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Refund & Dispute Policy

Effective Date: 1st July 2025
Applies to: All clients of SFAI Consultancy Ltd (DIFC License No. 10861) and SFAI Sales Ltd (UK)

Our Commitment to Fairness and Professional Standards

At SFAI Consultancy Ltd, we believe in acting reasonably, transparently, and always in good faith. While we are confident in the quality of our consultancy, AI maturity scans, and educational masterclasses, we recognise that unexpected issues can occasionally arise. In such cases, our approach is straightforward: we will do everything we reasonably can to facilitate a fair, timely, and practical resolution.
Our policies are designed to balance professionalism with flexibility, ensuring that every client is treated with respect and clarity. All of our business practices, refund procedures, and client agreements are built upon internationally recognised legal standards that apply within the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and the wider UAE.


Each section of our policy framework is based on, and cites, the following legal foundations:

  • DIFC Contract Law No. 6 of 2004: governing good faith, contractual performance, and remedies.

  • DIFC Data Protection Law No. 5 of 2020: regulating personal and business data protection.

  • UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 5 of 1985 (Civil Code): outlining general contractual and service obligations.

  • UAE Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 (Consumer Protection): ensuring fairness, transparency, and consumer rights.

 

Together, these laws provide the structure and ethical foundation on which SFAI operates: delivering quality, accountability, and trust in every engagement.

1. Purpose

This policy defines how SFAI Consultancy Ltd and SFAI Sales Ltd manage refunds, cancellations, and dispute resolution for all consultancy, AI scan, and educational engagements.
It sets out the procedures, timelines, and conditions under which clients may request or receive a refund, as well as the principles that guide dispute handling and service delivery.

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The purpose of this document is to provide clarity, consistency, and transparency in how SFAI applies its contractual obligations and client rights under the governing laws of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and the wider UAE.

2. General Principles: Payments, Refunds, and Client Integrity

All commercial transactions between SFAI and its clients are conducted in a transparent and traceable manner consistent with professional-services standards in the DIFC.
Payments are accepted in AED, USD, or GBP through secure, auditable channels including bank transfer and Stripe. Each client engagement is invoiced according to its agreed statement of work, and payment confirms the client’s acceptance of the related service terms.

To protect both parties and ensure compliance with Article 57 of the DIFC Contract Law, SFAI maintains strict internal controls and reconciliation processes for all client funds. Refunds, where legitimately due, are authorised only after written verification by SFAI’s Finance and Legal teams and are processed within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of formal approval.

All refunds are remitted exclusively via the original payment channel and to the same originating account, preventing misdirection or misuse of client funds in accordance with Article 59 of the DIFC Contract Law and Article 390 of the UAE Civil Code.

SFAI reserves the right to decline or withhold refund requests that fall outside the parameters of this policy, including claims lacking evidence of overpayment, non-performance, or documented cancellation in accordance with the contract. This ensures consistent treatment of all clients and safeguards the firm against fraudulent or speculative refund demands.

These payment and refund standards reflect SFAI’s commitment to fiscal integrity, compliance, and responsible client stewardship across all jurisdictions in which it operates.

3. Consultancy Services

SFAI’s consultancy engagements are advisory in nature, delivered on a retainer or milestone basis, and focused on analysis, strategy design, and implementation recommendations. The scope of work typically includes research, structured interviews, strategic modelling, and expert advisory sessions.

SFAI performs all consultancy assignments with due diligence and professional care, consistent with the standards of leading international management consultancies and the duty of reasonable skill and care established under Article 57 of the DIFC Contract Law No. 6 of 2004. However, the outcomes of strategic or operational recommendations inherently depend on variables beyond SFAI’s control, including client execution, market forces, and third-party systems. For this reason, SFAI does not and cannot guarantee any specific commercial, financial, or technical results.

Refunds and Adjustments
Refunds are permitted only in limited and objectively verifiable circumstances, designed to balance fairness to the client with protection of SFAI’s professional resources:

  1. Non-Commencement: If SFAI fails to commence work within thirty (30) calendar days of the signed agreement, and no extension has been mutually agreed in writing, the client may request a full refund of prepaid fees.

  2. Pre-Delivery Cancellation: If an engagement is cancelled by the client before substantive deliverables or working materials have been provided, SFAI will issue a pro-rata refund for unearned fees, based on actual hours performed and documented project effort.

