5.3 Technical No-Shows
Where a session cannot proceed due to a verified technical failure on the Zouris Platform itself (app outage, payment processing failure, in-app communication failure):
The Client receives a full refund, initiated within 2 business days of the fault being verified
Zouris will use reasonable endeavours to protect the Practitioner’s Net Session Fee where the failure originated on Zouris’s side, subject to Stripe settlement having been received
The session may be rescheduled at no additional charge if both parties agree
Technical failures originating from the Client’s own device, internet connection, or third-party applications are not Platform failures. Zouris will assess such cases where the Client provides evidence and will exercise reasonable judgment.
5.4 Force Majeure
Where a session cannot proceed due to a force majeure event as defined in the Zouris Terms & Conditions — including natural disaster, pandemic, government-declared emergency, or critical infrastructure failure — Zouris will confirm the force majeure event within 2 business days. Clients will receive a full refund initiated within 5 business days of confirmation. Where both parties agree, the session may be rescheduled at no additional charge within 30 days of the force majeure event being resolved.
6. Refund Process and Timelines
Applies to: Clients
6.1 How Refunds Work
All 1:1 session refunds on the Zouris Platform are processed through Stripe in two stages:
Zouris initiates the refund instruction to Stripe within the timeframe stated in this Policy. The Client receives a confirmation email when this has been done.
Stripe settles the funds back to the Client’s original payment method. This typically takes 5–10 business days from initiation depending on the Client’s card issuer and bank.
If a refund is taking longer than 10 business days to appear after Zouris has sent the refund initiation confirmation, please contact admin@zouris.io with your booking reference and Zouris will follow up with Stripe on your behalf.
6.2 Refund Initiation Timelines
The following timelines apply to when Zouris initiates the refund instruction to Stripe. These are not the dates funds arrive in your account — bank settlement takes an additional 5–10 business days after initiation. A confirmation email is sent when each refund instruction has been submitted.
Client cancellation (more than 24 hours before session)
– Review time: No review needed
– Refund initiated: within 2 business days
Practitioner cancellation
– Review time: No review needed
– Refund initiated: within 3 business days
Exceptional circumstance claim
– Review time: 5 business days
– Refund initiated: within 2 business days of approval
Service quality dispute (if approved)
– Review time: 7 business days
– Refund initiated: within 2 business days of approval
Practitioner no-show (verified)
– Review time: 1 business day
– Refund initiated: within 1 business day of verification
Full profile suspension (affected Clients)
– Review time: 1 business day
– Refund initiated: within 3 business days
Force majeure event
– Review time: 2 business days to confirm
– Refund initiated: within 5 business days of confirmation
Duplicate or billing error
– Review time: 2 business days
– Refund initiated: same day as verification
6.3 Refund Method
All refunds are returned to the original payment method used at Booking. Zouris does not issue refunds to a different card, bank account, or payment method than the one used for the original transaction. If the original payment method is no longer valid or available, please contact admin@zouris.io and Zouris will work with the Client to find a suitable alternative within the constraints of Stripe.
7. Service Quality Disputes
Applies to: Clients
7.1 Grounds for a Service Quality Dispute
Zouris does not guarantee outcomes, transformation, or specific results from any wellness session. However, a Client may raise a formal Service Quality Dispute where one or more of the following objectively verifiable failures occurred:
The Practitioner delivered a different modality from the one booked (e.g. the Client booked a somatic healing session and received a life coaching session)
The session was substantially shorter than the listed duration without explanation or prior agreement from the Client
The Practitioner terminated the session within the first 10 minutes without good reason
The Practitioner behaved in a manner that breached Zouris’s Community Guidelines or Practitioner Agreement
The Practitioner did not appear and gave no prior notice (see Section 5.2)
Important: The following are not grounds for a Service Quality Dispute: general dissatisfaction with a session; emotional intensity, discomfort, or distress during a session (emotional release during regression, somatic, or energy-based work is a normal and intended part of these modalities); a preference for a different Practitioner; or a feeling that the session did not meet personal expectations. Wellness sessions are not guaranteed to feel comfortable — they are designed to facilitate change.
7.2 Adverse Reactions and Psychological Harm
Where a Client believes a session caused genuine psychological harm beyond normal emotional processing — for example, a serious dissociative episode, acute trauma response, or mental health crisis triggered during or immediately following a session — this is treated as an escalated Service Quality Dispute and reviewed separately from standard quality complaints.
Clients raising an adverse reaction claim should contact admin@zouris.io as soon as possible. Supporting documentation from a qualified mental health professional may be requested. These cases are not subject to the standard 48-hour dispute submission window and are reviewed with priority. Zouris will assess each case individually and may consult with the Practitioner as part of the review.
7.3 How to Submit a Service Quality Dispute
Submit a Service Quality Dispute to admin@zouris.io within 48 hours of the session (or without delay for adverse reaction cases), including:
Your booking reference number
A clear description of what occurred and which specific ground in Section 7.1 applies
Any supporting evidence (screenshots of in-app communication, session records, etc.)
Zouris will acknowledge receipt of your dispute submission and complete its review within 7 business days. Based on its findings, Zouris may offer a full or partial refund, issue a formal warning to the Practitioner, take action under the Practitioner Agreement, or decline the dispute where the evidence does not support the claim. Zouris will communicate its determination in writing to both parties simultaneously.
7.4 Conflicting Accounts
Where both a Client and a Practitioner submit conflicting accounts of the same session, Zouris will conduct a single consolidated review. Both parties will be notified that a dispute is under review and given 48 hours to submit their account and any supporting evidence. Neither party will be shown the other’s submission during the review period.
