Refund Policy
How to read this policy
VRL has two distinct sides. Advisory programs, where VRL charges fees and guarantees outcomes. And VRL Connect, where VRL matches providers with seekers but does not handle money between them.
The refund rules for each are different. Read the section that applies to you.
Part 1: Advisory Programs
The short version
VRL backs its programs with outcome guarantees. If we miss the guaranteed outcome through our own shortfall, we keep working until we hit it. We do not give up and write a cheque instead. That is the default remedy.
Cash refunds are available in a narrow set of specific circumstances, set out below.
The guarantee is not the refund policy
The 20% efficiency guarantee (Launchpad) and 25% profit lift guarantee (Turnaround and Scale) are performance commitments. They mean: if we do not deliver what we said, we continue working at no charge until we do.
They are not a trigger for a cash refund. They are a commitment that the work continues.
If you want a cash refund rather than continued work, that requires a separate request and meets different conditions. See below.
When a cash refund applies
A cash refund is available when all of the following are true:
1. You followed the program as documented.
This means:
- You completed every deliverable assigned to you on the agreed timeline.
- You attended every scheduled call or session.
- You implemented every recommendation VRL made, in the form and timeframe it was given.
- You shared all financial and operational data requested.
- You made no material changes to pricing, key personnel, or core operations during the engagement without VRL’s prior agreement.
We track this throughout the engagement. You are not expected to remember every detail. VRL keeps a record of instructions given and actions completed. You will need to verify against that record.
2. The guarantee target was not reached by the end of the engagement.
This is measured using the baseline metrics established in writing at the start of the engagement. If the baseline was not documented at the start, the refund condition cannot be assessed.
3. VRL continued to work through the full engagement.
We do not abandon programs. If VRL stopped working for reasons not caused by the client, that changes the assessment. If VRL stopped because the client became unresponsive, the refund condition is not met.
4. The request is submitted in writing within 30 days of the engagement end date.
Requests submitted after 30 days will not be accepted.
What a refund covers
If all four conditions above are met, the refund covers:
- The portion of fees paid that corresponds to the work not yet delivered. This is calculated by dividing the total program into equal monthly portions, then refunding the months where no work was received. For example, on a 6-month Launchpad where only 4 months of work were delivered, the refund would cover 2 months worth of the 60% balance.
- Not the upfront fee. The 40% upfront fee is earned at signing. It covers scoping, onboarding, and the initial diagnostic work. It is non-refundable under all circumstances.
What a refund does not cover
- The 40% upfront payment under any circumstances.
- Results not achieved because the client did not follow VRL’s recommendations.
- Results not achieved because of external market conditions, regulatory changes, or business events outside VRL’s control.
- Playbook purchases once the playbook has been accessed.
- Hotline sessions once the call has taken place.
- VRL Circle monthly subscriptions once the billing period has started.
How to request a refund
- Send a written request to refunds@vrl.co.ke within 30 days of the engagement end date.
- State the program, the engagement period, and the basis for the request.
- VRL will acknowledge within 3 business days.
- VRL will review the engagement record and assess whether the conditions are met.
- VRL will respond with a decision within 21 business days.
- If approved, the refund is processed via the original payment method or bank transfer within 14 business days of approval.
A refund request that is approved moves the engagement to closed. No further work is delivered.
If VRL terminates an engagement early
If VRL terminates an engagement before completion for reasons within VRL’s control (not caused by client breach or misrepresentation), the client is entitled to a refund of the fees covering the undelivered portion of the scope. This will be calculated and processed within 21 business days of the termination notice.
Part 2: VRL Connect
Why VRL cannot offer financial refunds on Connect
VRL Connect is a matching network. VRL does not collect payments from seekers on behalf of providers. The financial transaction for any service happens directly between the provider and the seeker.
Because VRL never holds your money, it cannot return your money. That is not a policy choice. It is the structure of how Connect works.
What VRL can do is outlined below.
What VRL does when something goes wrong
VRL’s remedies for Connect disputes are operational, not financial. They are the things within VRL’s actual control.
Remedy 1: Re-matching
If a matched provider fails to show up, cancels with less than 24 hours notice without a genuine reason, or delivers work that does not meet the standard they represented in their application, VRL will offer to re-match the seeker with a different provider at no additional charge to the seeker. The new match is prioritised.
Re-matching is available when the issue is reported to VRL within 7 days of the original appointment or job completion.
Remedy 2: Provider review and removal
VRL investigates every reported provider failure. If the investigation confirms that a provider misrepresented their credentials, delivered below the standard they claimed, behaved unprofessionally, or violated any VRL Connect policy, VRL will take one or more of the following actions:
- Issue a formal warning.
- Suspend the provider from the network pending investigation.
- Remove the provider from the network permanently.
Removal from the network is a meaningful consequence. Providers in VRL Connect build their client base through the network. Removal ends that access. It also prevents the same provider from causing the same problem to other seekers.
Remedy 3: Documentation and escalation support
If a seeker has a legitimate claim against a provider for non-delivery or fraud and wants to escalate through formal channels (small claims, police report, professional body complaint), VRL will provide written documentation of the match, the provider’s credentials as submitted at vetting, and any communications that passed through VRL’s system.
This documentation can support a formal claim. VRL is not a party to that claim.
What seekers should do before engaging a Connect provider
VRL vets providers before they are admitted. That vetting reduces risk. It does not eliminate it.
To protect yourself as a seeker:
- Agree on a clear scope of work before any payment is made.
- Pay a deposit only. Do not pay in full before work is complete unless the nature of the service requires it.
- Confirm the provider’s identity against what VRL has on file if you have any concern.
- Use M-Pesa for payments where possible. M-Pesa statements are a usable payment record.
- Report any concern to VRL at disputes@vrl.co.ke within 7 days of the issue.
What providers should do to avoid disputes
- Deliver exactly what you said you would, to the standard you represented.
- Confirm scope in writing before starting work.
- Communicate proactively if anything changes.
- Handle payment disputes directly with the seeker. Do not disappear.
- If a dispute is escalated to VRL, respond to VRL’s enquiries within 48 hours.
Providers who are unresponsive during a dispute investigation will be treated as non-compliant.
Reporting a Connect issue
Email: disputes@vrl.co.ke
Subject line: Use “Connect Dispute” followed by your brand (e.g., “Connect Dispute — VRL Tidy”).
Include: Your name, the provider’s name, the date of the match, a description of what happened, and any supporting documentation (screenshots, receipts, WhatsApp messages).
VRL will acknowledge within 2 business days and will update you on the outcome of the investigation.
Part 3: Playbooks and Free Tools
Playbooks are digital products. Once accessed, they cannot be returned. If a purchase was made in error before any access, contact hello@vrl.co.ke within 24 hours.
Free tools and free courses are provided at no cost and carry no refund applicability.
This Refund Policy is effective as of 1 May 2026. VIRIOL Limited. Registered in Kenya.
Address: Pinetree Plaza, Kilimani, Nairobi, Kenya
Phone: +254 114 837 663
Advisory refund requests: refunds@vrl.co.ke
Connect disputes: connect@vrl.co.ke
General: hello@vrl.co.ke
Website: vrl.co.ke