Last Updated: August 26th, 2022
IMPORTANT NOTICE: THIS AGREEMENT CONTAINS A BINDING ARBITRATION PROVISION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER. IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AS DETAILED IN THE ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER SECTION BELOW. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.
This Terms of Conditions Agreement (“Terms”), including the BINDING ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER CONTAINED HEREIN govern your access to, use of, and participation in the Platform made available by Storm Advisor, Inc. (“Storm Advisor,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) or through Storm Advisor and the entirety of your relationship with Storm Advisor. AS DETAILED IN THE ELIGIBILITY, SERVICE MEMBER REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES, AND USE OF THE PLATFORM SECTION BELOW, IF YOU ARE A SERVICE MEMBER, YOU UNDERSTAND AND AUTHORIZE STORM ADVISOR TO USE YOUR INFORMATION TO OBTAIN BACKGROUND CHECKS AND BUSINESS CREDIT CHECKS FROM ITS VENDORS THROUGHOUT THE USE OF THE SERVICE.
PLEASE READ THE TERMS THOROUGHLY AND CAREFULLY. BY USING THE PLATFORM, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THESE TERMS, THEN YOU MAY NOT ACCESS OR USE THE PLATFORM.
All references to “you” or “your,” as applicable, mean the person who accesses, uses, and/or participates in the Platform in any manner, and each of your heirs, assigns, and successors. If you use the Platform on behalf of an entity, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that entity, your acceptance of the Terms will be deemed an acceptance by that entity, and “you” and “your” herein shall refer to that entity, its directors, officers, employees, and agents.
Storm Advisor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify these Terms, and any other documents incorporated by reference herein, at any time and without prior notice. Storm Advisor will notify you of changes by posting on the Storm Advisor Terms and Conditions website, sending you a message, and/or otherwise notifying you when you are logged into your account. Modifications will become effective thirty (30) days after the earliest of: (a) modifications being posted on the Platform; (b) Storm Advisor’s transmission of a message to you about the modifications; or (c) you are otherwise notified when you are logged into your account. Your use of the Platform after the expiration of the thirty (30) days shall constitute your consent to the changes. If you do not agree, you may not access or use the Platform.
Please review Storm Advisor’s Privacy Policy, incorporated herein by reference, for information and notices concerning Storm Advisor’s collection and use of your information. The provision and delivery of text messages by Storm Advisor or our text message service providers is governed by our SMS Terms and Conditions, which are expressly incorporated herein. The Storm Advisor Guarantee is governed by the Storm Advisor Guarantee Terms and Conditions, which are expressly incorporated herein. Please review the full set of key Storm Advisor policies that govern your use of the Platform and our interactions with you and third parties. Certain areas of and/or products on the Platform may have different terms and conditions posted or may require you to agree with and accept additional terms and conditions or policies. If there is a conflict between these Terms and the terms and conditions or policies posted for a specific area or product, the latter take precedence with respect to your use of that area or product.
“Collective Content” means User Content and Storm Advisor Content together.
“Content” means text, graphics, images, music, software, audio, video, information or other materials, including but not limited to profile information, Pro Services requests, quotes, message threads, reviews, scheduling and calendar information, and other information or materials available on or through the Platform.
“Customer Member” means a Member who is registered to receive quotes for Pro Services, requests quotes for Pro Services, or otherwise uses the Platform to receive, pay for, review, or facilitate the receipt of Pro Services.
“Member” means a person or entity who completes Storm Advisor’s account registration process or a person or entity who submits or receives a request through Storm Advisor, including but not limited to Service Members and Customer Members.
“Platform” means all Storm Advisor websites, mobile or other applications, software, processes and any other services provided by or through Storm Advisor.
“Pro Services” means the services listed, quoted, scheduled, offered or provided by Service Members, or sought, scheduled or received by Customer Members, through the Platform.
“Service Member” means a Member who is registered to send quotes for Pro Services, sends quotes for Pro Services, or otherwise uses the Platform to offer, provide, receive payment for, or facilitate the provision of Pro Services.
