Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using Find a Ski School ("the Platform", "we", "us", "our"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Platform. These Terms apply to all users, including students booking lessons ("Students") and ski schools listing their services ("Schools").

2. Description of the Platform

Find a Ski School is an online marketplace that connects Students with Schools worldwide. The Platform provides:

• A directory for Schools to list their services, lessons, and instructor profiles
• A search and discovery tool for Students to find suitable ski and snowboard lessons
• A booking facilitation tool that enables Students to request and pay for lessons
• Payment processing through Stripe Connect, which transfers funds directly to the School's account
• An AI-powered School Finder that recommends schools based on your preferences
• An AI Concierge chatbot that answers questions about schools, resorts, weather, and lessons
• Voice input for search and text fields using your device's built-in speech recognition
• A school comparison tool for side-by-side evaluation of schools
• An embeddable booking widget that Schools can place on their own websites
• Weather and snow condition information for ski resorts
• Editorial reviews and user-generated reviews and ratings
• Multi-language support in 8 languages

The Platform acts solely as an intermediary marketplace. We do not employ, contract, or supervise any ski school, instructor, or guide listed on the Platform. We do not own, operate, or manage any ski school or lesson programme.

3. Marketplace Role and Liability Disclaimer

Find a Ski School is not a party to any booking contract. When a Student books a lesson through the Platform, the contractual relationship is formed directly between the Student and the School. Find a Ski School is not a party to this contract and has no obligations or liability under it.

Specifically, Find a Ski School:

• Does not guarantee the quality, safety, legality, or suitability of any lesson, instructor, or service listed on the Platform
• Does not verify the qualifications, certifications, insurance, or licences of Schools or instructors unless explicitly stated with a "Verified" or "Certified" badge
• Is not responsible for the delivery, cancellation, rescheduling, or non-performance of any lesson or service
• Is not responsible for any injury, loss, damage, or death arising from participation in ski or snowboard lessons
• Does not hold customer funds — payments are processed directly to the School's Stripe account
• Is not responsible for refunds, disputes, or chargebacks between Students and Schools

4. User Accounts

To access certain features, you may need to create an account. You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials
• All activities that occur under your account
• Providing accurate and up-to-date information

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms.

4.1 Password Policy

When creating or updating your password, you must meet the following requirements:

• Minimum 8 characters in length
• Must include at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, and one number
• Passwords are checked against known data breach databases to prevent use of compromised credentials
• You are responsible for choosing a strong, unique password and keeping it confidential

We store passwords using industry-standard one-way hashing (bcrypt). We never store or have access to your plain-text password. If you suspect your account has been compromised, please change your password immediately and contact us.

4.2 Signup Waitlist

New users may be placed on a signup waitlist before gaining full access to the Platform. Waitlist placement does not guarantee access. We reserve the right to approve or decline waitlist applications at our discretion. Your waitlist data (name, email, account type) will be retained until your application is processed.

5. Terms for Schools

5.1 Listing Your School

By listing your school on the Platform, you agree to:

• Provide accurate and truthful information about your services, qualifications, and pricing
• Keep your listing information up to date at all times
• Respond to booking requests in a timely manner
• Comply with all applicable laws and regulations in your jurisdiction
• Hold appropriate insurance and qualifications for the services you offer
• Accept full responsibility for the delivery and quality of your services

5.2 Subscription Tiers and Commission

Find a Ski School offers three subscription tiers for Schools. Each tier determines the platform commission rate, available features, and payment options:

• Starter (Free) — No monthly fee. A 5% platform commission is deducted from each booking. No additional fees are charged to the student. Online payments only.
• Growth (€29/month or €290/year) — A 3% platform commission per booking. Supports offline payments (cash, bank transfer), deposit payments, and featured directory placement.
• Pro (€79/month or €790/year) — 1% platform commission. All payment methods including Pay Later. Sponsored directory placement and custom branding.

Commission rates are subject to change. Current rates are displayed on the Pricing page and in the admin dashboard. Changes to commission rates apply to new bookings only and do not affect existing or pending bookings.

5.3 Payment Conditions

By using the Platform's booking and payment features, you agree to:

• Connect a valid Stripe account to receive payments
• Accept the applicable platform commission based on your subscription tier
• Accept that a customer service fee may be added to the booking total, as determined by your tier
• Handle all refunds, cancellations, and disputes directly with the Student
• Comply with Stripe's terms of service and applicable payment regulations
• Acknowledge that subscription fees (Growth and Pro tiers) are billed monthly or annually and are non-refundable for the current billing period
• Acknowledge that downgrading your subscription tier will take effect at the end of the current billing period

Payments from Students are processed directly to the School's connected Stripe account, minus the applicable platform commission. Find a Ski School does not hold, escrow, or delay any funds. Stripe's standard processing fees (typically 1.4% + €0.25 for European cards) are charged separately by Stripe.