  3. Material Breach: After work has commenced, no refund applies except where SFAI has been proven to be in material breach of its contractual obligations under Articles 54–60 of the DIFC Contract Law or Articles 386–390 of the UAE Civil Code, and such breach remains uncured after written notice and a reasonable remediation period.

Limitations of Liability
All consultancy deliverables, reports, and recommendations are provided for information and decision-support purposes only. Under Article 40(2) of the DIFC Contract Law, SFAI excludes liability for any indirect, consequential, or loss-of-profit claims arising from a client’s reliance on its advice. The client remains solely responsible for implementation choices, execution outcomes, and business decisions taken in light of SFAI’s analysis.

This framework reflects standard international practice for professional advisory firms operating within the DIFC: it ensures high-quality delivery, equitable treatment of both parties, and clarity regarding rights and remedies.

4. AI Maturity Scan

The AI Maturity Scan is a proprietary one-time digital assessment that analyses an organisation’s governance, processes, technology, and people to identify opportunities for AI integration. It is a data-driven diagnostic and advisory service designed to inform strategic decision-making rather than to replace it.

Once the scan has been initiated, meaning that data collection, model execution, or custom analysis has commenced, the service is considered delivered and may not be cancelled or refunded except under exceptional circumstances. In accordance with Article 86 of the UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 5 of 1985 (Civil Code), refunds will be granted only where clear non-performance by SFAI can be demonstrated or where a technical failure occurs that is not attributable to the client and cannot reasonably be remedied within an agreed timeframe.

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Each AI Scan involves automated processing of client-supplied or publicly available organisational data, supported by human review to validate output quality. All data handling, storage, and transfer activities are performed in strict compliance with Articles 36 to 39 of the DIFC Data Protection Law No. 5 of 2020, which govern lawful processing, data minimisation, and security of personal information.

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All outputs, reports, and recommendations produced from the AI Maturity Scan are informational and advisory only, consistent with Article 40 of the DIFC Contract Law No. 6 of 2004, which permits contractual limitation of reliance where reasonable. SFAI’s findings represent a professional assessment based on the data provided at the time of engagement and are not intended to guarantee specific business, financial, or operational outcomes.

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Accordingly, SFAI shall not be liable for any consequential, indirect, or downstream losses resulting from the client’s implementation or interpretation of scan results. Clients remain solely responsible for all strategic and operational decisions taken based on the information provided. This approach reflects accepted professional-services standards and ensures clarity, accountability, and fairness for both parties.

5. Masterclasses and Training

Refund Schedule
To maintain fairness and operational integrity across our programs, the following refund structure applies to all in-person and virtual masterclasses:

  • More than 14 days before the class date: Full refund of the course fee.

  • 7 to 14 days before the class date: 50 percent refund.

  • Less than 7 days before the class date: Non-refundable, as trainer time, materials, and venue capacity have already been committed.

This framework aligns with Articles 57 and 60 of the DIFC Contract Law, permitting reasonable retention of fees once performance has begun.

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Seat Transfers and Substitutions
Participants may request a transfer to another session or delegate their seat to a colleague. SFAI will make every reasonable effort to accommodate such requests, subject to availability and administrative feasibility. Transfers requested within seven days of the class may incur a rebooking fee to cover logistical costs.

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Cancellations by SFAI
If SFAI must cancel or reschedule a class because of a force majeure event, insufficient enrollment, or trainer unavailability, participants will first be offered an alternative date or equivalent program. If rescheduling is not possible, a full refund will be processed within 30 days, in line with Article 86 of the UAE Civil Code governing restitution where service delivery becomes impossible.

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Online Sessions and Digital Content Conditions
For live-streamed or pre-recorded sessions, Article 103 of the UAE Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 (Consumer Protection) and Article 40 of the DIFC Contract Law apply:

  • Once digital access (such as login credentials, course links, or downloadable materials) is issued, the service is deemed delivered.

  • Because digital educational content is immediately accessible and cannot be returned, refunds are generally unavailable after access has been granted unless a technical failure prevents participation and SFAI cannot remedy it within a reasonable timeframe.

  • If a failure originates from SFAI’s systems, SFAI will either provide replacement access free of charge or issue a proportionate refund.

