Protected Payment and Release Policy

Effective date: [●]

1. Important regulatory statement

Ejumah is a marketplace platform. Payments are processed by approved third-party payment providers. Unless Ejumah has obtained the required Bank of Ghana licence or authorisation, Ejumah does not accept deposits, operate a bank account for users, issue electronic money or provide independent escrow services.

The words "escrow", "held", "protected" or "reserved" in the app describe the marketplace restriction and release process recorded by Ejumah and supported by the payment provider. The legal custody and safeguarding of funds depends on the payment provider's regulated payment arrangement.

2. How protected payment works

When a customer accepts a quote:

1. the customer confirms the displayed job amount and fees;
2. the approved payment provider authorises or collects the payment;
3. Ejumah records the amount as protected in its marketplace ledger;
4. the worker performs the job and submits required evidence;
5. the customer approves completion or the review period expires without a valid dispute;
6. Ejumah instructs the provider or internal payout system to make the eligible amount available to the worker or company; and
7. the worker or company may request withdrawal subject to checks and provider processing.

3. What the protected amount may include

The protected amount may include:

• accepted labour estimate;
• accepted parts/materials estimate;
• inspection fee;
• platform or payment fee;
• tax; and
• approved change orders.

The checkout page controls if there is a difference between this policy and a displayed transaction amount.

4. Release conditions

Payment may be released when:

• the customer confirms satisfactory completion;
• the parties agree to release;
• the customer does not respond within the displayed review/escalation period after completion evidence and reminders;
• a dispute decision authorises full or partial release; or
• another lawful release condition stated at checkout occurs.

5. Auto-release

The completion screen must state the exact review period before auto-release. Ejumah should not use an undisclosed period.

Before auto-release, Ejumah should:

• notify the customer that completion was requested;
• provide access to completion evidence;
• explain how to report a problem;
• send at least one reminder where practicable; and
• pause release if a valid dispute is opened in time.

Auto-release does not extinguish a warranty claim or legal right that survives payment.

6. Partial release

Ejumah may divide the protected amount where evidence supports partial completion, agreed materials, an earned inspection fee or a dispute settlement.

7. Reserves and delays

Release or withdrawal may be delayed for:

• fraud or identity review;
• chargeback or payment reversal;
• dispute or warranty claim;
• sanctions, regulatory or legal requirements;
• account compromise;
• payment-provider delay;
• incorrect payout information; or
• negative balance or prior refund recovery.

8. Refunds

Refunds follow the Refund and Cancellation Policy. Approved refunds are returned to the original payment method where possible. Processing times are controlled partly by external financial institutions.

9. No interest

Users do not earn interest on protected, pending, reserved or wallet balances.

10. Insolvency and provider risk

The treatment of funds in a payment-provider or bank insolvency depends on the provider's legal safeguarding structure and applicable law. Ejumah does not provide a government-backed deposit guarantee.

11. Records and reconciliation

Ejumah maintains transaction references, ledger entries, status history and reconciliation records. In the event of an inconsistency, Ejumah may investigate with the payment provider before permitting release, refund or withdrawal.

12. Disputes

Opening a dispute may pause release where technically possible. Ejumah may consider:

• accepted quote and change orders;
• chat records;
• GPS and PIN records;
• before/after media;
• receipts;
• attendance and timeline events;
• warranty terms; and
• statements from both parties.

Ejumah's allocation decision governs marketplace processing but does not replace a court or regulator.