“Storm Advisor Content” means all Content Storm Advisor makes available on or through the Platform, including any Content licensed from a third party, but excluding User Content.
“User Content” means all Content submitted, posted, uploaded, published, or transmitted on or through the Platform by any Member or other user of the Platform, including but not limited to photographs, profile information, descriptions, postings, reviews, requests, messages, and payments made through the Platform, but excluding Storm Advisor Content and Feedback.
Access to and use of the Platform is available only to individuals who are at least 18 years old and can form legally binding contracts under applicable law. By accessing or using the Platform, you represent and warrant that you are eligible.
By registering or using the Platform to offer, post, or provide Pro Services, Service Members represent and warrant that they, and the employees, agents, contractors, and subcontractors who may perform work for them, are properly and fully qualified and experienced, and licensed, certified, bonded, and insured, as required by applicable laws or regulations to which they may be subject in the jurisdiction(s) in which they offer their Pro Services and in relation to the specific job they are performing. Service Members otherwise agree to comply with all applicable laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act, in their use of the Platform and any personal information obtained from the Platform.
Storm Advisor is not in the business of providing Pro Services. Service Members understand and agree that by creating and maintaining an account on the Platform, they receive only the ability to use the Storm Advisor Platform to access persons interested in receiving Pro Services and related tools, including but not limited to the ability to message those persons or schedule appointments, that facilitate the provision of Pro Services. For example, Customer Members may use the Platform to intentionally interact with Service Members regarding Pro Services. Service Members understand and agree that using the Platform does not guarantee that anyone will engage them for Pro Services.
Service Members understand and agree that they are customers of Storm Advisor, and are not Storm Advisor employees, joint venturers, partners, or agents. Service Members acknowledge that they set or confirm their own prices, provide their own equipment, and determine their own work schedule. Storm Advisor does not control, and has no right to control, the services a Service Member provides (including how the Service Member provides such services) if the Service Member is engaged by a Customer Member or any other person, except as specifically noted herein.
Storm Advisor, as permitted by applicable laws, obtains reports regarding Service Members, which may include history of criminal convictions or sex offender registration, and we may limit, block, suspend, deactivate, or cancel a Service Member’s account based on the results of such a check. As a Service Member, you agree and authorize us to use your personal information, such as your full name and date of birth, to obtain such reports from Storm Advisor’s vendors.
Users may access the Platform without registering for an account. To access and participate in certain features of the Platform, you will need to create a password-protected account (“Account”). You may register for an Account using certain third-party account and log-in credentials (your “Third-Party Site Password”), such as your Facebook or Google credentials. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during the registration or request submission process and at all other times when you use the Platform, and to update information to keep it accurate, current, and complete. You are solely responsible for safeguarding your Storm Advisor password and, if applicable, your Third-Party Site Password. You are solely responsible for all activity that occurs on your Account, and you will notify Storm Advisor immediately of any unauthorized use. Storm Advisor is not liable for any losses by any party caused by an unauthorized use of your Account. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you may be liable for the losses of Storm Advisor or others due to such unauthorized use. Your account is non transferable except with Storm Advisor’s written permission and in line with Storm Advisor policies and procedures.
Subject to your compliance with these Terms, Storm Advisor grants you a limited, non-exclusive, revocable, non transferable, and non-sublicensable license to reproduce and display Collective Content (excluding any software source code) solely for your personal and non-commercial use and only in connection with your access to and participation in the Platform. You will not use, copy, adapt, modify, prepare derivative works based upon, distribute, license, sell, transfer, publicly display, publicly perform, transmit, stream, broadcast or otherwise exploit the Platform or Collective Content, except as expressly permitted in these Terms. The Platform and Collective Content are provided to you AS IS. If you download or print a copy of Collective Content for personal use, you must retain all copyright and other proprietary notices contained thereon. No licenses or rights are granted to you by implication or otherwise under any intellectual property rights owned or controlled by Storm Advisor or its licensors, except for the licenses and rights expressly granted in these Terms.