5.4 No Customer Service Fees

Find a Ski School does not charge any additional service fees to students. The price displayed is the price the student pays (plus Stripe's standard processing fees). Platform costs are covered through the commission charged to ski schools.

5.5 Embeddable Booking Widget

Schools may embed our booking widget on their own websites using the provided embed code. By using the embeddable widget, Schools agree that:

• The same commission rates and payment terms apply to bookings made through the widget
• The widget must not be modified, reverse-engineered, or used in a misleading manner
• Schools are responsible for ensuring their website's compliance with applicable laws when embedding the widget
• Find a Ski School may update the widget's functionality or appearance without prior notice

5.6 Sponsored Placements

Schools on eligible subscription tiers may purchase sponsored placements in the directory. Sponsored listings are clearly labelled as "Sponsored" or "Featured". Sponsored placement does not constitute an endorsement by Find a Ski School. We track anonymised impression and click data for sponsored placements to measure effectiveness.

5.5 Refunds and Cancellations

Schools are solely responsible for setting and communicating their own cancellation and refund policies to Students. Find a Ski School does not process, manage, or guarantee any refunds. Any refund disputes are between the School and the Student.

6. Terms for Students

6.1 Booking Lessons

When using the Platform to find or book ski lessons, you acknowledge and agree that:

• Your booking contract is directly with the School, not with Find a Ski School
• Find a Ski School acts as a marketplace facilitator and is not responsible for the lesson, its quality, or its delivery
• You should independently verify the qualifications, insurance, and suitability of any School before booking
• Skiing and snowboarding carry inherent risks of injury, and you participate at your own risk
• Payment is processed directly to the School via Stripe — Find a Ski School does not hold your funds
• No additional service fees are charged to you beyond the lesson price and standard payment processing fees
• The School's own refund and cancellation policy applies to your booking — you should review this before completing your booking

During the booking process, you will be asked to confirm via checkbox that:

• All lesson contracts are between you (the Student) and the School
• The School's refund policy applies to your booking
• You consent to the processing of your personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy
• You consent to your contact details being shared with the ski school to facilitate the booking

6.2 Refunds and Disputes

If you need a refund or wish to cancel a booking, you must contact the School directly. Find a Ski School is not responsible for processing refunds and cannot intervene in disputes between Students and Schools. Each School sets its own cancellation and refund policy, which you should review before booking.

7. AI-Powered Features

7.1 AI School Finder

The AI School Finder uses artificial intelligence to recommend ski schools based on your stated preferences. These recommendations are generated algorithmically and should be treated as suggestions only. You should independently verify the suitability of any recommended school before booking. AI recommendations do not constitute professional advice or an endorsement by Find a Ski School.

7.2 AI Concierge

The AI Concierge chatbot provides information about ski schools, resorts, weather conditions, and the platform. While we strive for accuracy, AI-generated responses may contain errors or outdated information. The AI Concierge does not provide professional ski instruction advice, medical advice, or safety guidance. Always consult qualified professionals for such matters.

7.3 Voice Input

Voice input is provided as a convenience feature using your device's built-in speech recognition (Web Speech API). Accuracy may vary depending on your device, browser, language, and ambient conditions. We are not responsible for errors in speech-to-text transcription. Voice input requires microphone permission, which you can revoke at any time through your browser settings.

8. Certified and Verified Badges

The Platform may display "Verified" or "Certified" badges on certain School profiles. These badges indicate that the School has provided documentation to support their claimed certifications (e.g., national ski instructor certification, ISIA membership). However:

• Badges are based on documentation provided by the School and reviewed by our team
• Find a Ski School does not independently verify the authenticity of all certifications
• A badge does not constitute a guarantee of quality, safety, or competence
• Students should always conduct their own due diligence

9. Reviews, Ratings, and User Content

Users may submit reviews and ratings for Schools, resorts, and instructors. Reviews should be honest, accurate, and based on genuine experiences. We reserve the right to remove reviews that are fraudulent, abusive, or violate these Terms. Reviews represent the opinions of individual users and do not reflect the views of Find a Ski School.

Editorial reviews and user-generated reviews and ratings: The Platform may also display editorial reviews created by our team. These are clearly labelled as editorial content and represent the views of Find a Ski School based on our research and assessment.

Users may submit corrections to resort or school data through our data correction feature. Submissions are reviewed (including automated AI spam checks) before being applied. We reserve the right to accept, modify, or reject any submitted corrections.

