These Helpie Money Guarantee Program Terms (“Guarantee Terms”) establish the terms and conditions under which Helpie (“Helpie,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) may provide financial assistance or other remedies to an eligible homeowner (“Homeowner,” “you,” or “your”) who experiences a qualifying problem with work performed by a contractor participating in the Helpie Money Guarantee Program (“Participating Contractor”).
These Guarantee Terms are intended to establish a clear process for reviewing disputes and determining whether a Homeowner is eligible for a payment or other remedy from Helpie.
1. Purpose of the Helpie Money Guarantee
The Helpie Money Guarantee is intended to provide participating Homeowners with an additional level of protection and peace of mind when engaging a Participating Contractor.
The program is designed to:
- Encourage high-quality workmanship and professional conduct.
- Help Homeowners address qualifying construction or service problems.
- Provide a structured process for reviewing disputes between Homeowners and Contractors.
- Provide financial assistance in qualifying circumstances, subject to the limitations and conditions contained in these Guarantee Terms.
- Encourage Contractors to resolve legitimate problems with their customers.
- Help Homeowners understand their options when substantial problems occur.
The Helpie Money Guarantee is not an unconditional warranty of a Contractor's work, and it does not mean that Helpie automatically accepts responsibility whenever a Homeowner is dissatisfied.
Each claim will be evaluated based on its individual facts and circumstances.
2. Eligibility
A Homeowner may be eligible to submit a Money Guarantee claim when all applicable requirements are satisfied, including:
- The Homeowner was a qualifying Helpie member at the applicable time.
- The Contractor was identified by Helpie as participating in the Money Guarantee Program for the applicable project.
- The project and property address qualify under the program.
- The claim involves work or conduct that falls within the scope of the Money Guarantee.
- The Homeowner complied with applicable claim procedures and deadlines.
- The Homeowner provides reasonable documentation requested by Helpie.
- The claim is not excluded under these Guarantee Terms or another written agreement applicable to the project.
Homeowners should confirm before signing a contract or beginning work whether the specific Contractor and project are covered by the Money Guarantee.
A Contractor referral by Helpie does not, by itself, establish that the project is covered.
3. Not Every Helpie Contractor Is Guaranteed
Helpie may refer Contractors who are not participating in the Money Guarantee Program.
Some Contractors may be new to Helpie and may not yet have an established performance history with us.
Other Contractors may decline participation in the program or may not satisfy the requirements necessary for coverage.
Therefore, Homeowners must not assume that every Contractor referred by Helpie is covered.
Coverage should be confirmed in writing before the project begins.
4. Filing a Claim
If a Homeowner believes that a qualifying problem has occurred, the Homeowner should notify Helpie as soon as reasonably possible.
Helpie may request documentation including, but not limited to:
- The signed construction contract.
- Change orders.
- Invoices and payment records.
- Photographs and videos.
- Inspection reports.
- Building permits.
- Communications between the Homeowner and Contractor.
- Information concerning materials used.
- Estimates from other qualified Contractors.
- Evidence of defective or incomplete work.
- Evidence of amounts already paid.
- Other documents reasonably necessary to investigate the claim.
Failure to provide requested information may delay the investigation or may result in a claim being denied if Helpie cannot reasonably determine the facts.
5. Investigation of the Claim
Helpie will attempt to review information from both sides of the dispute.
Where appropriate, Helpie may communicate separately with the Homeowner and Contractor and may request additional documentation or explanations.
Helpie may also arrange for an inspection by a qualified construction professional, specialist, inspector, or other expert.
The purpose of the investigation is to determine:
- What work was contracted for.
- What work was actually performed.
- Whether the work was incomplete, defective, or materially inconsistent with the agreement.
- Whether the Contractor had an opportunity to correct the issue.
- The reasonable cost of correcting qualifying deficiencies.
- Whether the Homeowner contributed to the problem.
- Whether the Contractor has a valid explanation or defense.
- Whether the claimed loss falls within the scope of the Money Guarantee.
- What remedy, if any, is appropriate.
Helpie's determination may consider professional inspections, photographs, contracts, invoices, applicable building requirements, industry practices, and other relevant evidence.
