Payment Terms

These Payment Terms form part of the Agreement between you and The Carrier Hub Ltd and govern all financial transactions on the Platform.

1. Payment Processor

All payments on the Platform are processed exclusively by Stripe Payments Europe Ltd, an e-money institution authorised and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and passported into the United Kingdom. The Carrier Hub Ltd does not hold, process, or store payment card data. The Carrier Hub acts as a technology marketplace only and is not a payment service provider.

2. Shipper Payments

When a Shipper accepts a Carrier's Bid, the Shipper is directed to Stripe's secure hosted checkout page. The Shipper's payment card is charged immediately upon checkout completion. Please note: Stripe applies a payment processing fee to each transaction (typically 1.5% + 20p for UK cards, 2.5% + 20p for EU cards, or 3.25% + 20p for international cards). This fee is charged by Stripe and is not retained by The Carrier Hub.

3. Payment Model -- Stripe Destination Charges

The Platform uses Stripe's Destination Charges model. When a Shipper completes checkout, the payment is processed by Stripe and the funds are designated for the Carrier's Stripe Connect account from the moment of payment. The Carrier Hub does not hold, pool, or control these funds at any point. This model is the same payment infrastructure used by platforms such as Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Stuart, and Gophr, and is operated under Stripe's own FCA authorisation.

4. POD-Triggered Automatic Release

Once the Carrier uploads a valid Proof of Delivery (POD), payment is released automatically and immediately to the Carrier's Stripe Connect account. There is no manual review window, no platform approval step, and no platform involvement in the release decision. The release is triggered by the POD upload event and processed entirely by Stripe.

The Shipper is notified by email when a POD is uploaded. If the Shipper has a concern about the delivery after payment has been released, they should contact the Carrier directly in the first instance. For unresolved disputes, independent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services are available -- see Section 9 below.

The Carrier Hub does not hold funds, does not make payment release decisions, and is not a party to any dispute between Shippers and Carriers regarding delivery quality or goods condition.

5. Carrier Payouts

Carriers must connect a Stripe Connect account to receive payouts. Stripe Connect is subject to Stripe's own terms of service and identity verification requirements. Once funds are released by Stripe upon POD upload, they are transferred to the Carrier's Stripe Connect account. Stripe charges a payout fee of 0.25% + 10p per transfer. Funds typically arrive in the Carrier's bank account within 2–7 business days, depending on the Carrier's Stripe Connect payout schedule.

Carriers must complete Stripe Connect onboarding before a Shipper can make payment for an accepted Bid. If a Carrier has not completed onboarding, the Shipper's payment card will not be charged and the Shipper will be notified to contact the Carrier to complete their setup.

6. Stripe Processing Fees

The Carrier Hub does not charge a platform commission on completed jobs. However, Stripe applies its own payment processing fees to each transaction. These fees are charged by Stripe directly and are not retained by The Carrier Hub. Current Stripe fees are approximately:

Additionally, Stripe Connect charges a payout fee of 0.25% + 10p per transfer to your bank account. Up-to-date Stripe fee information is available at stripe.com/gb/pricing.

7. Subscription Fees

Carrier subscriptions are billed monthly in advance via Stripe. Subscription fees are non-refundable except where required by law. Stripe's standard payment processing fees apply to subscription payments.

8. Taxes and VAT

8.1 General Tax Responsibility

You are responsible for all applicable taxes, duties, and levies arising from your use of the Platform. All prices displayed on the Platform for subscription plans and platform fees are exclusive of VAT unless expressly stated otherwise.

8.2 VAT on Job Invoices

All Bid amounts displayed on the Platform are exclusive of VAT. Where a Carrier is VAT-registered and holds an approved VAT Registration Certificate on the Platform:

• A rate of 20% VAT will be applied to the job invoice amount.
• The Platform generates self-billed invoices on behalf of the Carrier under the self-billing arrangement described in the Electronic Signatures document.
• The VAT amount will be clearly shown on the invoice as a separate line item.
• Shippers receiving invoices from VAT-registered Carriers may reclaim the VAT as input tax in accordance with HMRC rules, subject to their own VAT registration status.

8.3 VAT Registration and Backdated Invoices

Carriers who register for VAT with a backdated effective date must upload their VAT Registration Certificate to the Platform. Upon admin approval of the certificate:

• The Platform will automatically issue VAT supplement invoices to Shippers for all jobs completed on or after the Carrier's VAT registration effective date.
• These supplement invoices represent the VAT element (20%) that was not included in the original job invoice.
• Shippers will be notified by email when a VAT supplement invoice is issued.
• Shippers are obligated to pay VAT supplement invoices within 30 days of issue.
• Carriers are responsible for ensuring their VAT registration details are accurate and up to date on the Platform.

