Terms of Service

1. Agreement to Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User", "you") and Softlab Software Solutions Limited, a company registered in Ireland ("Company", "we", "us", "our"), operating the GrindSpot platform at grindspot.ie ("Platform").

By accessing, browsing, or using the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not access or use the Platform.

We may update these Terms from time to time. Continued use of the Platform after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. We will notify registered users of material changes via email.

2. Platform Description

GrindSpot is an online tutoring marketplace that connects students seeking private tuition ("grinds") with qualified tutors across Ireland. The Platform provides:

• A searchable directory of tutors across a range of subjects and exam levels (Junior Cert, Leaving Cert, University, and more)
• An online booking system for scheduling one-to-one or group tuition sessions
• Secure payment processing for lesson fees
• Built-in video rooms for online lessons
• A messaging system for communication between students and tutors
• Progress tracking and lesson material management tools

GrindSpot acts as an intermediary marketplace. We facilitate the connection between students and tutors but are not a party to the tutoring agreement between them. Tutors are independent service providers and are not employees, agents, or contractors of Softlab Software Solutions Limited.

3. User Accounts

3.1 Registration

To access certain features of the Platform, you must create an account. When registering, you agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information
• Maintain and promptly update your account information
• Keep your password secure and confidential
• Accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account

3.2 Eligibility

• Students under 16 need a parent or guardian's consent before they can book lessons or message a tutor. From 16, students can use the Platform on their own.
• Tutors must be at least 18 years of age.
• Only one account per person is permitted. Duplicate accounts may be terminated without notice.

3.3 Account Types

The Platform supports two primary user roles:

• Student accounts: for individuals seeking tutoring services. Students can browse tutors, book sessions, make payments, communicate with tutors, and track their academic progress.
• Tutor accounts: for individuals offering tutoring services. Tutors can create profiles, set rates and availability, accept bookings, manage lessons, receive payments, and communicate with students.

4. Bookings and Payments

4.1 Booking Process

Students may book tutoring sessions through the Platform by selecting a tutor, choosing a subject, date, time, and session type (online or in-person). Bookings are subject to tutor confirmation. A confirmed booking creates a direct agreement between the student and the tutor.

4.2 Payment Processing

All payments on GrindSpot are processed securely through Stripe, our third-party payment processor. By using the Platform to make or receive payments, you agree to Stripe's Terms of Service.

• GrindSpot does not store your credit or debit card details. All card data is handled directly by Stripe in a PCI-DSS compliant environment.
• Students are charged at the time of booking confirmation.
• All prices displayed on the Platform are in Euro and are inclusive of the platform service fee.

4.3 Platform Commission

GrindSpot charges a 15% platform commission on each completed booking. This means:

• The student pays the full session price as displayed on the tutor's profile.
• 85% of the session price is paid out to the tutor.
• 15% of the session price is retained by GrindSpot as a service fee to cover platform maintenance, payment processing, support, and operational costs.

When a student or parent signs up using a tutor's personal invite link, the platform commission on that tutor's lessons with them is 5% instead of 15%, for lessons dated up to and including 31 December 2026. The price the student pays does not change.

4.4 Tutor Payouts

Tutor payouts are processed through Stripe Connect. Tutors must complete the Stripe onboarding process to receive payments. Payouts are transferred to the tutor's designated bank account on a rolling basis following session completion, subject to Stripe's standard processing times.

4.5 Taxes

Tutors are solely responsible for reporting and paying any applicable taxes on their income earned through the Platform, including income tax, USC, and PRSI where applicable. GrindSpot does not withhold taxes on behalf of tutors. We recommend tutors consult with a tax advisor regarding their obligations.

5. Tutor Responsibilities

By registering as a tutor on GrindSpot, you agree to the following obligations:

• Accurate representation: You must provide truthful and accurate information regarding your qualifications, experience, education, and subject expertise. Misrepresentation of credentials is grounds for immediate account termination.
• Garda vetting: All tutors must undergo and successfully pass Garda vetting (police background check) as part of the verification process. You consent to this check by registering as a tutor.
• Professional conduct: You agree to conduct all sessions in a professional, respectful, and appropriate manner. Any form of harassment, discrimination, or inappropriate behaviour is strictly prohibited.
• Reliability: You must honour confirmed bookings and arrive on time. Repeated cancellations or no-shows may result in penalties or account suspension.
• Rates and availability: You are responsible for keeping your hourly rate, availability, and profile information up to date.
• Independent contractor status: You acknowledge that you are an independent service provider and not an employee, agent, or representative of Softlab Software Solutions Limited. You are responsible for your own tax obligations, insurance, and compliance with applicable laws.
• Platform exclusivity (during engagement): You agree not to solicit students to conduct lessons outside the Platform to circumvent commission fees. Doing so is a breach of these Terms.