6. Helpie Does Not Automatically Take the Homeowner's Side
The Helpie Money Guarantee is not based on the principle that the customer is always right.
Helpie will attempt to evaluate the facts fairly.
Contractors may experience legitimate delays or unexpected circumstances, including material shortages, employee illness, weather, permit delays, scheduling conflicts, unforeseen site conditions, or other circumstances outside the Contractor's reasonable control.
A delay, disagreement, communication problem, or customer dissatisfaction does not automatically establish a qualifying claim.
Similarly, a Contractor's statement that a project is complete does not automatically establish that the work is satisfactory.
Helpie's determination will be based on the facts and applicable Guarantee Terms.
7. Examples of Potential Qualifying Claims
Example A — Major Defective Work
A Homeowner enters into a $22,000 bathroom remodeling contract and pays the Contractor $18,000.
After an appropriate inspection, it is determined that the shower has significant water leakage, the flooring was improperly installed, and substantial portions of the work must be demolished and reconstructed.
If the project qualifies for the Money Guarantee, Helpie may determine that the Homeowner is entitled to financial assistance toward the eligible cost of correcting the defective work.
The Homeowner may then be required to obtain an estimate or use a Helpie-approved Contractor for corrective work.
Any payment will remain subject to the applicable coverage limits, deductible, exclusions, and other Guarantee Terms.
Example B — Limited Defective Work
A Contractor improperly installs electrical wiring inside a wall.
Correction requires opening the affected wall, replacing the wiring, and restoring the wall through patching, texture, primer, and paint.
If the reasonable qualifying cost is determined to be $4,000, Helpie may determine that the appropriate remedy is a payment toward that amount, subject to the applicable deductible and program limits.
Alternatively, Helpie may arrange or authorize corrective work by another qualified Contractor.
The specific remedy will depend on the facts of the case.
Example C — Customer-Service Complaint
A Homeowner is dissatisfied with the Contractor's project manager, communication, scheduling, punctuality, or general service but the construction work itself is substantially compliant with the contract.
Such a complaint may not qualify for a construction-defect payment.
However, Helpie may determine that another customer-service remedy is appropriate, which may include assistance communicating with the Contractor, rewards points, a promotional benefit, gift card, partial reimbursement, or another appropriate resolution.
No particular remedy is guaranteed.
8. Corrective Work and Replacement Contractors
When Helpie determines that corrective work is appropriate, Helpie may require an inspection or professional assessment before authorizing payment or replacement work.
Helpie may, at its discretion, recommend or arrange for another qualified Contractor to perform corrective work.
Helpie's arrangement of a replacement Contractor does not constitute a guarantee that the replacement Contractor will perform perfectly or that all future problems will be covered.
The Homeowner remains responsible for reviewing and signing any contract with the replacement Contractor.
9. Contractor Opportunity to Correct
Where reasonably practical and appropriate, Helpie may provide the original Contractor with an opportunity to inspect and correct the alleged deficiency before Helpie authorizes payment to the Homeowner or another Contractor.
This requirement may be waived when:
- The Contractor has abandoned the project.
- The Contractor refuses to communicate.
- There is an urgent health or safety concern.
- Delay would cause additional significant damage.
- The Contractor has demonstrated an inability or unwillingness to correct the issue.
- Other circumstances make an opportunity to cure unreasonable.
Nothing in this section prevents a Homeowner from exercising rights available under applicable law.
10. Maximum Helpie Guarantee
Subject to these Guarantee Terms, Helpie's maximum Money Guarantee benefit is $30,000 per qualifying claim, per Homeowner, and per property address.
The $30,000 maximum is the maximum amount Helpie may be required to pay under the Money Guarantee for an eligible claim.
The maximum does not necessarily mean that every qualifying claim will result in a $30,000 payment.
The actual amount will be determined based on the eligible loss established through Helpie's investigation.
11. Deductible
For qualifying claims, the Homeowner is responsible for a 15% deductible, calculated according to the amount determined to be eligible under the Money Guarantee. Only at some cases
For example:
- Eligible claim: $30,000
- 15% deductible: $4,500
- Potential Helpie payment: $25,500
The deductible applies subject to the specific calculation method established in the applicable Guarantee Terms and any written determination issued by Helpie.
