Terms & Conditions

1. Introduction & Acceptance

Welcome to Independent Online Hub (hereinafter referred to as "the Company", "We", "Us", or "Our"). This Agreement governs Your access to and use of our website, digital platforms, mobile interfaces, and professional consultancy services (collectively, the "Services").

By accessing, browsing, registering on, downloading content from, or otherwise using this website or any of the Services, You unequivocally acknowledge that You have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by this Agreement, in its entirety and without modification. If You do not agree with any part of this Agreement, You must immediately discontinue all use of our Services. Continued use of the Services following the posting of any amendment to this Agreement shall constitute Your acceptance of such amendment.

2. Definitions & Interpretation

For the purposes of this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, the following expressions shall have the meanings assigned below:

Headings used in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not affect its interpretation. Words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa.

3. Eligibility & Authority

By accessing our Services, You represent and warrant that: (a) You are at least 18 years of age; (b) You possess the legal capacity and competence to enter into a binding contract under the Indian Contract Act, 1872; and (c) You are not barred from availing of the Services under any Applicable Law.

Where You are accessing or availing of the Services on behalf of a company, partnership, LLP, trust, society, or any other entity, You represent and warrant that You have full authority to bind such entity to this Agreement, and all references to "You" shall thereafter extend to such entity as well.

Any misrepresentation of eligibility, identity, or authority shall entitle the Company to refuse, suspend, or terminate access to the Services immediately and without liability, and to pursue such remedies as may be available under Applicable Law.

4. Account Registration & Security

To access specific features or avail of professional Services, You may be required to create an account and furnish accurate personal and business details (including, without limitation, name, email address, phone number, and payment information). You agree that all information provided is true, current, complete, and accurate, and You undertake to promptly update such information as and when it changes.

• Responsibility: You are solely and exclusively responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of Your login credentials and for all activities that occur under Your account.
• Liability: The Company shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from Your failure to protect Your account credentials. You agree to notify Us immediately, in writing, of any unauthorized use of Your account or any other breach of security.
• Verification: The Company reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to require additional verification (including KYC documentation) before processing any Service, and to suspend an account pending such verification.

5. Scope of Services & Facilitation

Independent Online Hub provides a range of digital and business compliance facilitation services, including assistance with documentation, filings, and liaison support for registrations such as GST, company/LLP/society/trust incorporation, trademarks, and allied statutory matters. You expressly acknowledge and agree that:

• For all Government Authority-related Services, the Company acts solely as a facilitator, consultant, and documentation-support provider, and not as the deciding or approving authority.
• The Company does not own, operate, or control any Government Authority portal, and has no influence over departmental processing timelines, queries raised, or the ultimate approval or rejection of any application.
• Any timelines communicated by the Company (verbally, in writing, or on the Platform) are indicative estimates only and do not constitute a guarantee of outcome or turnaround time.
• The accuracy, completeness, and authenticity of documents, information, and declarations furnished by You are Your sole responsibility. The Company shall not be liable for any rejection, delay, penalty, or adverse consequence arising from incorrect, incomplete, or false information or documentation provided by You.
• Nothing in this Agreement or in the course of availing the Services shall be construed as creating an attorney-client, chartered accountant-client, or other statutorily privileged professional relationship, unless separately and expressly agreed in writing with a named, qualified professional.
• You are responsible for independently verifying any statutory, tax, or regulatory advice communicated to You, and are encouraged to consult an independent, qualified professional for matters of significant legal or financial consequence.

6. Fees, Payment & Refund Policy

Fees for the Services shall be as quoted on the Platform or communicated to You in writing, and are exclusive of applicable taxes (including GST) unless expressly stated otherwise. You agree to make payment through the payment modes made available on the Platform, and to ensure that the payment information furnished by You is accurate and authorized for use.

• All financial transactions are additionally governed by our separate Refund & Cancellation Policy, which forms an integral part of this Agreement.
• Professional service fees are, as a general rule, non-refundable once execution of the Service has commenced, except as may be expressly provided in the Refund & Cancellation Policy.
• Statutory fees, government fees, stamp duty, and third-party vendor charges remitted on Your behalf are strictly non-refundable under any circumstances, including in the event of rejection by a Government Authority.
• The Company reserves the right to suspend performance of any Service in the event of non-payment, dishonoured payment, or chargeback initiated by You without valid cause.