Zouris will assess the available information in good faith, which may include booking and payment records, written submissions from both parties, and any supporting evidence either party provides. Zouris does not record or monitor session content and cannot independently verify what occurred during a session beyond what is documented in the Platform’s booking system.
Zouris’s determination will be communicated to both parties simultaneously. Zouris will make every effort to reach a fair outcome, but where the evidence is insufficient to support either account conclusively, Zouris may decline to issue a refund and direct both parties to seek external remedy through applicable consumer protection authorities or courts if they wish to pursue the matter further.
8. Subscriptions, Courses, and Digital Content
Applies to: Clients
8.1 Payment Method
Subscriptions and course purchases on the Zouris Platform are processed through Apple Pay via the App Store. These transactions are governed by Apple’s payment terms in addition to this Policy.
8.2 General Non-Refundability
Subscriptions and course purchases are non-refundable once accessed. By purchasing a subscription or course, the Client acknowledges that access begins immediately upon purchase and that the right to a statutory cooling-off period is waived to the extent permitted by applicable law.
Access to digital content in the general content library (guided meditations, sound healing tracks, affirmations) is similarly non-refundable once accessed.
8.3 Exceptions
Notwithstanding Section 8.2, a cash refund may be available in the following two circumstances:
Misdescribed content: where a subscription, course, or content item is materially different from its description on the Platform (e.g. listed as a different language, duration, level, or subject matter than it actually is), the Client may contact admin@zouris.io within 24 hours of access. Where the misdescription is verified, Zouris will initiate a cash refund via Apple Pay within 2 business days of verification, subject to Apple’s settlement cycle.
Technical failure: where a technical failure on the Zouris Platform prevents access to purchased content, Zouris will first seek to restore access within 2 business days. If restoration is not possible, Zouris will initiate a cash refund via Apple Pay within 2 business days of that determination, subject to Apple’s settlement cycle.
Apple Pay refund timeline: Apple Pay refunds are subject to Apple’s own payout and settlement cycle. In the worst case — for example, a purchase made on the 1st of the month — Apple holds funds until the end of that calendar month and releases them to Zouris within approximately 45 days from that point. A cash refund via Apple Pay may therefore take up to 60–75 days from the date Zouris initiates the request. Zouris will notify the Client when the refund instruction has been submitted to Apple and will provide updates on request.
9. Booking Errors and Duplicate Charges
Applies to: Clients
If a Client is charged more than once for the same Booking due to a Platform error, contact admin@zouris.io immediately with your booking reference(s). Duplicate charges are verified within 2 business days and the refund is initiated on the same day as verification via Stripe. Zouris does not charge any fee for resolving platform-originated billing errors.
10. Currency and Fees
Applies to: All parties
All Session Fees are charged and refunded in UAE Dirhams (AED). Where a Client paid via an international card, the refunded AED amount is converted by their bank at the exchange rate applicable at the time of refund, which may differ from the rate at the time of payment. Zouris is not responsible for any currency fluctuation difference.
Zouris does not charge any administration, processing, or cancellation fee beyond what is stated in this Policy. No surcharges are applied for any payment method. Zouris is not currently registered for VAT; Session Fees do not include VAT.
11. UAE Consumer Protection Compliance
Applies to: Clients
This Policy is designed to comply fully with UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020 on Consumer Protection and Cabinet Resolution No. 66 of 2023. In particular:
Cancellation and refund terms are displayed clearly before payment is taken, as required by Article 7 of the Consumer Protection Law
No clause in this Policy exempts Zouris from its mandatory statutory obligations to consumers
Clients retain all rights to complain to the UAE Ministry of Economy or relevant emirate authority regardless of the outcome of Zouris’s internal dispute process
Prices are displayed in AED with no hidden fees or payment method surcharges
12. Unresolved Disputes and Escalation
Applies to: All parties
This Section applies equally to Clients and Practitioners. Where any party is not satisfied with Zouris’s determination on a refund, cancellation, or accountability matter:
Contact Zouris in writing at admin@zouris.io, marked “FORMAL DISPUTE”, setting out the basis of the complaint clearly
Zouris will respond to formal disputes within 10 business days with a final written determination
UAE-based users who remain unsatisfied may refer the matter to the Ministry of Economy Consumer Protection Department (800-1222) or the relevant emirate’s Department of Economic Development
EU/EEA users may use the EU Online Dispute Resolution platform at https://consumer-redress.ec.europa.eu/index_en
Nothing in this Section limits any statutory rights under UAE Consumer Protection Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020) or equivalent mandatory law in your jurisdiction.
13. Practitioner Notification and Acceptance
Applies to: Practitioners
This Policy was published and distributed to all registered Practitioners by email on 06.07.2026. Practitioners had 14 days from that date to raise any questions or objections before the Policy came into effect. These terms exist to protect Clients, Practitioners, and the integrity of the Platform equally. By continuing to operate on the Platform after the effective date, all Practitioners are deemed to have accepted its terms as part of their ongoing obligations under the Practitioner Agreement.
Practitioners onboarded after the effective date of this Policy are bound by its terms from the date of their onboarding, as incorporated into the Practitioner Agreement and onboarding materials.
14. Changes to This Policy
Applies to: All parties
Zouris may update this Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated with at least 14 days’ notice to registered users and Practitioners before taking effect. The version in force at the time of Booking governs that Booking, regardless of subsequent updates.
15. Contact
Applies to: All parties
For all cancellation requests, refund queries, and dispute submissions:
Zouris FZE
Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Email: admin@zouris.io
Please include your booking reference in the subject line of all refund and cancellation emails.
Zouris aims to respond to all queries within 3 business days.
Connect
admin@zouris.io
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Zouris FZE. Sharjah, UAE.