8.4 VAT Number Format

UK VAT numbers must be entered in the format GB followed by 9 digits (e.g. GB123456789). The Platform validates this format automatically. Carriers are responsible for ensuring their VAT number is correct and matches their HMRC registration.

9. Refunds

Refund terms are set out in our Refund and Cancellation Policy. Where a refund is approved, Stripe's original payment processing fee is non-refundable as this is a Stripe policy applicable to all payment processors.

10. Disputes and Alternative Dispute Resolution

10.1 Resolution Process

Because payment is released automatically upon POD upload and the Platform does not hold funds, the Platform cannot reverse or suspend payment releases after a POD has been uploaded. If you have a concern about a delivery, you should follow the steps below in order:

Step 1 -- Direct resolution. Contact the Carrier directly using the in-app messaging system to attempt resolution. Most disputes are resolved at this stage.

Step 2 -- Formal concern. If direct contact does not resolve the matter, raise a formal concern through the Platform using the "Raise Concern" button on your load detail page. This creates a timestamped, logged record of your concern and notifies the Carrier. The Platform will facilitate communication between the parties.

Step 3 -- Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). If the dispute remains unresolved after Step 2, you may refer it to an independent ADR service. The Carrier Hub is not a member of any approved ADR scheme but signposts the following services in accordance with the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/542):

Step 4 -- Online Dispute Resolution. For disputes arising from online contracts, you may also use the UK Government's online dispute resolution resources. The European ODR platform is available at ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr (note: this platform is primarily for EU-based consumers; UK consumers should use the ADR providers listed above).

10.2 Chargebacks

Raising a dispute through your card issuer (chargeback) without first attempting resolution through the Carrier and the Platform (Steps 1 and 2 above) may result in account suspension. This is because chargebacks bypass the contractual dispute resolution process and impose costs on the Platform and the Carrier that may not be warranted. Your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, and other applicable consumer protection legislation are unaffected by this policy.

10.3 ADR Regulations Compliance Statement

In accordance with Regulation 19 of the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/542), The Carrier Hub confirms that it is not obligated to use an ADR entity to resolve disputes with consumers and does not commit to using any particular ADR entity. However, The Carrier Hub signposts the ADR providers listed in Section 10.1 above as available options for users who wish to pursue independent resolution.

11. Platform Status -- Technology Intermediary and Payment Instruction Service

11.1 Technology Intermediary Only

The Carrier Hub is a technology platform. It is not a payment service provider, an e-money institution, a bank, or a financial intermediary. The Platform does not hold, receive, transmit, or process payment funds. All payment processing is performed exclusively by Stripe Payments Europe Ltd, which is authorised and regulated as an e-money institution by the Central Bank of Ireland (reference number C187865) and passported into the United Kingdom under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011. Stripe, not The Carrier Hub, is the regulated entity responsible for the processing and safeguarding of payment funds.

11.2 Payment Instruction Service

The Platform's role in the payment process is limited to transmitting a payment release instruction to Stripe's API when a Carrier uploads a valid Proof of Delivery. This is a technical instruction service only. The Platform does not exercise discretion over whether to release funds, does not hold funds pending release, and does not acquire any legal or beneficial interest in the funds at any point. The instruction is triggered automatically by the POD upload event and is processed entirely within Stripe's regulated infrastructure.

This arrangement is functionally equivalent to the payment instruction model used by regulated UK marketplace platforms including Deliveroo, Stuart, and Gophr, all of which operate under Stripe's FCA authorisation without themselves being regulated payment service providers.

11.3 Exclusion of Commercial Agency

The Carrier Hub is not a commercial agent of any party. Nothing in these Terms, the Agreement, or the operation of the Platform constitutes The Carrier Hub as a commercial agent of any Carrier or Shipper for any purpose. The Commercial Agents (Council Directive) Regulations 1993 (SI 1993/3053) do not apply to The Carrier Hub or to any arrangement between The Carrier Hub and any user of the Platform. No user of the Platform acquires any right to compensation, indemnity, or continued engagement under those Regulations by virtue of their use of the Platform.

11.4 No FCA Regulated Activity

The Carrier Hub does not carry on any regulated activity as defined in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001 (SI 2001/544). In particular, The Carrier Hub does not:

• Accept deposits or issue e-money;
• Provide payment services within the meaning of the Payment Services Regulations 2017 (SI 2017/752);
• Act as a credit broker, lender, or arranger of credit;
• Provide investment services or carry on investment business.

Users who require regulated financial services should seek them from appropriately authorised firms. The Financial Services Register maintained by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is available at register.fca.org.uk.

11.5 No Employment Agency Activity

The Carrier Hub is not an employment agency or employment business as defined under the Employment Agencies Act 1973 or the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/3319). The Platform does not supply, introduce, or provide workers or labour to any person. All Carriers registered on the Platform operate as independent businesses.

12. Currency

All transactions on the Platform are denominated in Pounds Sterling (GBP).