1. About this policy
This Refund Policy sets out the terms on which MERIDIAN CONSULTING GROUP LTD (“Meridian”, “we”, “our” or “us”) issues refunds for consulting services purchased through meridiangroup.it.com or invoiced under a bespoke engagement letter. It should be read together with our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
We aim to operate a fair, transparent and timely refund process that meets the standards expected by our acquiring bank, our payment processor (secserv.me) and the international card schemes whose cards we accept through that processor. Where this policy is silent, the Terms of Service or the applicable Engagement Letter prevail.
2. Who this policy applies to
Meridian provides professional management consulting services on a business-to-business (B2B) basis. By purchasing an engagement, you confirm that you are acting in the course of a business, trade, profession or craft. Our services are not directed at consumers under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.
Where, exceptionally, an individual purchases services as a consumer within the meaning of those statutes, we will respect any statutory right of cancellation that applies. Section 14 of this policy sets out how those rights interact with the engagement model.
3. At-a-glance summary
The summary below is provided for ease of reference. Sections 4 to 20 are the operative terms.
- Before work begins: 100% refund of fees paid, less any non-recoverable third-party expenses already incurred with your authorisation.
- During delivery: pro-rated refund of the unworked balance, calculated against the senior-consultant time invested in good faith and any non-recoverable expenses.
- After delivery: no refund, unless we have failed to provide the service with reasonable care and skill in accordance with section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (where it applies) or our contractual obligations under the Engagement Letter.
- Refund decision: acknowledged within 2 business days of a complete request and decided within 10 business days.
- Payment back to you: issued to the original payment method within 5-10 business days of approval. Bank settlement times are outside our control.
- How to request: email billing@meridiangroup.it.com with the information listed in section 11.
4. Services covered by this policy
This policy applies to the fixed-price online engagements purchased through the “Buy” flow on this website and processed by secserv.me. The current catalogue is:
- Discovery Session - €1,190
- KPI & Performance - €2,890
- Communications Retainer - €3,890
- Leadership Offsite - €3,890
- Strategy Audit - €4,890
- Crisis Communications - €6,450
- Market-Entry Assessment - €8,890
- Transformation Partnership - €8,990
- M&A Integration Sprint - €9,190
It also applies to bespoke engagements invoiced under an individual Engagement Letter, except where the Engagement Letter expressly varies these terms.
5. When work is treated as “started”
For the purposes of this policy, work is treated as started once substantive preparation or delivery against the agreed written scope has begun, as confirmed in writing on our side. Payment confirmation, receipt of contact details and the initial scoping conversation do not, by themselves, constitute “work started”.
Where there is doubt about the position on a given date, we will set out our view in writing with reference to the contemporaneous record of the engagement before any deduction is made from a refund.
6. Pre-delivery refunds (full refund)
If you cancel before work has started, you are entitled to a 100% refund of the fees paid, less any non-recoverable expenses we have incurred at your written request (for example, travel or venue deposits booked on your behalf).
You may also withdraw at the scope-confirmation stage at no cost if the revised scope does not work for either party. In that case the engagement is cancelled by mutual agreement and the fee is refunded in full.
7. In-delivery refunds (pro-rated)
If you cancel after work has started but before delivery is complete, a pro-rated refund will be issued. The pro-ration reflects the value of the work performed in good faith up to the cancellation date, assessed proportionately against the agreed scope and the published fixed price, plus any non-recoverable third-party expenses authorised by you. The balance of the fee is refunded.
The full calculation, with the underlying record of the engagement, is set out in writing and shared with you before any sum is deducted. If you do not agree with the calculation, you may invoke the dispute process in section 16; we will not deduct any disputed amount until the dispute is resolved.
8. Post-delivery refunds
Once a deliverable has been issued or a session has been delivered in full, fees are non-refundable, save where:
- we materially failed to provide the service with the reasonable care and skill required by section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (where it applies) or by section 13 of the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 (for business-to-business engagements); or
- the deliverable, viewed as a whole, does not correspond to the written scope agreed in the Engagement Letter and we are unable to remedy the defect within a reasonable time at no additional cost to you.
In each case, the appropriate remedy is determined under section 9.
9. Service-specific notes
All nine fixed-price engagements listed in section 4 are prepaid-in-full at the point of purchase through secserv.me. The general refund rules in sections 6, 7 and 8 (pre-delivery, in-delivery pro-ration, post-delivery limited remedies) apply uniformly to each. The notes below highlight points that have come up most often in previous engagements.
9.1 Discovery Session (€1,190)
Once the session has been delivered, the engagement is treated as complete. Where you cannot attend a scheduled slot, please contact us as early as possible at billing@meridiangroup.it.com. We may, at our discretion and subject to consultant availability, offer rescheduling rather than a refund. Otherwise the standard rules in sections 6 and 7 apply.
9.2 Strategy Audit, KPI & Performance, Market-Entry Assessment
These are fixed-scope analytical engagements producing a written deliverable. The point at which the deliverable is issued is the relevant cut-off for section 8: before issue, refunds follow sections 6 or 7; after issue, refunds are limited to the remedies in section 8.
9.3 Transformation Partnership and Communications Retainer
These engagements are delivered against an ongoing working rhythm rather than a single deliverable. Where you wish to discontinue an ongoing engagement, the termination provisions of clause 11 of the Terms of Service apply (including, in particular, the right of either party to terminate for convenience on 30 days’ written notice). On termination, fees are reconciled on the pro-ration basis in section 7 of this policy and any unworked balance is refunded.
9.4 M&A Integration Sprint and Leadership Offsite
These are scheduled, resource-intensive formats. Cancellations close to the agreed start date may result in non-recoverable third-party expenses (for example, venue deposits or travel) which will be deducted from any refund under section 7. Where consultant availability allows, we will offer a single rescheduling rather than a cancellation.
