Refund Policy

Last updated : 15/10/2026  ·  By-Hoster — RNA W162005815

Refund Policy

Preamble

This Refund Policy sets out the conditions and arrangements for refunds applicable to the services supplied by By-Hoster, an association registered under RNA number W162005815 and SIRET number 92395660100010.

It supplements the Terms and Conditions of Sale (T&Cs) and the Terms of Use. In the event of divergence, the provisions most favourable to the consumer customer apply.

Only the French version of this policy is legally binding. This translation is provided for information.

Three different regimes coexist, and they must not be confused:

  • the right of withdrawal, which is a legal right of the consumer (Part 1);
  • the voluntary "48-hour money-back" guarantee, which is a commercial advantage that By-Hoster grants in addition (Part 2);
  • commercial gestures, which are discretionary and left to By-Hoster's assessment (Part 3).
Parts 1 and 2 follow precise rules, set out below. Only Part 3 is a matter of discretion.

Part 1 – The right of withdrawal (legal right)

Article 1 – Principle

A consumer customer has a period of fourteen (14) days in which to withdraw without having to give reasons, in accordance with Article L221-18 of the French Consumer Code. For a supply of services, that period runs from the formation of the contract.

Subscribing to a service does not, in itself, amount to a waiver of that right.

Article 2 – How to exercise it

The customer notifies their decision by an unambiguous statement, before the period expires:

  • by ticket from their client area,
  • or by e-mail to contact@by-hoster.com,
  • using, if they wish, the model withdrawal form attached to the order confirmation.
No justification is required. By-Hoster acknowledges receipt on a durable medium.

Article 3 – Amount and timing of the refund

By-Hoster reimburses all sums paid, no later than fourteen (14) days after the day on which it is informed of the decision to withdraw.

  • The refund is made to the means of payment used for the initial transaction, unless the customer expressly agrees to another means.
  • It involves no cost for the customer: no bank charges, transaction fees or commission are withheld (Article L221-24 of the French Consumer Code).
These periods are calendar days, not working days.

Article 4 – Performance started during the period

Where the customer has expressly requested that performance begin before the end of the withdrawal period:

  • they keep their right of withdrawal; if they exercise it, they pay an amount proportionate to what has actually been supplied to them up to the point at which they communicated their decision (Article L221-25);
  • if the service has been fully performed before the end of the period, at their express request and after they have acknowledged that they would lose their right of withdrawal, that right may no longer be exercised in respect of that service (Article L221-28(1)).
If performance has begun without the customer's express request, or without the required information having been provided to them, no sum is claimed from them for the service supplied.

A hosting subscription is a continuing service: activating it does not amount to full performance. A one-off technical service, precisely delimited, may on the other hand be complete.

Article 5 – Legal guarantees and non-performance

Independently of withdrawal, the customer may seek redress where the service does not conform to its description, has not been supplied, or has been defectively performed.

In that case the refund is not a commercial gesture: it is owed. The periods of 48 hours or 7 days mentioned elsewhere in this policy do not apply to it.

Part 2 – The voluntary "48-hour money-back" guarantee

Article 6 – Purpose and scope

For a first order of a hosting subscription expressly identified as eligible, the customer may request, without giving reasons, within 48 hours of the service actually being made available, reimbursement of the price of the initial subscription.

This guarantee covers solely the amount of the hosting subscription identified in the order summary.

It does not cover:

  • separate technical services, described and priced before the order (application installation, migration, configuration, preparation of machine templates, translation);
  • domain names, whose registration fees are paid over to the registry;
  • renewals and upgrades of an existing service;
  • purchases of credit on the account balance;
  • third-party licences and software.
This limitation is announced on the offer page and in the order summary, before payment.

Article 7 – How it works

  • the request is made by ticket from the client area, or by e-mail to contact@by-hoster.com, before the end of the 48-hour period;
  • reimbursement is made to the original means of payment within 14 days, or as credit in the client area if the customer prefers;
  • the service concerned is stopped and then deleted as soon as the refund is granted;
  • the guarantee applies once per customer and per type of service.

Article 8 – Exclusion and relationship with legal rights

The voluntary guarantee is not owed where the service has been suspended for established abuse within the meaning of Article 11 of the Terms of Use.

This exclusion is specific to the voluntary guarantee. It deprives the customer of no legal right and does not entitle By-Hoster to retain any sum by way of penalty.

The guarantee is no obstacle to the right of withdrawal, to the legal guarantees, or to remedies for non-performance. The customer remains free to rely on whichever regime is most favourable to them.

Part 3 – Commercial gestures (discretionary)

Article 9 – Scope

Outside Parts 1 and 2, By-Hoster may grant a refund or a credit note as a commercial gesture, without being obliged to do so, in particular where the customer has suffered inconvenience or in particular circumstances.

These decisions are discretionary. They constitute neither an admission of liability nor a waiver by the customer of their legal rights.

Article 10 – Arrangements specific to commercial gestures

  • the refund may take the form of credit on the customer account balance, usable for any future purchase;
  • a refund to the original means of payment may be offered depending on the situation;
  • the processing time is 5 working days for credit, and 14 days for a refund to the original means of payment.
These arrangements apply only to commercial gestures. A refund owed under Part 1 or Part 2 follows the rules of those Parts.

Article 11 – Credit purchased on the balance

Credit purchased and unused may be refunded on request made within 14 days of purchase, to the original means of payment.

Thereafter it remains usable, with no time limit, for any purchase of a service from By-Hoster.

Article 12 – Renewals

Renewing a service is subject to the same rules as the initial order: the right of withdrawal under Part 1 applies where the customer is a consumer.

The voluntary 48-hour guarantee, on the other hand, does not apply to renewals: it is reserved for the first order.

Common provisions

Article 13 – How to make a request

The customer sends their request:

  • by support ticket from their client area, or
  • by e-mail to contact@by-hoster.com.
They state the service concerned and the date of the order. A reason is required only for requests falling under Part 3; it is required neither for withdrawal nor for the 48-hour guarantee.

By-Hoster acknowledges receipt of each request and notifies its decision in writing. Any refusal is reasoned.

Article 14 – Suspended services and payment disputes

A service suspended for non-payment is restored once the account is brought up to date. After permanent deletion, 30 days after the due date (90 days for a due date before 15 October 2026), restoration is no longer possible.

In the event of a payment dispute or chargeback, By-Hoster assesses the situation by reference to the payment actually disputed, any arrears and the actual risk. The measures taken are proportionate and limited to what is necessary.

A payment dispute does not result in the automatic suspension of all the services on the account, and is no obstacle to the customer's legal rights.

Article 15 – Complaints and mediation

Any challenge to a refund decision may be brought before By-Hoster by ticket or by e-mail.

In accordance with Articles L612-1 et seq. of the French Consumer Code, a consumer has the right to have free recourse to a consumer mediator after having tried to resolve the dispute directly through a written complaint. By-Hoster is in the process of appointing a mediator; their contact details will be published on this page.

The use of a remedy may not give rise to any contractual penalty, nor to the suspension of the customer's services.

Article 16 – Amendment of this policy

By-Hoster may amend this policy. Each version is dated and archived.

An amendment does not apply retroactively: an order remains governed by the version in force on the day it was placed, in accordance with Article 1193 of the French Civil Code.

Contact

For any question relating to this policy or for a refund request:

contact@by-hoster.com www.by-hoster.net

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