Terms & Policies

Terms and Conditions of Trade

1. Business Overview

S.O.S Car Keys operates as a mobile automotive key replacement, key cutting, key programming, vehicle entry and related services.

Services are performed by, or under the direction of, the Owner/Operator.

2. Service Area and Operations

Services are conducted at customer-specified locations. Availability and completion times may depend on location, traffic, weather, vehicle condition, equipment availability and operational workload.

S.O.S Car Keys may decline or postpone work where:

• the customer cannot establish lawful authority to access or work on the vehicle;
• the vehicle or location presents an unsafe condition;
• required equipment, parts or codes are unavailable;
• the requested work may damage the vehicle or its security systems; or
• performance would be unlawful or impracticable.

Customers must provide accurate information about the vehicle, including its make, model, year, registration and vehicle identification number where available.

3. Authority to Access and Work on Vehicles

Before work begins, customers may be required to provide reasonable evidence of their identity and lawful authority to access or work on the vehicle.

S.O.S Car Keys may refuse service where authority cannot be established. Customers must not request assistance to unlawfully access, start, modify or interfere with a vehicle.

4. Quotes, Pricing and Payment

All fees will be quoted before work commences, so far as reasonably practicable. A quote may need to be revised where:

• the vehicle differs from the information provided;
• additional faults, damage or security systems are discovered;
• additional parts, tools or programming are required;
• access is more difficult than represented; or
• the customer requests additional work.

S.O.S Car Keys will obtain customer approval before undertaking material additional work or incurring material additional costs, unless immediate action is reasonably necessary for safety or to protect the vehicle.

Payment is due upon completion unless otherwise agreed. Accepted payment methods are cash, debit or credit card, and electronic or mobile transfer. Receipts will be provided.

5. Warranty and Guarantee

Products supplied and workmanship performed by S.O.S Car Keys are covered by a 12-month warranty from the date of service.

The warranty covers defects in products supplied by S.O.S Car Keys and workmanship performed by S.O.S Car Keys. It does not cover issues caused by:

• tampering, unauthorised modification or attempted repair;
• accident, impact, neglect or misuse;
• water, chemical, heat or environmental damage;
• loss or damage occurring after delivery;
• ordinary wear and tear; or
• pre-existing faults in the vehicle, lock, ignition, wiring, immobiliser, alarm or security system.

These exclusions do not limit any rights that cannot lawfully be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law.

Any written warranty against defects will contain the information required by applicable law, including claim procedures and contact details.

Competition and Consumer Regulations 2010 (Cth) reg 90

The warranty is additional to, and does not replace, the customer’s statutory rights.

6. Refund Policy

S.O.S Car Keys will consider refund requests in accordance with the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). Refunds may be available where goods or services have a major failure, or where a failure cannot reasonably be remedied through repair, replacement, re-supply or another appropriate remedy.

Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) sch 2 ss 259–269

Where a failure is not major, S.O.S Car Keys may first seek to remedy the issue within a reasonable time. An appropriate remedy may include:

• repair;
• replacement;
• re-supply of the service;
• correction of defective workmanship;
• a price reduction; or
• a refund.

A delay in providing or completing a service does not, by itself, entitle a customer to a refund where the service remains capable of being completed within a reasonable time. A customer may have rights where the delay is substantial, the service was not provided within a reasonable time, or another consumer guarantee has not been met.

Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) sch 2 ss 60, 62, 259

Refunds will not generally be provided for:

• change of mind;
• delays that do not prevent the agreed service from being completed;
• issues that can reasonably be rectified;
• work completed in accordance with the customer’s instructions;
• misuse, tampering, accident, neglect, water damage or unauthorised modification; or
• pre-existing vehicle, lock, ignition, wiring, immobiliser or security-system faults.

Customers must notify S.O.S Car Keys as soon as reasonably practicable after becoming aware of an issue. This allows a reasonable opportunity to inspect and remedy the issue.

Nothing in this policy excludes, restricts or modifies any consumer right or remedy under the ACL.

Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) sch 2 s 64

7. Australian Consumer Law Notice

Our goods and services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law.

Services must be provided with due care and skill, be reasonably fit for a purpose made known to S.O.S Car Keys, and be supplied within a reasonable time where no time has been agreed.

Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) sch 2 ss 60–62

Goods must comply with applicable consumer guarantees, including guarantees concerning acceptable quality, fitness for purpose and correspondence with description.

Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) sch 2 ss 54–59

Depending on the circumstances, a consumer may be entitled to a repair, replacement, re-supply, price reduction, refund, termination of the service contract or compensation for reasonably foreseeable loss or damage.

Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) sch 2 ss 259–269

8. Liability

S.O.S Car Keys remains responsible for loss or damage caused by its failure to exercise due care and skill, subject to applicable law.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, S.O.S Car Keys is not responsible for loss caused solely by:

• misuse or unauthorised modification;
• inaccurate or incomplete information supplied by the customer;
• a pre-existing vehicle fault;
• an act or omission of a third party; or
• circumstances beyond S.O.S Car Keys’ reasonable control.

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability for a consumer guarantee, personal injury or death caused by negligence, fraud, wilful misconduct, or any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) sch 2 s 64

9. Appointment Cancellations and No-Shows

Cancellations or rescheduling requests should be made at least two hours before the booking time.

S.O.S Car Keys may charge a reasonable call-out or cancellation fee for late cancellations, no-shows, inability to access the vehicle after arrival, or inaccurate information causing an unnecessary attendance.

Any fee will be disclosed before, or as soon as reasonably practicable after, the booking and will not exceed the reasonable cost or loss incurred.

10. Delays and Events Beyond Control

Estimated attendance and completion times are not guarantees unless expressly agreed in writing.

S.O.S Car Keys is not responsible for delay caused by traffic, weather, road closures, emergencies, equipment failure, supplier delay, vehicle security systems, inaccurate information or other circumstances beyond reasonable control.

Reasonable steps will be taken to notify customers of material delays.