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Payment Policy

Introduction:
 

This Payment Policy outlines the terms and methods of payment for services provided by
M&P INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT LTD. All customers are required to comply with this policy when making purchases or bookings. By making a payment to {{CompanyName}}, you agree to the terms described here. This policy is designed to ensure secure, transparent transactions for both parties, and is compliant with relevant regulations and Stripe’s requirements (as we use Stripe as our sole payment processor).
All monetary amounts in this policy are in Great Britain Pounds (GBP), unless stated otherwise.

1. Accepted Payment Methods

Stripe Payments: We accept payments exclusively through Stripe, a secure third-party payment processing platform. Stripe allows you to pay using major credit cards and debit cards (such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express) and certain alternative payment methods that may be enabled on our checkout (for example, Apple Pay or Google Pay, depending on availability).
 

  • We do not accept cash, checks, or bank transfers for online bookings. All payments must be electronic through our Stripe-integrated checkout.

  • If you visit us in person (e.g., at an event or for an in-person session booking), we may still process your card payment via Stripe’s point-of-sale application or invoice you via Stripe for an online payment. We maintain the Stripe-only policy even for in-person transactions to ensure consistency and security.

  • By using Stripe, you benefit from their security measures and we never directly handle your card data. Stripe is PCI-DSS Level 1 compliant (the highest level of payment data security).

2. Payment Timing and Authorization

1. Payment at Booking: Unless otherwise agreed, payment is due at the time of booking a service or purchasing a package. For online bookings, you will be prompted to enter payment details and authorize the charge through the Stripe payment form. A booking is not confirmed until the payment is successfully processed. For services requiring a deposit and later balance (e.g., some retreats or custom trips), the deposit is due to confirm the booking, and the balance is due by the specified date (as per our Terms & Conditions and your booking confirmation). You will be provided with a link or instructions to pay the balance via Stripe when due. Failure to pay the balance on time may result in cancellation of your booking (see Refund & Cancellation Policy).
 

2. Currency: All transactions are processed in GBP. If your card’s base currency is not GBP, your card issuer will convert the amount to your currency at their exchange rate, and may charge a conversion fee. {{CompanyName}} is not responsible for any differences caused by currency exchange or bank fees; we receive the GBP amount we invoice. We recommend using a credit card that doesn’t charge high foreign transaction fees if you are an international client.
 

3. Receipts: Upon successful payment, a receipt will be emailed to you (usually automatically from our booking system or directly from Stripe). This will detail the amount charged, the date, and a reference to the service or booking. Please keep this for your records. If you do not receive a receipt, let us know and we can reissue it. For any payments taken in parts (deposit and balance), you will receive separate receipts for each transaction. We can also provide a full invoice or statement of payments on request.
 

4. Pre-Authorization: In some cases, we might perform a pre-authorization (hold) on your card rather than immediate capture. For example, if you place a tentative booking or are on a waitlist for a retreat, we might authorize your card for the deposit amount but not capture it until your place is confirmed. You will be informed if this is the case. Pre-authorizations will reserve funds on your card without actually taking them, and either will be completed (captured) once you confirm the booking or released if you decide not to go ahead.
 

5. No Automatic Renewals: M&P INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT LTD does not offer any recurring subscription services, so we will not automatically charge your card on a recurring basis without your explicit authorization for each transaction. Each booking or service purchase is a one-time charge (except where a second installment is due for a balance payment, and even then, we will provide a mechanism for you to authorize that payment when due; we will not "automatically" charge the same card unless you have agreed to a scheduled payment). Rest assured that we do not store your card details for autonomous future use – any saved card data (if you choose to save for convenience in Stripe’s system) is tokenized and requires your confirmation to reuse.

3. Security of Payments

1. PCI Compliance: Since we use Stripe, your card information is processed in a PCI-compliant manner.
M&P INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT LTD does not see or store your full card number or CVV code at any point. When you enter your details on our website, it is done through a Stripe-provided secure field or hosted page. Stripe then provides us a transaction ID and confirmation. We maintain SSL encryption on our site as well, so all data transfer between your browser and Stripe’s servers (and ours) is encrypted.
 

2. Fraud Prevention: We take fraud prevention seriously. Stripe’s system may decline transactions that appear suspicious or that fail certain security checks (such as address verification or 3D Secure authentication). If your payment is declined due to such checks, verify your details and try again, or contact your bank. Occasionally, we might reach out to verify additional information if advised by Stripe (for example, confirming the identity of the cardholder) – this is to protect both you and us. If we cannot verify a payment’s legitimacy, we reserve the right not to accept it and thus not confirm the booking. No contract is formed until payment is confirmed.
 

3. Secure Data Handling: Any personal data collected during payment (such as billing address, email, phone number) is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy. We use this information for processing the transaction, fraud detection, and record-keeping. We do not store your card details on our servers, but Stripe may retain tokenized information to enable refunds or future authorized charges.
 

4. 3D Secure and Authentication: For customers with cards that support 3D Secure (often branded as "Verified by Visa", "Mastercard SecureCode", or "Secure by AMEX"), you may be prompted to complete an additional verification step (such as entering a code sent by your bank) when paying. This is an added layer of security required by many banks and by regulations (e.g., PSD2 in Europe requiring Strong Customer Authentication). Please complete these steps if prompted, otherwise the payment may not go through. If you have any issues with 3D Secure, contact your bank as we have no control over that part of the process.