6. Student Responsibilities

By registering as a student on GrindSpot, you agree to the following obligations:

• Respectful conduct: You must treat tutors with respect and courtesy at all times. Harassment, abuse, or threatening behaviour is strictly prohibited.
• Timely attendance: You are expected to attend booked sessions on time. Repeated no-shows may result in account restrictions.
• Accurate information: You must provide truthful information regarding your academic level, subjects, and requirements to enable tutors to prepare appropriately.
• Payment obligations: You agree to pay for booked sessions in accordance with these Terms. Attempting to reverse legitimate payments (chargebacks) without valid grounds is a breach of these Terms.
• Platform use: You agree not to solicit tutors to conduct lessons outside the Platform to circumvent payment processing. Doing so is a breach of these Terms.
• Minors: If you are under 16, your parent or guardian is responsible for supervising your use of the Platform and is bound by these Terms on your behalf.

7. Cancellation and Refund Policy

7.1 Student Cancellations

Each tutor sets a notice period of 24, 48 or 72 hours, shown on their profile and on the booking. If you cancel at least that long before the lesson, you get a full refund. If you cancel later, you get the late refund the tutor has set: none, half, or all of it. Once the lesson has started, nothing is refunded. A no-show is not refunded. The policy that applies is the one shown when you booked.

Lessons booked before 20 October 2026 keep the previous policy:

• More than 24 hours before the session: Full refund issued to the original payment method.
• Between 12 and 24 hours before the session: 50% refund. The remaining 50% is split between the tutor and the platform.
• Less than 12 hours before the session: No refund. The full session fee is paid to the tutor (less platform commission).
• No-show by student: No refund. The tutor receives their full payout.

7.2 Tutor Cancellations

• If a tutor cancels a confirmed booking, the student receives a full refund.
• Repeated tutor cancellations may result in profile visibility penalties or account suspension.

7.3 Refund Processing

Refunds are processed through Stripe and typically appear in the student's account within 5 to 10 business days, depending on the payment provider. GrindSpot is not responsible for delays caused by banks or card issuers.

7.4 Disputes

If you are dissatisfied with a session, you may raise a dispute within 48 hours of the session by contacting us at info@grindspot.ie. We will review the matter and may issue a partial or full refund at our discretion.

7.5 Satisfaction Policy

If a student is not satisfied with a session, they may contact us within 48 hours at info@grindspot.ie. We will review the matter and may offer a refund, credit, or an alternative tutor at our discretion.

7.6 Lesson Packages

A lesson package is paid in full when bought. Its lessons must be used within 6 months of purchase. Unused lessons are not refunded, except where the law requires it. A package lesson cancelled by the tutor or by GrindSpot goes back into the package.

7.7 Group Lessons

A tutor may offer an online group lesson for 2 to 8 students aged 13 and over, at a price per student shown on the lesson page. Reserving a place is free. Payment is due only once the minimum number of students has joined, and must be made at least 24 hours before the lesson, or the place is released. If the minimum is not reached 48 hours before the lesson, it is cancelled and nobody is charged. Where a student has a linked parent or guardian, the parent or guardian pays. If the tutor cancels a group lesson, everyone who paid gets a full refund. Once paid, a place can be cancelled by contacting us, under the tutor's cancellation policy. Students in a group see each other's first names and video.

8. Buying Study Materials

8.1 Who you are buying from

Study materials on the Platform (revision books, worksheets, oral and aural packs and similar) are sold by Softlab Software Solutions Limited, which operates GrindSpot. Some materials are written by GrindSpot and some by tutors on the Platform. Whoever wrote them, your purchase contract is with us, and we deal with any problem.

8.2 Prices and payment

• Prices are in euro and are shown before you pay. Prices include VAT where it applies.
• Students who have a paid lesson on GrindSpot in the last 30 days, or one booked, get 10% off. The discount is shown in the cart before you pay.
• Payment is by card through Stripe. We never see or store your card details.
• A parent or guardian can buy materials for their child. The materials then appear in the child's account.

8.3 Getting your materials

You need a GrindSpot account to buy. Your materials are available as soon as your payment goes through, under My purchases. They stay there for as long as you keep your account. Download a copy of any file you want to keep before you close your account.

8.4 Your right to cancel

Under Irish and EU law you normally have 14 days to cancel an online purchase. For digital content, that right ends once the content is made available to you, if you agreed to this beforehand. At checkout we ask you to agree that your materials are made available straight away, and to confirm that you understand you then lose the 14-day right to cancel. After that, you cannot cancel just because you have changed your mind.

