Terms & Conditions

1. INTRODUCTION AND ACCEPTANCE

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between Goodbooks (Pty) Ltd ("Goodbooks", "we", "us", or "our") and the user or entity accessing our platform ("User", "you", or "your").

By accessing, registering for, or using the Goodbooks dashboard, API, or website (collectively, the "Platform"), you agree to be bound by these Terms.

If you are accepting these Terms on behalf of a company or other legal entity (e.g., an Accounting Practice), you warrant that you have the authority to bind such entity to these Terms.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: These Terms contain specific provisions that limit our liability, allocate risk to you, and constitute an acknowledgement of certain facts by you. These provisions have been capitalized or bolded for your attention. You must pay particular attention to these clauses.

2. NATURE OF SERVICES

2.1. Software Service Only

Goodbooks is a technology platform that facilitates interactions with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the Department of Labour, and various Credit Bureaus.

2.2. Not Legal or Financial Advice

While our founders are Chartered Accountants and Certified Fraud Examiners, Goodbooks is not a law firm, advisory firm, or registered credit provider. The use of our document generation tools, compliance checkers, and legal templates does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. You are responsible for reviewing all outputs for accuracy and suitability.

2.3. No Affiliation

Goodbooks is an independent software provider. We are not the CIPC, SARS, or the Government of South Africa. We act as an intermediary gateway to these services.

3. REGISTRY INTEGRATIONS (CIPC & SARS)

3.1. Live Data Reliance

Our Platform relies on live API connections to the CIPC and SARS. We display data exactly as it is received from the registry. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the data held by the registries.

3.2. Registry Downtime

You acknowledge that government registries (CIPC/SARS) experience frequent downtime and technical failures. Goodbooks is not liable for any fines, penalties, or delays resulting from the inability to file documents due to Registry downtime.

3.3. Non-Refundable Registry Fees

Fees paid to the CIPC or SARS via our Platform are paid over to the government immediately. Once a transaction is submitted to the Registry, the government fee portion is strictly non-refundable, even if the filing is rejected by the CIPC due to user error.

4. ACCOUNTANTS AND PRACTITIONERS

4.1. Agency Mandate

If you use Goodbooks to manage entities on behalf of your clients, you warrant that you hold a valid mandate from those clients to act as their agent.

4.2. Data Ownership

You acknowledge that you are the "Responsible Party" and Goodbooks is the "Operator" as defined in the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). You are solely responsible for obtaining the necessary consents from your clients to load their data onto our Platform.

4.3. User Access

You are responsible for all actions taken by staff members or team members you invite to your Practice Account.

5. IDENTITY VERIFICATION SERVICES (DIDIT)

5.1. Biometric Processing

We integrate with third-party providers (including Didit.me) to perform biometric liveness checks and identity verification.

5.2. User Consent

You warrant that before initiating a verification request on a Director or Shareholder, you have informed them that their biometric data will be processed for identity verification purposes.

5.3. Limitations

While we use advanced anti-fraud technology, we do not guarantee that our verification services will detect all forms of identity theft or deepfakes. You remain responsible for your own Due Diligence (KYC) processes.

6. CREDIT REPORTING SERVICES

6.1. National Credit Act (NCA)

Our Credit Intelligence features connect to bureaus including TransUnion, Experian, and XDS.

6.2. Mandatory Consent

You may NOT request a credit report on an individual or entity without their explicit, written, or digital consent.

6.3. Indemnity

You hereby indemnify Goodbooks against any claims, fines, or damages arising from the National Credit Regulator or the Information Regulator due to your failure to obtain consent before pulling a credit report.

7. FEES AND PAYMENT

7.1. Subscription Fees

Subscriptions are billed in advance on a monthly or annual basis. Failure to pay will result in account suspension and restricted access to data.

7.2. Transactional Fees

Certain services (e.g., ID Verification, CIPC Filings) are billed on a pay-as-you-use basis.

7.3. Gateway Fees

Our pricing includes a "Platform Fee" which covers banking gateway charges (Peach Payments) and administrative handling. This fee is non-refundable.

7.4. Price Changes

We reserve the right to adjust pricing with 30 days' notice.

8. ACCEPTABLE USE

You agree not to:

• Use the Platform for money laundering or fraudulent activities.
• Attempt to reverse-engineer our API or scrape data.
• Share your login credentials with unauthorized third parties.
• Use the Platform to harass directors or spam users via our WhatsApp/Email notification tools.

9. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

9.1. Our IP

All rights, title, and interest in the Goodbooks Platform, including code, design, logos, and algorithms, remain the exclusive property of Goodbooks (Pty) Ltd.

9.2. Your Data

You retain ownership of all data you upload to the Platform. You grant us a limited license to process this data solely for the purpose of providing the Services.

10. LEGAL TEMPLATES AND DOCUMENTS

10.1. "As Is" Basis

The Legal Library (Shareholders Agreements, MOIs, etc.) is provided on an "as is" basis. These templates are standardized and may not cover the specific nuances of your legal situation.

10.2. No Warranty

We do not warrant that the documents generated will be enforceable in a court of law if you have modified them or applied them to incorrect contexts.

11. Limitation Of Liability

11.2. Direct Damages

Our total liability for any claim arising out of these Terms or the Services shall not exceed the total amount paid by you to Goodbooks in the 6 (six) months preceding the event giving rise to the claim.

11.3. Specific Exclusions

We expressly disclaim liability for:

• CIPC system errors or data corruption.
• Delays caused by third-party APIs (SARS, Didit, Credit Bureaus).
• Rejection of filings by government regulators.

12. INDEMNIFICATION

12.1.

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Goodbooks, its directors, employees, and partners from any claims, damages, or legal costs arising from:

• Your violation of these Terms or any law (including POPIA and the NCA).
• Your use of the Platform to process data without the Data Subject's consent.
• Any dispute between you and your client regarding the filing of documents.

13. TERMINATION

13.1. By You

You may cancel your subscription at any time via the dashboard. Your access will continue until the end of the current billing cycle.

13.2. By Us

We may terminate or suspend your account immediately if you breach these Terms, particularly regarding fraud or non-payment.

13.3. Data Export

Upon termination, you will have a period of 30 days to export your company documents, after which your data may be deleted or archived.

14. GENERAL

14.1. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa.

14.2. Dispute Resolution

Any dispute arising from these Terms shall be referred to arbitration in Johannesburg.

14.3. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force.

14.4. Changes

We may update these Terms from time to time. Continued use of the Platform constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

15. CONTACT INFORMATION

For legal notices or questions regarding these Terms:

• Email: [email protected]
• Address: Sandton, Johannesburg.