  • Clients are responsible for ensuring adequate connectivity, hardware, and software compatibility before class commencement.

These terms ensure both fairness and compliance with DIFC and UAE law while maintaining operational certainty for all parties.

6. Force Majeure

SFAI Consultancy Ltd and SFAI Sales Ltd recognise that extraordinary circumstances can occasionally affect the ability of either party to perform contractual obligations. In accordance with Article 82 of the UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 5 of 1985 (Civil Code) and Articles 54–60 of the DIFC Contract Law No. 6 of 2004, a force majeure event is defined as any unforeseeable and uncontrollable occurrence beyond the reasonable control of either party that renders performance impossible or materially impractical.

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Examples include but are not limited to natural disasters, acts of government or public authority, war, civil unrest, epidemics or pandemics, acts of terrorism, power or communication outages, data-center disruptions, strikes, or severe logistical interruptions.

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In the event of a force majeure situation:

  1. Notification: The affected party shall notify the other in writing as soon as reasonably practicable, providing details of the event and expected duration.

  2. Suspension of Obligations: The obligations of both parties will be temporarily suspended for the period during which the event prevents performance.

  3. Mitigation: Each party must use reasonable efforts to mitigate the effects and resume normal performance as soon as practicable.

  4. Extended Disruption: If the event continues for more than 30 calendar days, either party may terminate the affected agreement without penalty, and SFAI will issue proportionate refunds for services not performed.

  5. No Liability: Neither party shall be held liable for any delay, loss, or non-performance resulting directly from a force majeure event, provided the affected party has complied with the above notification and mitigation obligations.

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This clause applies to all products and services offered by SFAI, including consultancy engagements, AI Maturity Scans, and educational masterclasses, both in-person and online.

7. Dispute Resolution, Liability, and Governing Law

SFAI Consultancy Ltd and SFAI Sales Ltd are committed to resolving any disagreement with clients in a fair, transparent, and constructive manner. Both parties agree that open communication and early dialogue are the most effective means of maintaining trust and preventing escalation.

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In accordance with Article 56 of the DIFC Contract Law No. 6 of 2004, all disputes, claims, or differences arising out of or relating to any SFAI engagement shall first be addressed through good faith negotiation. The parties shall make every reasonable effort to resolve the matter within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date either party provides written notice of the dispute.

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If a resolution cannot be achieved through negotiation, the dispute shall be escalated as follows:

  1. Mediation (Optional but Encouraged): The parties may, by mutual consent, refer the matter to mediation under the DIFC-LCIA Mediation Rules or another agreed framework. Mediation will be conducted in English and held within the DIFC jurisdiction.

  2. Formal Proceedings:

    • Claims valued at AED 500,000 or less shall be submitted exclusively to the DIFC Courts Small Claims Tribunal (SCT), which provides a fast and cost-efficient resolution mechanism for professional service disputes.

    • Claims exceeding AED 500,000 shall fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the DIFC Courts of First Instance, with appeals governed by the DIFC Court of Appeal as applicable.

This structure ensures proportionality, procedural fairness, and compliance with Articles 5 and 8 of the DIFC Contract Law, which establish the governing legal framework and jurisdictional scope.

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Limitation of Liability
To ensure commercial certainty and fairness, SFAI’s aggregate liability for any claim, loss, or damage arising from or related to its services, whether contractual, statutory, or tortious, is expressly limited to the total contract value paid by the client under the specific engagement giving rise to the claim. This limitation aligns with Article 122 of the UAE Civil Code, which recognises the parties’ right to define the scope and quantum of liability within a contractual relationship. SFAI shall not be liable for indirect, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profit, loss of business opportunity, or reputational harm, except in cases of proven gross negligence or wilful misconduct.

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Governing Law
All contracts, services, and disputes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), supplemented, where silent, by the relevant provisions of UAE Federal Law. This dual reference ensures compliance with both the DIFC’s international common law framework and the overarching civil law principles of the UAE, maintaining legal balance and enforceability in all client relationships.
 

Language and Notices
All correspondence, documentation, and dispute communications shall be conducted in English, which is the governing language of SFAI’s contractual and legal operations.
 

Official notices or dispute communications should be addressed as follows:

SFAI Consultancy Ltd
Unit IH-00-01-03-OF-05, Level 3, Innovation Hub,
Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Email: legal@solidfuture.ai

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