Refund Policy

Last Updated: April 3, 2025

This Refund Policy outlines the conditions under which Alain Goldstein ("we", "our", or "us"), a Canadian audio production and recording service provider, will issue refunds to clients. Because our services are custom-tailored and often involve booking studio time or creative work, it's important to understand how cancellations and refunds are handled. By engaging our services, you agree to this Refund Policy.

1. Nature of Our Services

All services provided by Alain Goldstein—including studio rental sessions, audio recording, editing/post-production, mixing/mastering, and consulting—are customized for each client and delivered following direct agreement on the project terms. We do not offer any off-the-shelf digital products or instant online bookings via our website. When you hire us, it typically involves a consultation and then a personalized plan or contract. As such, each project might have its own terms regarding payment schedule and cancellation, but the general principles below apply in most cases.

2. Refund Eligibility

We strive to be fair and transparent with our clients. Refunds are considered on a case-by-case basis, under the general guidelines below. The exact terms for refunds or cancellations may also be specified in your individual service agreement, but in absence of specific terms, these rules apply:

Full Refund: You are eligible for a full refund of any amount paid if we have not yet begun any work on your project and no studio time or resources have been reserved or used on your behalf. For example, if you paid a deposit to secure a booking but then cancel well in advance before any session or preparation has taken place, you would generally get that deposit back in full.

Partial Refund: If we have started working on your project or have reserved studio time which is approaching, but the work is not yet completed (or the studio time can be partially reallocated), we may offer a partial refund. The amount will depend on the proportion of services that have already been delivered or time that cannot be rescheduled. For example, if half of the work has been done or if we spent a certain number of hours on preparation, we may deduct an equivalent portion and refund the remainder of what you paid. We will provide an explanation of how any partial refund is calculated.

No Refund: If a service has been fully rendered as agreed (i.e., we completed the project or the booked studio session was used) or if a scheduled session was missed or canceled at the last minute without adequate notice (preventing us from rebooking that time), then generally no refund will be issued for the amounts paid. Once a service is delivered in full (for instance, final audio files handed over, or a studio session finished), payment is considered earned. Similarly, if you simply change your mind after the work is done, refunds would not apply.

These scenarios are general; we understand that circumstances can vary, and we aim to be understanding. We encourage clients to communicate with us as early as possible if plans change.

3. Cancellation Policy

Clients may cancel a planned service or studio booking, but doing so in a timely manner is important. Cancellations must be made in writing (preferably via email to have a clear record) or via direct contact with us. We strongly recommend email for cancellations: this provides both you and us with a timestamp and written proof of the request.

Advance Notice: The sooner you inform us of a cancellation, the more flexibility we have to adjust. For example, canceling a studio session a week in advance is much better than a few hours before. Early cancellations might allow us to rebook the studio with someone else or rearrange our schedule, which in turn makes it more likely that we can offer you a better refund (potentially a full refund if nothing was lost on our side).

Late Notice: If you cancel very close to the scheduled start of a service (e.g., on the same day or a day before a booking), we will do our best to be accommodating, but please understand that it may count as a last-minute cancellation. In such cases, we reserve the right to charge for any costs incurred or time reserved. This could mean forfeiting a deposit or paying a cancellation fee, depending on what was agreed upon. We will communicate these possibilities beforehand in our service agreement or during scheduling.

How to Cancel: To cancel, send an email to admin@alain-goldstein.com stating your name, the service or booking you wish to cancel, and the date(s) of the scheduled service. You may also call us at +1 (514) 548-8123 to inform us verbally, but written confirmation via email is still required for our mutual clarity. We will reply to confirm we received your cancellation. If you do not get a confirmation, please follow up, as the cancellation is not considered completed until confirmed by us.

4. Requesting a Refund

If you believe you are entitled to a refund based on the criteria above (or as specified in your contract with us), please contact us to initiate the refund process. When contacting us, include the following information to help us process your request efficiently:

Your Full Name (and the name of the organization or artist, if applicable, that the service was booked under).

Service or Booking Details: Describe the service you had arranged (e.g., "4-hour studio rental on [date]" or "Podcast editing project started on [date]").

Date of Agreement or Payment: Let us know when the service was agreed upon or when payment was made (approximately is fine, if you don't recall exact date).

Reason for Refund Request: Briefly explain why you are requesting a refund (e.g., "session canceled X days in advance," "dissatisfied with a portion of service," or "service not delivered as expected due to [issue]"). Providing context helps us review what happened and respond fairly.

Please send your refund request with the above information via email to admin@alain-goldstein.com. You may also call us at +1 (514) 548-8123 to discuss the situation, but we will likely still ask for an email summary to keep records clear. We will review your request and respond within a reasonable timeframe (typically within 2-5 business days) to inform you of our decision or to ask for additional information if needed.

5. Refund Method

If a refund is approved, we will return the funds to you using the same payment method you originally used, unless otherwise agreed. For example:

If you paid via e-transfer or bank transfer, we would issue the refund to your bank account or via e-transfer back to you.

If you paid by PayPal or another online payment service, we would process the refund through that platform to return the money to you.

If you paid by cash (in rare cases), we would arrange an appropriate method to refund you (such as a mailed check or a meet-up if feasible).

