Dispute Resolution on ClicknDone: What Happens When Things Go Wrong
When a job goes wrong on ClicknDone, our human dispute team aims to review the evidence within 48 business hours and decides how to resolve the held escrow — full refund, partial refund, rework, or release to the Pro. The Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (and its 2026 amendment regulations) gives you statutory rights to fair service and remedies. If ClicknDone's process fails you, you can escalate to the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO) or the National Consumer Commission. Most disputes never reach external escalation because the in-app process resolves them.
ClicknDone disputes are resolved by an actual person on our arbitration team, not an automated process. The 48-hour service level applies to standard business days. For genuine emergencies (e.g. ongoing safety risk from a botched electrical job), our team triages faster.
Most issues end here. Most Pros want a five-star rating more than they want to argue. Open the booking in the app, click 'message', describe the problem with photos. Many disputes resolve in under 2 hours at this step — the Pro returns the next day, the issue is fixed, and the booking completes normally.
If direct messaging doesn't resolve it within 24 hours, or if the work is fundamentally wrong, open a formal dispute. You will need to provide:
- What you originally requested (this is automatically attached from the job posting)
- What the Pro delivered (described, with photos)
- The specific clause of the offer or job description that wasn't met
- What outcome you want (full refund, partial refund, rework)
Photos are weighted heavily. The chat history from the app is also preserved and reviewed.
We look at the original job description, the Pro's offer, photos and chat logs from the app, evidence submitted by both sides, the Pro's track record, and the relevant standards. For plumbing disputes, that's SANS 10254. For electrical, SANS 10142-1. For cleaning and domestic work, the BCEA and the original brief. For everything, the Consumer Protection Act applies in the background.
| Outcome | When it applies |
|---|---|
| Full refund to customer | Work not done, or substantially defective and not remediable |
| Partial refund to customer | Work partly done, or some elements defective |
| Rework | Pro returns to complete or fix the work; escrow held until rework done |
| Release to Pro | Customer's complaint not supported by evidence; work meets the brief |
| Call-out fee withheld only | Customer caused the cancellation (e.g. not at home, refused access) |
Under the CPA (Act 68 of 2008, as amended by the 2026 Amendment Regulations), you have statutory rights to: services performed with reasonable care and skill, materials of suitable quality, services performed within a reasonable time, and remedies if these are not met (refund, replacement, or repair at your election). ClicknDone's dispute process implements these rights inside the platform. You do not waive any of your CPA rights by using ClicknDone.
If you believe ClicknDone's process has failed you, you can escalate externally:
- Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO) — free dispute resolution body for consumers. Reviews complaints against businesses in the consumer-goods and services sector.
- National Consumer Commission (NCC) — the statutory regulator under the CPA. Handles complaints against suppliers and enforces the Act.
- Small Claims Court — for monetary claims up to R20,000, no lawyer needed, no fees.
We will provide you with copies of all dispute records on request to support any external escalation. We don't penalise you for escalating; we'd rather you have full recourse.
Pros need protection too. A customer cannot simply refuse to pay because they changed their mind. Frivolous disputes — where the work clearly meets the brief and the customer's complaint is unsupported — result in release of full payment to the Pro. Repeated false complaints from the same customer can result in their account being restricted. The arbitration team is independent of both sides and applies the same standard regardless of who pays our commission.
