Disputes & Refunds

Mutual refund — the friendly option

If you and the other party can both agree to cancel, use mutual refund first. It’s faster, cheaper, and doesn’t affect either trust score.

How it works

1. Either party opens the deal page and clicks “Request mutual refund”
2. Optional: write a reason (“project scope changed”, “can’t deliver on time”, etc.)
3. The other party gets 48 hours to accept or decline
4. If accepted: full refund via Stripe (including the Holdy fee). Deal closes
5. If declined: request closes. Requester can still open a formal dispute if needed
6. If no response in 48h: request auto-expires

When to use it

• You changed your mind about the deal
• Scope or requirements changed beyond what was agreed
• Seller realized they can’t deliver on time
• Both parties just want out amicably

If the other party isn’t cooperative or delivery actually failed, move on to a formal dispute.

Opening a dispute

Only the buyer can open a dispute. Open the deal and click “Open a dispute” below the confirm button.

Valid reasons

• Not delivered — seller didn’t submit anything by the deadline
• Not as described — delivered items don’t match the agreed deliverables
• Partial delivery — some items missing from the deliverables list

Not valid reasons

• Subjective dissatisfaction (“I don’t love the style”)
• Buyer’s remorse after delivery
• You already confirmed delivery (can’t reverse)
• Problems with the underlying product caused by the buyer (e.g. account was working, then buyer changed passwords)

What you’ll need

• A short reason (e.g., “Logo files were never delivered”)
• A detailed description of what went wrong
• Evidence: screenshots, the original delivery files, chat snippets. Attach up to 10 files

The dispute review process

A dispute goes through a structured process:

1. Opened — buyer files the dispute. Funds are locked. Seller gets an email + notification
2. Seller response window (48h) — seller provides their side + evidence. If they don’t respond, the dispute auto-escalates
3. Holdy review — we read the chat log, check the delivery hash, compare to deliverables, weigh evidence from both sides
4. Decision issued — we send a decision with a written reasoning to both parties
5. Execution — refund processed via Stripe or funds released to seller, depending on outcome

Typical dispute takes 3–7 business days from opening to resolution. Complex disputes with lots of evidence can take longer.

What we look at

• The agreed deliverables list (most important)
• Delivery proof on the platform (hash + timestamp)
• Chat history between buyer and seller
• Evidence files submitted by both sides
• Timeline of events in the activity log

Possible outcomes

Buyer wins

Full refund including the Holdy fee. Processed via Stripe, typically lands in 5–10 business days. The dispute appears on the seller’s trust history.

Seller wins

Funds released to the seller. Deal marked completed. The dispute is recorded but doesn’t count against the seller. The buyer’s trust history reflects a lost dispute.

Mutual resolution

When both sides have legitimate points, Holdy may issue a mutual refund. Full refund to the buyer; no trust impact on either party. Usually happens when there’s genuine miscommunication rather than fault.

Can I appeal?

Dispute decisions are not legally binding — you retain the right to take the matter to a Dutch court (Art. 16.2 of our ToS). In practice this almost never happens because the amounts involved and the documented trail make court cases impractical.