0 items
Add some quality building materials to get started on your next project
Browse ProductsClear rules, fair outcomes, trust by design
Last updated: March 31, 2026
This Refund & Cancellation Policy ("Policy") governs refunds, cancellations, and deposit returns for services provided by Jawudi, Inc. ("Jawudi," "we," "us," or "our") through the Platform at jawudi.com.
This Policy is part of, and should be read together with, our Terms of Use. Capitalized terms not defined in this Policy have the meanings assigned to them in the Terms of Use.
Our refund framework is designed around a core principle: fair outcomes based on where value has been delivered and where risk has been borne. The summary table below provides a quick reference; the detailed sections that follow contain the binding terms.
| Product / Fee | Refundable? | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Listing Fee (paid upfront) | No | Compensates for completed onboarding work |
| Listing Fee (waived for exclusivity) | N/A | Breach triggers clawback per MSA |
| Transaction Fee (pre-Binding Agreement) | N/A | Not yet earned; no fee to refund |
| Transaction Fee (post-Binding Agreement, Buyer default) | Waived | Fee waived; exclusivity resets |
| Transaction Fee (post-Binding Agreement, Seller default) | No | Fee earned; invoiced to Seller |
| Jawudi Safe (Buyer cancels) | 90% refund | 10% retained for administrative costs |
| Jawudi Safe (Seller defaults) | 100% refund + Fund | Full deposit returned; Buyer Protection Fund covers disbursed amounts |
| Jawudi Safe (Force Majeure) | 100% refund | Clean unwind, no penalties |
The Listing Fee is non-refundable once paid. The Listing Fee compensates Jawudi for property onboarding services that are performed immediately upon receipt of payment, including field verification, documentation review, photography, and listing creation.
The non-refundable nature of the Listing Fee applies regardless of whether the property is ultimately sold, the listing is withdrawn by the Seller, or the listing period expires without a transaction.
Why is the Listing Fee non-refundable? Jawudi's onboarding work — sending field agents, verifying documents, preparing listing materials — happens immediately. The value has been delivered to the Seller regardless of the transaction outcome.
Where a Seller has elected to waive the Listing Fee in exchange for a 90-day binding exclusivity window, no cash payment has been made and therefore no refund applies. If the Seller breaches the exclusivity commitment (by listing, marketing, or selling the property through another channel during the exclusivity period), the contractual remedies specified in the Master Seller Agreement apply, including the Transaction Fee clawback provision.
The Jawudi Transaction Fee is earned at the point of execution of a Binding Agreement between Buyer and Seller, and is due and payable at close of the transaction. The refund treatment depends on the stage at which a transaction fails and the responsible party:
If a transaction does not progress to a Binding Agreement, no Transaction Fee has been earned and no fee is due. There is nothing to refund.
If a Buyer defaults after execution of a Binding Agreement, the Transaction Fee is technically earned by Jawudi (because Jawudi delivered a qualified buyer). However, Jawudi will waive the Transaction Fee for the failed transaction, provided that the Seller agrees to re-list the property on the Platform for an additional 90-day period under the same terms. This re-listing commitment resets the exclusivity window.
If the Seller declines to re-list, the Transaction Fee remains earned and due.
If a Seller defaults after execution of a Binding Agreement, the Transaction Fee is earned and due. Jawudi will invoice the Seller for the full Transaction Fee. Seller default includes, but is not limited to: refusal to complete the sale, failure to deliver clear title as warranted, or material misrepresentation of the property.
Additionally, defaulting Sellers may be subject to a contractual penalty of 5% of the property price, as specified in the Master Seller Agreement. This penalty constitutes a genuine pre-estimate of losses incurred by Jawudi and the Buyer as a result of the Seller's breach, and is enforceable under the OHADA Uniform Act on General Commercial Law.
Once a transaction has closed, the Transaction Fee is fully earned, paid, and non-refundable. Post-close disputes between Buyer and Seller do not affect Jawudi's entitlement to the Transaction Fee, as Jawudi is the coordination layer and not a principal to the underlying property transaction.
Critical distinction: Jawudi Safe deposits are Buyer funds held in escrow. They are ring-fenced for construction draws and transaction settlement only — they are not Jawudi operating capital. The refund rules below apply exclusively to funds held in or disbursed from Jawudi Safe.
If a Buyer cancels a transaction after depositing funds into Jawudi Safe, the following applies:
Undisbursed funds: Jawudi will retain 10% of the total deposit amount as an administrative fee to cover the costs of transaction setup, coordination, and unwinding. The remaining 90% of the deposit will be returned to the Buyer.
Partially disbursed funds: If milestone-gated disbursements have already been made from Jawudi Safe (e.g., construction draws), the 10% administrative retention applies to the original deposit amount. The refund is calculated as: original deposit minus disbursed amounts minus 10% administrative fee. If the disbursed amounts plus the administrative fee exceed the original deposit, no refund is available. However, the Buyer may be eligible for compensation from the Buyer Protection Fund (see Section 5) if the disbursed funds relate to a project that is subsequently abandoned or defaulted upon by the developer.
Why 10%, not more? The 10% retention is designed to be proportionate to Jawudi's actual administrative costs, consistent with the requirements of French law on clauses pénales (penalty clauses) under Article 1231-5 of the Code civil. A higher forfeiture rate could be struck down by French courts as disproportionate when applied to EU-resident Buyers.
If a Seller defaults on their obligations under a Binding Agreement, the Buyer is entitled to a full refund of their deposit.
Undisbursed funds: 100% of the remaining deposit in Jawudi Safe is returned to the Buyer promptly upon confirmation of Seller default.
Disbursed funds: For amounts already disbursed from Jawudi Safe that cannot be recovered from the defaulting Seller, the Buyer may submit a claim to the Jawudi Buyer Protection Fund (see Section 5). Jawudi will also pursue contractual remedies against the defaulting Seller, including the 5% penalty clause in the MSA and recovery of disbursed funds.
If a transaction cannot be completed due to a Force Majeure Event (as defined in the Terms of Use), the Buyer is entitled to a full refund of all undisbursed funds held in Jawudi Safe. No administrative fee or penalty is applied. For partially disbursed funds, Jawudi will work in good faith with all parties to maximize recovery of disbursed amounts. See Section 8 for details.
Every Jawudi transaction is backed by the Jawudi Buyer Protection Fund. The Fund exists to protect Buyers when their deposits have been partially or fully disbursed from Jawudi Safe and cannot be recovered due to Seller default, developer insolvency, or abandonment.
The Buyer Protection Fund is maintained by Jawudi through an internal allocation from Jawudi Transaction Fees. No separate charge is assessed to Buyers or Sellers.
The Fund applies when all of the following conditions are met:
The Fund covers the gap between the Buyer's total deposit and the amount that can be returned through direct recovery from Jawudi Safe and/or the defaulting counterparty. Coverage is subject to available fund balances and Jawudi's claims assessment.
To submit a claim, the Buyer must provide written notice to Jawudi at legal@jawudi.com, including: a description of the default or event triggering the claim, the amount deposited, the amount disbursed, any amounts already recovered, and supporting documentation.
Jawudi will assess the claim in good faith and communicate its determination within 30 business days of receiving a complete claim submission. Jawudi may request additional documentation or clarification as part of its assessment.
The Buyer Protection Fund is not insurance. Coverage is discretionary, subject to available fund balances, and provided following a good-faith assessment by Jawudi. Jawudi does not guarantee that the Fund will cover the full amount of any loss. The maximum amount payable from the Fund in respect of any single claim is limited to the Buyer's original deposit amount. The existence of the Fund does not limit Jawudi's right to pursue legal or contractual remedies against defaulting parties on behalf of affected Buyers.
In addition to financial remedies, Sellers who default on their obligations under a Binding Agreement or the Master Seller Agreement may be permanently excluded from the Jawudi platform.
Platform exclusion constitutes termination of the Seller's account, cancellation of all active listings, and permanent prohibition from creating new accounts or listings. Jawudi may, in its discretion, communicate the exclusion to relevant counterparties, partners, and community organizations.
Platform exclusion is a protective measure, not a penalty. It exists to maintain the integrity of the Jawudi ecosystem and the trust of diaspora Buyers who rely on Jawudi to vet and manage their counterparties at distance.
If you are a consumer resident in the European Union or the European Economic Area, you may have a right to withdraw from a distance contract within fourteen (14) days of entering into it, without giving any reason, under the EU Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU).
At the point of purchase or service commencement on the Platform, you will be presented with an explicit consent checkbox containing the following (or substantially similar) language:
"I expressly request that Jawudi commence the performance of services immediately and I acknowledge that I will lose my right of withdrawal once the service has been fully performed."
By checking this box, you consent to the immediate commencement of services and acknowledge that:
The EU right of withdrawal applies to Jawudi's service fees (including Listing Fees and Transaction Fees). It does not apply to Jawudi Safe deposits, which are held in escrow for the Buyer's benefit and are subject to the escrow refund terms in Section 4 of this Policy.
To exercise your right of withdrawal, you must notify Jawudi in writing (by email to legal@jawudi.com or by post to our address below) within 14 days of the date on which you entered into the applicable service agreement. Your notification must contain an unambiguous statement of your decision to withdraw.
If a transaction cannot be completed due to a Force Majeure Event, the following applies:
Jawudi Safe Deposits: All undisbursed funds are returned to the Buyer in full. No administrative fee or penalty is applied. This is a clean unwind — neither party is penalized for circumstances beyond their control.
Disbursed Funds: For funds already disbursed from Jawudi Safe prior to the Force Majeure Event, Jawudi will make commercially reasonable efforts to recover disbursed amounts. Where full recovery is not possible, the Buyer may submit a claim to the Buyer Protection Fund.
Listing Fees: Listing Fees are non-refundable, as the onboarding services were performed prior to the Force Majeure Event.
Transaction Fees: If a Transaction Fee was earned but not yet collected at the time of the Force Majeure Event, Jawudi will waive the fee.
Force Majeure Events include, but are not limited to: natural disasters, armed conflict, civil unrest, government expropriation (including under Article 48 of Guinea's Code Foncier et Domanial), pandemics, sanctions, or regulatory actions that make performance of the transaction illegal or impossible.
Refund and cancellation policies for additional Jawudi services — including but not limited to Jawudi Flex, Jawudi Tontine, Jawudi Capital, and property management services — will be disclosed at the time of enrollment in those services and will be governed by the specific terms applicable to each service.
In all cases, the principles of proportionality, fairness, and compliance with applicable consumer protection laws (including EU consumer rights and OHADA commercial law) will apply.
To request a refund or cancellation, please contact Jawudi using one of the following methods:
Email: legal@jawudi.com
Mail: Jawudi, Inc. Attn: Legal — Refund Request 85 East 125th Street New York, NY 10035 United States
Your request should include: your full name, account email, a description of the transaction or fee at issue, the amount in question, and any supporting documentation.
Jawudi will acknowledge receipt of your request within 5 business days and will process eligible refunds within 30 business days of acknowledgment, unless a longer period is required for claims assessment (e.g., Buyer Protection Fund claims).
Refunds will be issued to the original payment method used for the relevant transaction, unless an alternative method is agreed upon in writing.
If you have any questions about this Refund & Cancellation Policy, please contact us:
Jawudi, Inc. Attn: Legal 85 East 125th Street New York, NY 10035 United States