Refund & Retainer Policy

ISS Investigations operates on a retainer-based fee model for most investigative mandates. This policy explains how retainers are structured, how billing works, and under what circumstances refunds are issued.

By engaging ISS and paying a retainer, you agree to the terms set out in this policy.

A retainer is required before any investigative work commences. The retainer:

• Is a pre-payment against which investigative time and disbursements are billed
• Is held in a dedicated client account and applied as work is completed
• Does not guarantee a specific outcome or number of billable hours
• Must be paid in full before ISS deploys any field resources or begins formal investigation

The retainer amount is determined by the nature and complexity of the matter and will be confirmed in writing prior to payment.

Our fees are calculated on one or more of the following bases, as agreed in the mandate:

• Hourly rate: billed in minimum 30-minute increments for research, analysis, report writing, and consultation
• Daily rate: for full-day surveillance or fieldwork assignments
• Fixed-fee: for clearly defined, scoped deliverables (e.g. background check, database search)
• Hybrid: a combination of fixed fee for defined tasks plus hourly for additional scope

All fee structures will be detailed in the written mandate agreement before work commences. We do not bill for time not worked.

In addition to investigative fees, clients are billed at actual cost for necessary disbursements, which may include:

• Vehicle mileage at the current SARS approved rate per kilometre
• Accommodation and subsistence for out-of-town assignments
• Third-party database or registry searches
• Photographic or video equipment hire where required
• Printing and binding of formal reports
• Toll fees and parking

Disbursements are itemised on each invoice with supporting documentation. No disbursements are marked up beyond actual cost.

Invoices are issued:

• Upon milestone completion (for long-running mandates)
• Upon delivery of the final report or conclusion of the matter
• Monthly for ongoing retainer mandates
• Immediately upon termination of a mandate

Invoices are due within 7 business days of issue. Outstanding amounts beyond this period may attract interest at the prime lending rate plus 2%, and may result in suspension of active services until payment is received.

We understand that circumstances change. Our refund approach is as follows:

6.1 Unused Retainer Balance

If a matter concludes or is terminated and the retainer exceeds the total fees and disbursements billed, the surplus will be refunded to the client within 10 business days of final reconciliation.

6.2 Client-Initiated Cancellation

If you cancel a mandate before investigation commences:

• Within 24 hours of retainer payment: full refund, less an administration fee of R500
• After 24 hours but before any fieldwork or research begins: 75% refund of retainer
• After fieldwork or research has commenced: retainer is reconciled against time and expenses incurred — balance refunded

6.3 ISS-Initiated Cancellation

If ISS cancels a mandate at our initiative (e.g. due to a conflict of interest discovered post-intake, or changed legal circumstances):

• Full refund of any unearned retainer will be issued within 5 business days
• No cancellation fee will apply

6.4 Non-Refundable Items

The following are not refundable under any circumstances:

• Actual disbursements already incurred on your behalf
• Time already billed for completed work at the agreed rate
• Database search fees paid to third-party providers on your behalf
• Report preparation fees once a report has been delivered

If you believe an invoice is incorrect or a refund has not been processed correctly, please contact us within 14 days of the invoice or refund date:

We will acknowledge your dispute within 2 business days and aim to resolve it within 10 business days. If the dispute cannot be resolved amicably, it will be referred to mediation under the auspices of the Arbitration Foundation of South Africa (AFSA).

We accept payment via:

• Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) to our designated business bank account
• Bank-confirmed deposit

Payment details will be provided on your invoice. We do not accept cash payments. Credit card payments are not currently supported.

Where ISS Investigations is registered as a VAT vendor, VAT at the applicable rate will be added to all fees and disbursements. This will be clearly reflected on each invoice. If your organisation requires a valid VAT invoice for input tax purposes, please provide your VAT registration number at the time of engagement.

We may update this policy from time to time. The current version will always be published on this page. Changes take effect from the date of publication and apply to mandates initiated after that date.