7. Prohibited Conduct & Usage Restrictions

Access to our Platform is granted strictly for lawful purposes. You agree that You shall NOT:

• Use any automated means, including bots, crawlers, or scrapers, to access, mine, or collect data from the Platform without prior written consent.
• Attempt to probe, scan, interfere with, disrupt, or compromise the security or integrity of our servers, networks, or databases.
• Reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, resell, sublicense, or otherwise commercially exploit any portion of the Services or Content without the Company's express written permission.
• Post, upload, or transmit any content that is defamatory, obscene, unlawful, threatening, or that infringes upon the intellectual property, privacy, or other rights of any third party.
• Impersonate any person or entity, or misrepresent Your affiliation with any person or entity, in connection with Your use of the Services.
• Upload or transmit any virus, malware, or other code intended to disrupt, damage, or limit the functioning of the Platform.
• Engage in any activity that could reasonably be expected to harm the reputation, business interests, or operational capability of Independent Online Hub.

Consequence: Any violation of the foregoing may, at the Company's sole discretion, result in immediate suspension or termination of Services, forfeiture of fees paid, and initiation of appropriate civil and/or criminal proceedings under Applicable Law, without prejudice to any other remedy available to the Company.

8. User-Generated Content & Communication Tools

Our Platform may offer interactive tools such as blogs, comment sections, testimonials, or review features. By submitting or posting Content through such tools, You grant the Company a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, sub-licensable license to use, reproduce, adapt, publish, translate, and display such Content, in whole or in part, in any media, for purposes connected with the Company's business and marketing.

You represent and warrant that any Content submitted by You is original, lawful, and does not infringe upon the intellectual property, privacy, or other rights of any third party. The Company reserves the absolute right, but assumes no obligation, to monitor, edit, or remove any User-Generated Content that it deems, in its sole discretion, offensive, inappropriate, or in violation of this Agreement, with or without prior notice. The Company shall not be liable for any Content posted by third-party users.

9. Intellectual Property Rights

All materials available on this Platform, including but not limited to source code, software, designs, logos, trademarks, trade names, text, graphics, layouts, and compilations thereof, are the exclusive intellectual property of Independent Online Hub, or its licensors, and are protected under the Copyright Act, 1957, the Trade Marks Act, 1999, and other applicable Indian and international intellectual property laws.

No right, title, license, or interest in or to any such intellectual property is transferred or granted to You by virtue of Your use of the Platform, save for a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Platform for its intended purpose. Any unauthorized use, reproduction, modification, distribution, or public display of the Company's proprietary material is strictly prohibited and may attract civil and criminal liability.

If You believe that any Content on the Platform infringes Your intellectual property rights, You may notify the Grievance Officer named in Section 19 below, with sufficient particulars to enable identification and evaluation of the claim.

10. Confidentiality

In the course of availing the Services, You may share business, financial, or personal documents and information with the Company ("Confidential Information"). The Company shall use such Confidential Information solely for the purpose of rendering the Services and shall not disclose it to any third party, save for:

• Disclosure to Government Authorities strictly to the extent necessary for filing or processing Your application;
• Disclosure to the Company's employees, associates, or sub-contractors on a need-to-know basis, subject to equivalent confidentiality obligations;
• Disclosure required under Applicable Law, a court order, or a lawful directive from a Government Authority; and
• Disclosure with Your prior written consent.

This obligation of confidentiality shall survive the termination or expiry of this Agreement.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Independent Online Hub, its directors, officers, employees, consultants, and affiliates ("Indemnified Parties") from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in connection with:

• Your use, or misuse, of the Services or the Platform;
• Your breach, or alleged breach, of any provision of this Agreement;
• Your violation of any Applicable Law or the rights of any third party; and
• Any inaccurate, incomplete, or false information or documentation furnished by You in connection with the Services.

This indemnity obligation shall survive the termination or expiry of this Agreement.

12. Limitation of Liability & Disclaimers

The Services and Platform are provided on an "as-is" and "as-available" basis. To the maximum extent permitted under Applicable Law, the Company disclaims all warranties, whether express, implied, or statutory, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

• Exclusion of Consequential Damages: In no event shall the Company be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profit, revenue, data, or goodwill, arising out of or in connection with the Services, whether in contract, tort, or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
• Cap on Liability: Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement, the aggregate liability of the Company arising out of or in connection with the Services shall not, under any circumstances, exceed the total professional fees actually paid by You to the Company for the specific Service giving rise to the claim.
• No Liability for Third-Party/Governmental Acts: The Company shall not be liable for delays, rejections, penalties, or losses arising from the acts, omissions, processing delays, or portal malfunctions of any Government Authority, bank, payment gateway, or other third party outside the Company's reasonable control.

