In the case you believe our resolution is wrong or unfair, you do have the option to seek external remedies. VanLife Connect’s dispute resolution is an internal process, and while we hope it will resolve most of issues, it doesn’t limit your legal rights. If you’re still unhappy:
- A Traveller can consider filing a chargeback with their credit card issuer for the transaction (though if we’ve already adjudicated and refunded accordingly or provided evidence of service, be aware the bank will also evaluate the case).
- Either party can approach local consumer protection agencies or tribunals (e.g., lodge a complaint with Fair Trading or similar).
- Mediation or legal action in court is also an avenue, though typically for small sums this isn’t practical and we hope to avoid that.
Our Terms require that you give our internal process a go first (which is generally faster and less formal than courts). We truly aim to resolve things to mutual satisfaction when possible. It’s worth noting that our platform’s interest is to be fair – we want Travellers to feel protected from shoddy service and Providers to feel protected from unreasonable clients. We do not favor one side inherently. Because payments remain on hold while a dispute is reviewed, the platform can often help facilitate a fair outcome, such as a partial refund where appropriate.
Ultimately, know that you have rights under Australian Consumer Law that cannot be excluded. The dispute process is there to help enforce those rights and our platform policies in a streamlined way. Of course, we’re always open to feedback on how to improve our dispute resolution as well.