We aim to process approved refunds promptly. Generally, once a refund is confirmed by us, we will initiate it within 3–5 business days. Please note that depending on your bank or payment provider, it might take additional time for the refunded amount to reflect in your account. We will notify you when we've sent the refund. If you have not received it after a reasonable period, let us know and also check with your payment provider.

6. Exclusions and Special Cases

While we endeavor to be accommodating, there are certain situations where refunds may not be provided, including but not limited to:

Client No-Show: If you book studio time or schedule a service and then fail to show up at the agreed time without any prior cancellation notice, this is generally treated as a last-minute cancellation. In such cases, any deposit or payment made for that session may be forfeited to compensate for the reserved time and lost opportunity. We typically wait a grace period (e.g., 30 minutes) in case you're running late, but significant no-shows are non-refundable.

Changes in Personal Schedule: We understand that personal emergencies or scheduling conflicts happen. However, if you cancel because your plans changed (and we've already allocated time or turned down other work for that slot), we will refer to the guidelines above on notice timing. A change of mind or scheduling conflict on the client's side might not warrant a refund if we've incurred costs. We will try to reschedule where possible instead of outright cancellation.

Dissatisfaction with Creative Outcome: If a service was provided to completion but you are unhappy with the outcome (for reasons other than a clear failure on our part), we will work with you to address your concerns through revisions or adjustments as per our agreement. A refund in this scenario is not guaranteed, as creative services can be subjective. For example, if we produced a piece of audio for you according to your specifications but you later decide to go in a different creative direction, that would not typically qualify for a refund. That said, client satisfaction is a priority, and we'll do what we can to make things right within the scope of our agreement.

External Factors: We cannot be held liable for cancellations or dissatisfaction caused by factors outside our control (force majeure events). For instance, if a power outage, extreme weather, or other unforeseen event prevents a scheduled session from occurring as planned, we will work to reschedule with you as a first course of action. If rescheduling is impossible, we'll discuss fair compensation or refund (e.g., refunding a deposit) on a case-by-case basis.

Third-Party Delays/Issues: If our ability to deliver a service is hampered by a third-party (for example, a piece of equipment fails that we rented from another company, or a collaborator doesn't deliver on time), we will inform you and try to remedy the situation. Refunds related to third-party issues will depend on circumstances, but typically we aim to either not charge for the portion of service not delivered or give a partial refund if you've pre-paid for something affected by a third-party failure.

7. Problem Resolution

If any disagreement or confusion arises regarding refund eligibility or service satisfaction, we encourage open communication to find a solution. Our approach to dispute resolution is:

Direct Discussion: First, we will discuss the matter with you directly (via email, phone, or in person) to understand your perspective and explain ours. Many times, issues can be resolved through clarification or a mutually agreed compromise (for example, offering an extra service or discount in future rather than a refund, if that suits you).

Escalation: If we cannot reach an immediate understanding, we may suggest a meeting or call with all relevant parties (for example, if a producer or third-party was involved) to work out a resolution. We genuinely want our clients to feel treated fairly.

Formal Measures: Should informal resolution fail, and if the matter is significant, we may consider mediation or other alternative dispute resolution methods before resorting to legal action. According to our Terms & Conditions, any legal disputes would generally fall under Quebec law and jurisdiction. However, we truly hope to avoid any adversarial proceedings by addressing concerns proactively.

Remember, our reputation thrives on positive relationships and successful projects. We will approach any refund request or dispute with that in mind.

8. Legal Framework and Compliance

This Refund Policy is intended to be compliant with applicable consumer protection laws and regulations:

Canadian Consumer Protection: We adhere to the consumer protection laws of Canada and the Province of Quebec, which ensure fair business practices and truthful representations of services. We aim for our refund practices to meet or exceed the standards set by these laws. For example, if a law provides a cooling-off cancellation period for certain contracts, we will honor that.

International Fair Practice: While our business is Canadian, we recognize that clients might come from other jurisdictions. We strive to align our policies with international norms and best practices. Even though the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is primarily about data privacy (and not directly about refunds), its emphasis on transparency and fairness inspires how we communicate our policies. Similarly, the California Consumer Protection laws and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) emphasize consumer rights and clear communication; we incorporate those values by being straightforward about when refunds are or aren't available.

No Impact on Statutory Rights: Nothing in this policy is intended to limit any rights you have under law. If any part of this Refund Policy is found to be in conflict with a mandatory provision of law (for instance, if a law grants you the right to a refund in a scenario we listed as "No Refund"), then that law will prevail and we will honor your statutory right.

In summary, we want you to feel comfortable when you book our services, knowing that we have fair refund and cancellation practices. We stand by the quality of our work and also understand that flexibility is sometimes needed.

9. Contact Us

For any questions or concerns about this Refund Policy or to discuss a refund/cancellation matter, please contact us. We're here to help and provide clarity. Reach out at:

Alain Goldstein (Attn: Refunds/Customer Service)

Address: 3300 Boulevard Côte-Vertu Ouest, Saint-Laurent, QC H4R 2B7, Canada

Email: admin@alain-goldstein.com

Phone: +1 (514) 548-8123

Please include relevant details in your communication so we can assist you more effectively (e.g., your name, date of service, etc., as outlined above). We will respond as promptly as possible. Thank you for choosing our studio and services – we appreciate your business and will work hard to ensure your experience with Alain Goldstein is positive even if plans change.