9. Intellectual Property

All content on Find a Ski School, including text, graphics, logos, and software, is the property of Find a Ski School or its content suppliers and is protected by intellectual property laws.

10. User Content

By submitting content to the Platform (including reviews, listings, images, and data corrections), you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to use, display, and distribute that content in connection with our services.

11. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to:

• Use the Platform for any unlawful purpose
• Submit false or misleading information
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Platform
• Interfere with or disrupt the Platform
• Scrape or collect data from the Platform without permission
• Impersonate another person or entity
• Circumvent the Platform's payment system to avoid commission fees
• Abuse the AI features (e.g., submitting harmful, offensive, or spam queries)
• Submit fraudulent data corrections or spam reviews
• Modify, reverse-engineer, or misuse the embeddable booking widget

13. Multi-Language Disclaimer

The Platform is available in multiple languages for your convenience. Translations are provided on a best-effort basis and may not be perfectly accurate. In the event of any discrepancy between the English version and a translated version of these Terms, the English version shall prevail.

14. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content on the Platform, including School listings, reviews, certification badges, AI-generated recommendations, weather data, or editorial reviews.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Find a Ski School shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from:

• Your use of or inability to use the Platform
• Any booking, lesson, or service arranged through the Platform
• Any injury, loss, or damage arising from ski or snowboard lessons
• Any dispute between a Student and a School
• Any failure or delay in payment processing by Stripe
• Any inaccuracy in School listings, certifications, or reviews
• Any errors or inaccuracies in AI-generated recommendations or chatbot responses
• Any errors in voice-to-text transcription
• Any inaccuracies in weather data or snow conditions

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Find a Ski School's total aggregate liability for all claims arising from or related to the Platform or these Terms, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability, or any other legal theory, shall not exceed the greater of: (a) the total fees you have paid to Find a Ski School in the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim; or (b) one hundred pounds sterling (£100). This limitation applies regardless of whether Find a Ski School has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited by applicable law.

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Find a Ski School, its directors, officers, employees, agents, and affiliates from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees and court costs) arising from or related to: (a) your use of or inability to use the Platform; (b) your violation of these Terms; (c) your violation of any applicable law or regulation; (d) your breach of the rights of any third party, including any intellectual property or privacy right; (e) any content you submit, post, or transmit through the Platform; (f) any booking or lesson arrangement you enter into with another user; or (g) any dispute between you and another user of the Platform. This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of your account and these Terms.

15. Age Requirement

You must be at least 18 years of age to create an account or use the Platform independently. If you are under 18, you may only use the Platform with the involvement and consent of a parent or legal guardian. Parents and guardians who create accounts or make bookings on behalf of minors accept these Terms and assume full responsibility for the minor's use of the Platform. Ski schools are responsible for verifying the age and parental consent of any minor participants in their lessons.

16. Force Majeure

Find a Ski School shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations under these Terms where such failure or delay results from circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to: natural disasters, extreme weather events, avalanches, pandemics or epidemics, government actions or restrictions, resort closures, power failures, internet or telecommunications outages, cyber attacks, acts of terrorism, war, or civil unrest. During any period of force majeure, our obligations shall be suspended for the duration of the event. We will use reasonable efforts to notify affected users and resume normal service as soon as practicable.

17. Account Termination

We reserve the right to suspend, restrict, or terminate your account and access to the Platform at any time, with or without prior notice, for any reason including but not limited to: violation of these Terms, fraudulent or illegal activity, providing false or misleading information, abusive behaviour towards other users or staff, non-payment of subscription fees, or at our sole discretion where we believe your continued use may harm the Platform or its users. You may terminate your account at any time by contacting us. Upon termination, your right to use the Platform ceases immediately. Any outstanding obligations (including payment of fees) survive termination. We are not liable to you or any third party for any termination of your access to the Platform.

18. No Agency or Employment Relationship

Nothing in these Terms creates any agency, partnership, joint venture, or employment relationship between Find a Ski School and any School, instructor, or Student. Schools and instructors are independent third parties and are not employees, agents, or representatives of Find a Ski School. We do not control, direct, or supervise the manner in which Schools deliver their services. Schools are solely responsible for their own tax obligations, insurance, qualifications, and compliance with applicable laws.

15. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify users of material changes by posting the updated Terms on this page with a revised "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the new Terms.

16. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

19. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable, or if modification is not possible, it shall be severed from these Terms. The remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

20. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, and Booking Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Find a Ski School regarding your use of the Platform. They supersede all prior agreements, understandings, and communications, whether written or oral, relating to the subject matter hereof.

21. Contact

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us at [email protected].