8.5 If something is wrong

If a file does not open, is incomplete, or is not as described, email info@grindspot.ie. We will fix or replace it. If we cannot, we will give you a refund. None of this affects your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2022.

8.6 Online practice

Buying an Exam Ready book also opens all of its topics in Practice, our online exercises. The first topic of each book is free for anyone with an account. We may change and improve Practice over time. If we ever stop offering it, you keep the books you bought.

8.7 How you may use the materials

Each purchase is for personal study by the buyer, or by the child it was bought for. You may print materials for that purpose. You may not:

• share, send or upload the files for other people to use;
• copy, sell or publish the materials, in whole or in part;
• use them to teach classes or groups. A tutor who wants their students to use a book should ask each student to get their own copy.

If materials are shared in breach of this section, we may remove access to them.

8.8 Independent study aids

Our materials are independent study aids. They are not produced or endorsed by the State Examinations Commission or the NCCA. Any analysis of past papers shows what has come up before. It cannot guarantee what will appear in a future exam.

8.9 Tutors who sell materials

A tutor who sells materials through GrindSpot confirms that they own the rights to them, or have permission to sell them. GrindSpot reviews each product before it goes on sale. For each sale, the tutor receives the share agreed with GrindSpot.

9. Intellectual Property

9.1 Platform Intellectual Property

All content, design, graphics, logos, trademarks, and software on the Platform are the property of Softlab Software Solutions Limited or its licensors and are protected by Irish and international intellectual property laws. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from any Platform content without prior written permission.

9.2 User Content

Users retain ownership of content they create and upload to the Platform, including profile information, lesson materials, and messages. By uploading content, you grant GrindSpot a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use, display, and distribute that content solely for the purpose of operating and promoting the Platform.

9.3 Tutor Materials

Lesson materials, notes, and resources shared by tutors through the Platform remain the intellectual property of the tutor. Students may use these materials for personal educational purposes only and may not redistribute, publish, or sell them without the tutor's express written consent.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by Irish law:

• GrindSpot acts as a marketplace and is not responsible for the quality, accuracy, or outcomes of tutoring services provided by tutors. We do not guarantee academic results or improvements.
• We are not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Platform.
• Our total aggregate liability to you for any claims arising from or related to these Terms or your use of the Platform shall not exceed the total fees paid by you to GrindSpot in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.
• We do not warrant that the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components.
• We are not responsible for any loss or damage resulting from interactions between students and tutors, whether online or in person.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under Irish law.

11. Dispute Resolution

11.1 Between Users

GrindSpot encourages students and tutors to resolve disputes directly through the Platform's messaging system. If a resolution cannot be reached, either party may contact GrindSpot support at info@grindspot.ie for mediation assistance. We will review the dispute and may take actions including issuing refunds, suspending accounts, or other measures we deem appropriate.

11.2 Between Users and GrindSpot

If you have a dispute with GrindSpot, we encourage you to first contact us at info@grindspot.ie so we can attempt to resolve the matter informally. If informal resolution is not possible, disputes shall be resolved in accordance with the governing law and jurisdiction provisions below.

11.3 Complaints

You may submit formal complaints to info@grindspot.ie. We aim to acknowledge all complaints within 2 business days and provide a substantive response within 10 business days.

12. Account Termination

12.1 Termination by You

You may close your account at any time by contacting us at info@grindspot.ie. Upon account closure:

• Any pending bookings will be cancelled and refunded in accordance with our cancellation policy.
• Outstanding tutor payouts will be processed as normal.
• Your personal data will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

12.2 Termination by GrindSpot

We reserve the right to suspend or permanently terminate any account, without prior notice, if we reasonably believe that:

• You have breached any provision of these Terms
• You have engaged in fraudulent, abusive, or illegal activity
• You have provided false or misleading information
• You have attempted to circumvent the Platform's payment system
• Your conduct poses a risk to other users or to the integrity of the Platform
• Your account has been inactive for more than 24 months

12.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination, your right to use the Platform ceases immediately. Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall continue in effect, including but not limited to intellectual property, limitation of liability, and dispute resolution provisions.

13. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Ireland.

Any disputes arising out of or in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Ireland.

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

14. Changes to These Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
• Notify registered users via email at least 14 days before the changes take effect
• Post a notice on the Platform

Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

15. Contact

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding these Terms of Service, please contact us at:

Softlab Software Solutions Limited
Kilcash, Rahara, Roscommon, F42 TW60, Ireland
Company registration no. 792876 · VAT no. IE4458879TH
Email: info@grindspot.ie
Web: grindspot.ie