9.5 Crisis Communications (€6,450)
Crisis Communications engagements are activated on demand and absorb senior-consultant capacity from the moment of activation. Once we have confirmed activation in writing, work is treated as started and the rules in sections 7 and 8 apply. Where we are unable to begin work within the timeframe agreed in writing at activation, you may withdraw and receive a 100% refund.
9.6 Bespoke engagements (invoiced)
Engagements outside the standard online price list are governed by the refund and cancellation provisions of the individual Engagement Letter. Where that letter is silent, sections 6, 7 and 8 apply by analogy.
10. Non-refundable items
The following items are not refundable in any circumstances:
- third-party expenses paid on your behalf at your written request and which we cannot recover (for example, venue deposits, travel or paid research subscriptions);
- time already delivered in good faith against an agreed written scope and accepted in writing by you;
- fees attributable to delays caused by you, your group companies or your representatives where we have stood ready to perform; and
- any sum recovered through a chargeback that is later reversed by the card scheme in our favour.
11. How to request a refund
Refund requests must be sent in writing to billing@meridiangroup.it.com from an email address linked to the purchasing account or invoice. To allow us to process your request promptly, please include:
- the order or invoice reference (visible in your receipt and confirmation email);
- the service purchased and the date of payment;
- the last four digits of the card used (for verification only);
- a brief statement of the reason for the refund request and any supporting documentation; and
- your preferred contact method for follow-up.
We will not ask you for full card numbers, security codes (CVV/CVC) or passwords. If you receive any communication purporting to be from Meridian asking for that information, treat it as fraudulent and contact legal@meridiangroup.it.com.
12. Refund decision timeline
- Acknowledgement: within 2 business days of receipt of a complete request, we will acknowledge the request and provide a reference number.
- Review: we may ask for clarification or additional information. The review clock pauses while we wait for that information.
- Decision: within 10 business days of receiving all requested information, we will issue a written decision setting out the amount to be refunded, the basis for the calculation and any deductions.
- Escalation: if you disagree with the decision, you may request review by a director under the dispute process in section 16.
13. Refund payment method and timing
Refunds are issued to the original payment method used for the purchase. We do not refund to a different card, account or wallet, except where the original payment method has been closed and proof of closure is provided in writing.
Once a refund is approved and instructed to secserv.me:
- card refunds typically settle within 5 to 10 business days, depending on the issuing bank and card scheme;
- settlement times after instruction are controlled by the issuing bank, the card scheme and intermediary networks. Meridian and secserv.me are not responsible for delays attributable to those third parties.
We will provide the refund confirmation reference issued by our payment processor on request.
14. Statutory consumer rights
Where the buyer is, exceptionally, a consumer for the purposes of UK law:
- you have a 14-calendar-day right of cancellation under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, starting on the day after the contract is concluded;
- if you ask us to start work within that 14-day period and we do so, you may still cancel but you must pay for the services we have actually supplied up to the point of cancellation;
- if you require us to start work immediately, you acknowledge that you may lose the right to cancel once the service has been fully performed;
- your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (including the right to services performed with reasonable care and skill) are not excluded or limited by this policy.
Nothing in this policy affects rights that cannot be limited or excluded by law.
15. Chargebacks
We ask that you contact billing@meridiangroup.it.com before initiating a chargeback with your card issuer. In our experience, the great majority of disputes can be resolved more quickly and with less administrative burden through direct dialogue.
If a chargeback is filed:
- we will respond to the card scheme within the deadlines set by the relevant network rules;
- we will provide the documentary evidence required by the network, including order records, scope confirmations, communications, delivery records and proof of provision of the service;
- where a chargeback is upheld in our favour and a duplicate refund has been issued in error, you authorise us to recover the duplicate amount through your original payment method or by invoice.
Filing a chargeback that we reasonably consider to be unfounded (commonly known as “friendly fraud”) is treated as a breach of these terms and may lead to suspension of your account, recovery of administrative costs and, where appropriate, debt collection.
16. Disputes and escalation
If you are not satisfied with our refund decision, please escalate in writing to legal@meridiangroup.it.com. A director will review the matter and issue a final written response within 10 business days.
Where internal escalation does not resolve the matter, the dispute may be referred to the courts of England and Wales under section 20. Nothing in this policy prevents the parties from agreeing in writing to an alternative dispute-resolution process if both consider it appropriate.
17. Currency, taxes and FX
Prices on this website are stated in euros (€). Where you pay in a different currency, your card issuer or bank applies its own exchange rate at the time of the original transaction and at the time of the refund. Any difference between those two rates (an “FX loss”) is a matter between you and your card issuer; Meridian refunds the original euro amount and is not responsible for FX movements.
Where VAT or any other tax was charged on the original invoice, the refund includes the corresponding tax, in accordance with HMRC guidance.
18. Force majeure
Clause 12 of the Terms of Service governs the consequences of force majeure events for engagements. Where such an event materially prevents delivery and the parties agree, or either party exercises a right under clause 11 of the Terms of Service, to bring the engagement to an end, the unworked portion of the fee is refunded on the pro-ration basis in section 7 of this policy.
19. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The version published on meridiangroup.it.com on the date of your purchase governs your engagement, unless a later version is more favourable to you, in which case the later version applies. We will record material changes in the “Last updated” field at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify registered account holders by email.
20. Governing law and jurisdiction
This Refund Policy and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Subject to the dispute escalation process in section 16, the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute arising out of or in connection with this policy.
21. Contact
Refund and billing enquiries: billing@meridiangroup.it.com
Legal and dispute-resolution enquiries: legal@meridiangroup.it.com
Postal address: MERIDIAN CONSULTING GROUP LTD, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ, United Kingdom.