Terms & Conditions

Acceptance

These Terms & Conditions ("Terms") govern your use of sschandak.com (the "Website") and any consultation or service you book or pay for through it. The Website is owned and operated by CA Somesh Chandak & Associates (FRN 158694W), Chartered Accountants, Unit No 119, 1st Floor, Centura Square IT Park, SG Barve Rd, opp. Lanxess India, Wagle Estate, Thane West, Maharashtra 400604 ("the Firm", "we", "us"). By using the Website, submitting a form or making a payment, you agree to these Terms, our Privacy Policy, our Refund & Cancellation Policy and our Service Delivery Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Website.

Nature of the Website content

Articles, calculators, checklists and service descriptions on the Website are general information prepared for education. They do not constitute professional advice, an opinion or a representation on any specific matter, and do not create a client relationship. Tax and regulatory positions change frequently and depend on facts; please obtain specific advice before acting. See also our Disclaimer.

Paid consultation

Where you book a paid consultation through the Website:

• The consultation is a time-bound discussion (the duration and fee are shown on the booking page) in which a Chartered Accountant of the Firm gives general professional guidance on the facts you describe. It is not an audit, certificate, opinion, valuation, return filing or representation before any authority; those are separate engagements.
• Guidance is based on the information you share during the call. We do not verify documents during a consultation unless expressly agreed.
• The fee is payable in advance through Razorpay. GST at the applicable rate (currently 18% under SAC 9982 — accounting, auditing and tax consultancy services) is charged on the fee, and a tax invoice is issued to the details you provide at checkout.
• Rescheduling, cancellation and refunds are governed by the Refund & Cancellation Policy.
• A written summary is provided only where stated on the booking page or separately agreed in writing.

Professional engagements

Any service beyond a consultation (registrations, return filing, accounting, valuation, certification, notice replies, advisory) is undertaken only under a written engagement letter or accepted proposal that sets out scope, fees, timelines, client responsibilities and exclusions. Where these Terms and an engagement letter conflict, the engagement letter prevails for that engagement.

All professional work is performed in accordance with the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949, the ICAI Code of Ethics, the applicable Standards issued by ICAI and, for valuation work, the Companies (Registered Valuers and Valuation) Rules, 2017 and ICAI / IBBI valuation standards. We reserve the right to decline or discontinue an engagement where independence, ethical or legal considerations require it.

Client responsibilities

• Provide complete, accurate and timely information and documents. Our advice and deliverables rely on what you provide; we are not responsible for consequences of incomplete or incorrect information.
• Review drafts, returns and deliverables before approval or filing. Approval by you (including by email or WhatsApp) is confirmation that the information is correct to your knowledge.
• Meet statutory due dates by furnishing data in the time frames we communicate. Late data may mean late filing, and any interest, late fee or penalty arising from delayed information is for your account.
• Keep portal credentials shared with us confidential and change them on completion of the engagement if you wish.
• Pay fees, government charges and reimbursements when due.

Fees and online payments

• Fees are as quoted on the booking page, proposal or engagement letter, exclusive of GST and government/statutory charges unless stated otherwise.
• Online payments are processed by Razorpay Software Private Limited. The Firm does not store card, UPI or banking credentials. Payment confirmation is sent to the email/phone provided at checkout.
• Government fees, stamp duty and third-party charges are collected at actuals and are non-refundable once paid to the authority.
• Invoices not covered by advance payment are payable within 7 days of the invoice date unless otherwise agreed. We may pause work on overdue accounts after notice.
• Fee disputes must be raised in writing within 15 days of the invoice; undisputed portions remain payable.

Confidentiality

We treat all client information as confidential and use it only for the engagement, except where disclosure is required by law, a regulator, ICAI peer/quality review, or with your consent. Our staff and article assistants sign confidentiality undertakings. This obligation continues after the engagement ends. Details of how personal data is handled are in the Privacy Policy.

Intellectual property

All content on the Website — text, articles, calculators, templates, graphics and layout — is owned by the Firm or its licensors and is protected under the Copyright Act, 1957. You may read, print or share a page link for personal, non-commercial reference with attribution. You may not reproduce, scrape, republish or commercially exploit content without written permission. Deliverables prepared under an engagement are for your use for the purpose stated in the engagement letter; our working papers remain our property.

Limitation of liability

• Our total liability to you in connection with a consultation is limited to the fee paid for that consultation. For other engagements, the limit is as stated in the engagement letter and, where not stated, the fees paid for the specific service giving rise to the claim.
• We are not liable for indirect, consequential or special losses, loss of profit, or losses arising from information you did not provide, provided late, or that was inaccurate; from actions of third parties or authorities; or from portal or system outages outside our control.
• Nothing in these Terms limits liability that cannot be limited under Indian law.
• Claims must be notified in writing within 12 months of the event giving rise to them.

Acceptable use

You agree not to misuse the Website — including by submitting false information, attempting unauthorised access to any part of the site or its data, uploading malicious files, scraping content, or using the site for any unlawful purpose. We may block access from sources engaged in such activity.

Third-party links and tools

The Website links to and embeds third-party services (Zoho Bookings, Razorpay, Google Maps, government portals). We are not responsible for their content, availability or practices. Your use of them is subject to their own terms.

Termination

Either party may end an engagement by written notice as set out in the engagement letter. Fees for work done up to the date of termination, and any government charges incurred, remain payable. We will hand over documents belonging to you on settlement of dues, subject to our right to retain working papers.

Governing law and dispute resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of India. Any dispute will first be attempted to be resolved by discussion with the proprietor within 30 days of written notice. Failing resolution, disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts at Thane, Maharashtra. Nothing here affects your right to approach the ICAI or any consumer forum where legally available.

Changes to these Terms

We may revise these Terms; the version on this page at the time you use the Website or make a payment applies. The "Last updated" date is shown below.

Contact

Questions about these Terms, invoices or a booking:

• Grievance / Data Protection Officer: CA Somesh Chandak (Proprietor)
• Email: somesh@sschandak.com
• Phone / WhatsApp: +91 89468 83420
• Address: Unit No 119, 1st Floor, Centura Square IT Park, SG Barve Rd, opp. Lanxess India, Wagle Estate, Thane West, Maharashtra 400604