12. Helpie's Payment Is Not an Admission of Liability
Any payment, reimbursement, settlement, credit, replacement service, or other benefit provided by Helpie under the Money Guarantee is intended to resolve a qualifying claim under the program.
Unless expressly stated otherwise in a written agreement, such payment does not constitute an admission by Helpie that Helpie caused the underlying construction defect, breached a contract, committed negligence, or is otherwise legally responsible for the Contractor's conduct.
The Contractor remains responsible for the Contractor's own contractual and legal obligations.
13. Claims Exceeding $30,000
A Homeowner may experience a loss that exceeds Helpie's $30,000 maximum guarantee.
In such circumstances, Helpie may, at its discretion, provide the maximum available benefit under the Money Guarantee and may provide the Homeowner with a written determination describing the basis of the investigation.
For example, if a $200,000 project results in a documented dispute involving $80,000 in qualifying corrective costs, Helpie may determine that the Homeowner is eligible for the maximum available Helpie benefit, subject to the applicable deductible and program terms.
Helpie may also provide a written report or determination explaining its findings regarding the remaining amount.
Any amount exceeding Helpie's guarantee remains subject to the rights and remedies available between the Homeowner and Contractor under their contract and applicable law.
Helpie does not guarantee that a Homeowner will recover additional amounts from a Contractor through litigation, arbitration, settlement, insurance, or any other process.
14. Arbitration
For significant disputes, Helpie may offer an arbitration or dispute-resolution process between the Homeowner and Contractor.
The purpose of arbitration is to provide a structured process for reviewing the dispute and attempting to resolve disagreements without requiring the parties to immediately pursue traditional litigation.
Where applicable, the Homeowner may be charged an arbitration fee of $400, subject to the specific arbitration terms and the applicable law.
The arbitration process, arbitrator, governing rules, allocation of fees, confidentiality requirements, and enforceability of any arbitration decision should be established in a separate written arbitration agreement or in legally reviewed program terms.
Nothing in these Guarantee Terms should be interpreted as requiring arbitration where applicable law prohibits or limits such a requirement.
15. Legal Rights Are Not Automatically Waived
Participation in the Helpie Money Guarantee does not automatically eliminate or waive any rights that a Homeowner or Contractor may have under applicable law.
Any waiver, release, settlement, arbitration requirement, limitation of liability, or agreement affecting legal rights must be stated in a legally enforceable written agreement and must comply with applicable law.
Helpie recommends that Homeowners obtain independent legal advice when a dispute involves substantial damages or legal claims.
16. No Guarantee That Every Complaint Will Result in Payment
The Helpie Money Guarantee does not guarantee a refund for every complaint.
A claim may be denied when Helpie determines, for example, that:
- The Contractor substantially performed the contracted work.
- The alleged problem is cosmetic or minor and does not qualify under the program.
- The claimed loss is excluded.
- The Homeowner caused or substantially contributed to the problem.
- The Contractor had a reasonable and successful opportunity to correct the issue.
- The claim cannot be adequately supported by available evidence.
- The Contractor or project was not covered.
- The Homeowner failed to comply with applicable program requirements.
- The amount claimed is not a reasonable cost of correction.
- The dispute is primarily a contractual disagreement that does not fall within the Money Guarantee.
17. Fraudulent or Misleading Claims
Helpie may deny a claim and may take other appropriate action when a Homeowner or Contractor knowingly provides false, misleading, altered, or fraudulent information.
Examples include intentionally falsifying invoices, photographs, payment records, inspection reports, or other evidence.
Nothing in these Guarantee Terms limits Helpie's right to pursue remedies available under applicable law.
18. Homeowner and Contractor Responsibilities
The Homeowner remains responsible for:
- Reviewing the Contractor's contract.
- Making payments according to the contract.
- Providing reasonable access to the property.
- Communicating concerns to the Contractor when appropriate.
- Maintaining relevant documentation.
- Taking reasonable steps to prevent additional damage when an emergency occurs.
The Contractor remains responsible for:
- Performing contracted work according to the applicable agreement.
- Complying with applicable laws, permits, and professional requirements.