13. Force Majeure

The Company shall not be liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement where such failure or delay arises from causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, fire, flood, epidemic or pandemic, war, terrorism, civil commotion, strikes, governmental orders or restrictions, internet or telecommunication failures, or the unavailability, malfunction, or downtime of any Government Authority portal or payment gateway. Performance of the affected obligations shall be suspended for the duration of such event, and resumed as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter.

14. Third-Party Links & Services

Our Platform may contain links to, or integrations with, external websites and services (including payment gateways, Government Authority portals, and third-party vendors). Such links are provided for Your convenience only. The Company does not control, endorse, or assume any responsibility for the content, accuracy, privacy practices, or terms of service of any third-party website or service. Your interaction with any third party, including any transaction or exchange of information, is solely between You and such third party, at Your own risk.

15. Termination & Survival

The Company reserves the right to suspend or terminate Your account and access to the Services, with or without prior notice, if You are found to be in breach of this Agreement, engaged in fraudulent or unlawful activity, or where required to do so under Applicable Law or the directive of a Government Authority. You may also terminate Your use of the Services at any time, subject to the terms of the Refund & Cancellation Policy regarding fees already paid.

Upon termination, Your right to access and use the Services shall cease immediately. Notwithstanding termination, the provisions of this Agreement relating to Intellectual Property Rights, Confidentiality, Indemnification, Limitation of Liability, Dispute Resolution, and Governing Law shall survive and continue to bind the parties.

16. Dispute Resolution & Arbitration

In the event of any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, including its interpretation, validity, or termination ("Dispute"), the parties shall first attempt to resolve such Dispute amicably through good-faith negotiation within thirty (30) days of written notice of the Dispute by one party to the other.

If the Dispute remains unresolved at the end of such period, it shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (including any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof), conducted as follows:

• The arbitration shall be conducted by a sole arbitrator, mutually appointed by the parties; failing such mutual agreement within fifteen (15) days, the arbitrator shall be appointed in accordance with the said Act.
• The seat and venue of arbitration shall be Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
• The language of the arbitration proceedings shall be English.
• The arbitral award shall be final and binding on the parties, subject to the provisions of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.
• Each party shall bear its own costs of arbitration, unless otherwise directed by the arbitrator.

Nothing in this Section shall preclude either party from seeking urgent interim or injunctive relief from a competent court, as provided under Section 17.

17. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of India, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

• Jurisdiction: Subject to Section 16 above, You agree that any legal proceedings arising out of or relating to this Agreement that are properly brought before a court of law shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts located in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, and You irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction.
• Operational Venue: For administrative and operational grievances, the venue shall be the Company's corporate office in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

18. General Provisions

• Severability: If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court or arbitral tribunal of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be severed, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
• Entire Agreement: This Agreement, together with the Privacy Policy and Refund & Cancellation Policy, constitutes the entire agreement between You and the Company with respect to its subject matter, and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous understandings, whether oral or written.
• Waiver: No failure or delay by the Company in exercising any right, power, or remedy under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise preclude any further exercise of such right, power, or remedy.
• Assignment: You may not assign or transfer any of Your rights or obligations under this Agreement without the Company's prior written consent. The Company may assign or transfer this Agreement, in whole or in part, without restriction, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.
• Amendment of Terms: The Company reserves the right to modify, amend, or update this Agreement at any time, at its sole discretion. Material changes will be indicated by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. Your continued use of the Services following any such change constitutes Your acceptance of the amended Agreement.
• Notices: Any notice required to be given under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given when sent by email to the address provided by You (in Your case) or to iohindia.info@gmail.com (in the Company's case), or when sent by registered post/courier to the addresses set out in Section 20.
• Relationship of Parties: Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as creating a partnership, joint venture, agency, or employment relationship between You and the Company.

19. Grievance Redressal

In accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the rules framed thereunder, including the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (to the extent applicable), the name and contact details of the Grievance Officer are provided below. Any complaints or concerns regarding this Agreement, the Services, or Content on the Platform may be addressed to the Grievance Officer, who shall endeavour to acknowledge the complaint within 24 (twenty-four) hours and resolve it within 15 (fifteen) days of receipt, in accordance with Applicable Law.

20. Contact Information

For any queries, grievances, or requests relating to this Agreement, or if you require assistance with our Services, you may contact us at: