Account Terms & Conditions

1. Introduction

These Account Terms & Conditions ("Account Terms") govern the creation and use of user accounts on Sopal Australia ("Sopal"). These terms apply in addition to Sopal's general Terms of Service.

An account is required to access certain features of Sopal, including but not limited to purchasing Adjudicator Insights, managing payment methods, and accessing premium features.

2. Acceptance of Terms

By completing the account registration process, you:

• Confirm that you have read and understood these Account Terms
• Agree to be legally bound by these Account Terms
• Acknowledge that these Account Terms form a binding contract between you and Sopal
• Confirm that you are at least 18 years of age or have parental/guardian consent
• Warrant that all information provided during registration is accurate and complete

3. Account Creation and Registration

Eligibility

To create an account, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Have the legal capacity to enter into binding contracts
• Provide accurate and complete registration information
• Maintain a valid email address

Registration Information

When creating an account, you must provide:

• A valid email address
• A secure password
• Your first and last name
• Company or firm information (if applicable)
• Billing address and contact details

You agree to:

• Provide truthful, accurate, and complete information
• Keep your account information up to date
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account

One Account Per User

Each user may only create one account. Creating multiple accounts to circumvent restrictions or access limitations is prohibited and may result in account termination.

4. Account Security

Your Responsibilities

You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your password and account credentials
• All activities that occur under your account
• Notifying Sopal immediately of any suspected unauthorized access
• Taking reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized access

Password Requirements

Your password must be at least 8 characters long. We recommend using a strong, unique password that you do not use for other services.

Our Security Measures

Sopal implements reasonable security measures to protect your account, including:

• Password encryption using industry-standard methods
• Secure (HTTPS) connections for all account-related pages
• Regular security audits and updates

However, no security system is impenetrable, and we cannot guarantee absolute security of your account.

5. User Information and Privacy

Your privacy is important to us. The collection, use, and protection of your personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which forms part of these terms.

Information We Collect

When you create an account, we collect:

• Contact information (name, email, phone number)
• Billing information (address, payment details via Stripe)
• Company information (firm name, ABN, employee size)
• Usage data (features accessed, purchase history)

How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide and maintain your account
• Process payments and transactions
• Send important account-related communications
• Improve our services and user experience
• Comply with legal obligations
• Communicate with you about Sopal and related services

6. Communications and Marketing

Transactional Communications

By creating an account, you agree to receive essential service-related communications, including:

• Account verification and password reset emails
• Purchase confirmations and receipts
• Important security or account notifications
• Updates to our terms, policies, or service

You cannot opt out of these transactional communications while maintaining an active account.

Marketing and Promotional Communications

By creating and maintaining a Sopal account, you expressly consent to receive marketing, promotional, and informational communications from Sopal, including but not limited to:

• Product updates, new features, and service announcements
• Educational content, tips, and best practices
• Special offers, discounts, and promotional campaigns
• Newsletters and industry insights
• Surveys and feedback requests
• Information about events, webinars, or training

Extended Communications Consent

You further acknowledge and agree that Sopal, its directors, founders, officers, employees, contractors, and affiliates may contact you regarding:

• Other products, services, or ventures operated or promoted by Sopal or its principals
• Related legal technology services or platforms
• Professional development opportunities in the construction law sector
• Business opportunities, partnerships, or collaborations
• Third-party services or products that may be of interest to Sopal users

This consent extends to communications sent by email, SMS, phone, or other electronic means, and applies even if you have registered your contact details on any "Do Not Call" or similar registry.

Managing Your Communication Preferences

While you cannot opt out of essential transactional emails, you may manage your marketing communication preferences by:

• Clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any marketing email
• Updating your communication preferences in your account settings
• Contacting us at info@sopal.com.au

Please note that even if you opt out of marketing communications, we reserve the right to send occasional important announcements about significant service changes or new products.

Third-Party Communications

We will not sell or rent your contact information to third parties for their marketing purposes without your explicit consent. However, we may share your information with service providers who assist us in operating our platform (such as payment processors and email service providers), subject to confidentiality obligations.

7. Acceptable Use of Your Account

Permitted Uses

Your account may be used to:

• Access premium features and content
• Purchase Adjudicator Insights and other paid services
• Manage your profile and billing information
• Save preferences and customize your experience
• Track your purchase history

Prohibited Activities

You may not use your account to:

• Share access credentials with others
• Create accounts using false or misleading information
• Circumvent payment systems or access controls
• Engage in fraudulent activities or abuse refund policies
• Harass, abuse, or harm others
• Violate any applicable laws or regulations

8. Purchases and Payments

Payment Processing

All payments are processed securely through Stripe. We do not store your complete credit card details on our servers.

Billing Information

You agree to:

• Provide accurate and current billing information
• Update your billing information promptly if it changes
• Authorize us to charge your payment method for purchases made through your account

Purchase History

Your account maintains a record of all purchases made. You can view your purchase history at any time in your account dashboard.

Refunds

Refund policies for specific products or services (such as Adjudicator Insights) are governed by their respective terms and conditions. Digital products are generally non-refundable once access has been granted.

9. Account Suspension and Termination

Termination by You

You may close your account at any time by contacting us at info@sopal.com.au. Please note that:

• Closing your account does not entitle you to refunds for purchases
• Some information may be retained as required by law or for legitimate business purposes
• Access to purchased content will cease upon account closure

Suspension or Termination by Sopal

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account if:

• You breach these Account Terms or our general Terms of Service
• You engage in fraudulent or illegal activity
• You provide false or misleading information
• Your account remains inactive for an extended period
• We are required to do so by law
• We cease providing the service

Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

• Your access to account features and purchased content will cease
• We may delete your account data after a reasonable retention period
• You remain responsible for any outstanding payments
• Provisions regarding liability, indemnification, and communications may survive

10. Data Retention and Deletion

We retain your account data for as long as your account remains active and for a reasonable period thereafter as required by law or for legitimate business purposes.

Requesting Account Deletion

You may request deletion of your account and associated data by contacting info@sopal.com.au. We will process your request within a reasonable timeframe, subject to:

• Legal obligations to retain certain records (e.g., tax records, transaction history)
• Ongoing disputes or claims requiring the data
• Technical limitations in completely removing all backup copies

11. Limitation of Liability

In addition to the limitations set out in our general Terms of Service:

Our total liability related to your account, including all purchases and services, shall not exceed $100 AUD or the total amount you have paid to Sopal in the 12 months prior to the claim, whichever is greater.

12. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Account Terms from time to time. When we make material changes:

• We will update the "Last updated" date
• We will notify you via email to the address associated with your account
• We may display a prominent notice within the platform

Your continued use of your account after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated terms. If you disagree with changes, you must close your account.

13. Contact Information

For questions about your account or these Account Terms:

• Email: info@sopal.com.au
• Feedback Form: Submit through our platform

For account access issues, please include your account email in your inquiry.