Cancellation & Refund Policy

Every booking on PhotoLancer is paid up-front and held in escrow until the shoot is complete. This policy explains what happens when a booking is cancelled, the timelines for refunds, when funds are released to the photographer, and how disputes are resolved.

Unless the photographer's listing specifies stricter terms, the default cancellation slabs are:

• More than 30 days before the event — full refund, less payment-gateway charges.
• 15 to 30 days before the event — 50% refund.
• Less than 15 days before the event — no refund (the photographer has reserved the date and likely turned away other work).

The photographer's listing may publish more generous terms — those override the defaults. Photographers cannot publish terms that are less generous than the defaults above without flagging them prominently before checkout.

If the photographer cancels for any reason other than a documented emergency, the client is entitled to a 100% refund, and PhotoLancer will help find a replacement photographer of comparable standing where possible. Repeated cancellations may result in account suspension and loss of verification.

Funds are released from escrow to the photographer's payout account as follows:

• Day of shoot — booking moves to "shoot completed" once the photographer marks it complete and the client confirms.
• +72 hours — if the client does not raise a dispute within 72 hours of "shoot completed", funds are auto-released.
• Payout settlement — payouts are settled via Razorpay within 2–5 working days after release, depending on bank processing times.

PhotoLancer's commission is deducted at the point of release. GST and gateway fees may also apply.

Approved refunds are initiated to the original payment method within 3 working days. The time taken to reflect in your account depends on your bank and payment method:

• UPI — typically within 24 hours of initiation.
• Credit/debit cards — typically 5–7 working days.
• Net banking — typically 3–5 working days.

Payment-gateway charges on the original transaction may be non-refundable.

• Featured listing fees, once the Featured placement has gone live.
• Payment-gateway charges already incurred on the original transaction.
• Bookings completed and accepted by the client without a dispute raised within the 72-hour window.

A dispute can be raised within 72 hours of "shoot completed" from your booking page. Disputes pause the escrow release. The PhotoLancer support team will:

1. Acknowledge the dispute within 1 working day.
2. Review messages, contracts and any uploaded deliverables.
3. Mediate between the client and photographer to arrive at a fair outcome — full refund, partial refund, re-shoot, or release of funds.
4. Issue a decision within 7 working days. The decision is binding for the limited purpose of releasing escrow.

If you remain dissatisfied, you may pursue remedies available to you under Indian law, including the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The exclusive jurisdiction is the courts at Bengaluru, Karnataka.

If a shoot becomes impossible due to events beyond reasonable control (natural disasters, lockdowns, serious illness, government restrictions), PhotoLancer will work with both parties to either reschedule the booking, transfer it to a comparable photographer, or refund the client in full. No penalties apply to either party in a documented force-majeure cancellation.

Email support@photolancers.in for any cancellation, refund or dispute query. Include your booking ID — it helps us respond faster.