4. Payment Issues and Resolutions

1. Failed or Rejected Payments: If your payment fails (due to insufficient funds, a technical issue, or a rejection by the payment gateway), you will be notified on the checkout page or via error message. In such cases, no booking is made. You should retry with a valid payment method. If you believe the failure is an error, contact your bank to ensure they are not blocking the payment (sometimes banks block international or high-value transactions by default for security – a quick confirmation with you can allow it to go through on retry). We cannot hold inventory (like a spot on a retreat or a hotel room) for an extended time while waiting for payment, so prompt resolution is important.
 

2. Overpayments or Duplicate Charges: In the event of any system glitch or error that results in duplicate payment or an overcharge, contact us immediately. We will investigate and if an error is found on our or Stripe’s side, we will arrange a prompt refund of the excess amount. Be sure to provide us with any relevant details (receipt numbers, timestamps). Our aim is to ensure you only pay what was agreed.
 

3. Chargebacks and Disputes: If you have an issue with a charge on your card, we encourage you to contact us first to resolve it (as detailed in our Security & Dispute Resolution Policy). Initiating a chargeback with your bank can be a longer process. However, if a chargeback is initiated, we will provide information to the bank/Stripe to verify the legitimacy of the charge (signed agreements, usage logs, etc.). If a chargeback is decided in your favor by the bank, and you were indeed entitled to a refund under our policies, we will accept that outcome. If a chargeback is initiated without valid reason (for example, you forgot about the booking or didn’t recognize the descriptor), and we can prove the charge was authorized, you may remain liable for the payment and any chargeback fees. To avoid misunderstandings, note that charges will typically appear on your statement as "M&P INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT LTD [Description]" (we will ensure our descriptor clearly ties to our company or services).
 

4. Instalment Plans: Generally, we do not offer instalment payment plans beyond a deposit + final balance structure. If, in special circumstances, we agree to a customized payment schedule for you (like splitting the balance into two payments, or a partial payment later due to a unique arrangement), the terms of those instalments will be clearly documented. If you fail to pay an agreed instalment by the due date, we reserve the right to treat it as a cancellation for non-payment, which could result in forfeiture of prior payments as per the cancellation policy. Always communicate with us if you foresee difficulty in meeting a payment date – we value communication and may grant a short grace period at our discretion if requested in advance.

5. Taxes and Charges

1. VAT and Taxes: M&P INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT LTD is a UK-based business and our prices include any Value Added Tax (VAT) if applicable. If we are not VAT-registered or if certain services are zero-rated or exempt, we will make that clear and you won’t be charged VAT on those. In any case, the price you see is the price you pay for our services. If you require a VAT invoice (if applicable), please let us know and we can provide that.
 

  • Note: Some travel services might not attract VAT (for example, if acting as an agent for a hotel booking under the Tour Operators Margin Scheme, VAT might be handled differently). However, this is a detail of our accounting – from your perspective, the quoted price is the total.
     

2. Additional Fees: We do not add surcharges on top of the agreed price for using certain payment methods (for instance, we don’t charge extra for credit card use – any card processing fees are absorbed in our pricing). The only time you might incur additional fees would be from your own bank (foreign transaction fees, etc., as mentioned) or if we explicitly agree to some special service that involves extra cost (which would be clearly communicated, not a surprise fee).
 

3. Gratuities and In-Trip Expenses: This is outside the payment for our services, but just a reminder: any gratuities (tips) to guides/instructors, or personal expenses during a trip, are not part of our charges. You settle those directly as you go. Likewise, if during a trip you decide to add extra services (like an extra tour or extending your hotel stay) that are not handled through us, you’ll pay those providers separately.

6. Refunds via Stripe

Any refunds from M&P INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT LTD for payments made (due to cancellations, adjustments, or overpayments) will be processed via Stripe back to the original payment method. See our Refund & Cancellation Policy for detailed scenarios of when refunds apply. Here we reiterate the payment processing aspect:
 

  • We will initiate the refund through Stripe’s dashboard. Stripe will then credit your card/bank. We do not issue cash or check refunds for transactions that were originally card payments.

  • The timeframe for the refund to reflect in your account is subject to Stripe’s processing and your bank’s procedures (typically 5-10 business days). We will send you confirmation when we’ve processed our side of the refund.

  • If a card used has expired or been canceled, usually the bank will still receive the refund and route it to your replacement card or account. If for some reason a refund fails (very rare), we will work with you and Stripe to ensure you get your money (possibly via an alternative method if absolutely needed).

  • Refunds can only be sent back to the original source. If someone else paid on your behalf, the refund goes to that original payer’s card, not to you directly. You would need to settle with that person.

7. Payment Disputes and Contact

Should you have any questions or concerns about a payment, invoice, or charge, please reach out to us:
 

  • Email: booking@mpfreight.co.uk

  • Phone: +44(0)7450313981

  • Address: Flat 36 Wheatcroft Court Cleeve Way, Sutton, England, SM1 3TT.
     

We are here to assist with any billing questions, clarify any part of this policy, or help you through the payment process if needed. Clear communication helps avoid disputes and ensures a smooth experience.

Remember, making a payment is a commitment. We, in turn, commit to delivering the agreed services. This Payment Policy works alongside our other policies (Terms & Conditions and Refund & Cancellation Policy in particular) to outline the full scope of your financial interaction with M&P INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT LTD.
 

Last Updated: 8 May 2025.

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