We may, in our sole discretion, permit you to post, upload, publish, submit or transmit User Content. By making available any User Content on or through the Platform, you hereby grant to Storm Advisor a worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, royalty-free license, with the right to sublicense, to use, copy, adapt, modify, distribute, license, sell, transfer, publicly display, publicly perform, transmit, stream, broadcast, access, view, and otherwise exploit such User Content on, through, by means of or to promote, market or advertise the Platform or Pro Services, or for any other purpose in our sole discretion, except that the contents of private messaging through the Platform will not be used by Storm Advisor in public advertising. In the interest of clarity, the license granted to Storm Advisor shall survive termination of the Platform or your Account. Storm Advisor does not claim ownership rights in your User Content and nothing in these Terms will be deemed to restrict rights that you may have to use and exploit any such User Content submitted, posted, uploaded, published, or transmitted on or through the Platform by you.
You acknowledge and agree that you are solely responsible for all User Content that you make available on or through the Platform. Accordingly, you represent and warrant that: (a) you either are the sole and exclusive owner of all User Content that you make available on or through the Platform or you have all rights, licenses, consents and releases that are necessary to grant to Storm Advisor the rights in such User Content, as contemplated under these Terms; and (b) neither the User Content nor your posting, uploading, publication, submission or transmittal of the User Content or Storm Advisor’s use of your User Content (or any portion thereof) on, through or by means of the Platform will infringe, misappropriate or violate a third party’s patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, moral rights or other proprietary or intellectual property rights, or rights of publicity or privacy, or result in the violation of any applicable law or regulation. While it has no obligation to do so, you agree that Storm Advisor may proofread, summarize or otherwise edit and/or withdraw your User Content, and you understand it remains your sole responsibility to monitor your User Content and ensure that such edited Content is accurate and consistent with your representations and warranties in these Terms.
Storm Advisor reserves the right, at any time and without prior notice, to remove or disable access to User Content that we, in our sole discretion, consider to be objectionable for any reason, in violation of these Terms or otherwise harmful to the Platform or users, or for any other reason.
As a user of the Platform, you may not:
In connection with the use of Storm Advisor’s Platform, Storm Advisor charges certain fees (“Storm Advisor Fees” or “Fees”).
Service Members can pay Fees to Storm Advisor in order to receive certain services on the Platform, including but not limited to being matched with and receiving contacts from Customer Members or other individuals. As a Service Member, Storm Advisor will automatically charge your stored payment method when those Customer Members or other individuals contact you. Fees for additional products or services, including ongoing products or services, will be presented to you before you use such products or services. In order to use Storm Advisor, you must have at least one valid payment method stored on file. As described more fully below, you may also be required to set a weekly spending limit or Budget (as defined below) for at least one service category (which may also apply to contacts in jobs related to your preferences). Except as otherwise described herein, all sales on Storm Advisor are final and non-refundable.
Timing of Charges for Service Members on Storm Advisor. As a Service Member using Storm Advisor, there are different points at which your payment method may be charged:
If You Lack Sufficient Purchasing History on Storm Advisor
If you are new to Storm Advisor or do not have a sufficient purchasing history on the Platform as determined in Storm Advisor’s sole and absolute discretion, your payment method may be charged each time you are contacted by a Customer Member or other individual and you do not have an adequate Storm Advisor balance to cover the cost of that contact.
If You Have a Sufficient Purchasing History On Storm Advisor
Once Storm Advisor determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, that you have sufficient purchasing history on Storm Advisor, Storm Advisor may charge your payment method periodically for the total Fees accrued when Customer Members or other individuals contact you. Specifically, Storm Advisor may charge your payment method each time (a) a specific time period has passed; and/or (b) within that time period, each time the total Fees accrued hit a certain dollar threshold. The frequency of charges may not match the Budget Period described above.
Storm Advisor may adjust both the specific time period and the dollar threshold that trigger charges in its sole and absolute discretion. Storm Advisor may also, in its sole and absolute discretion, revert to charging your payment method each time you are contacted by a Customer Member or other individual and you do not have an adequate Storm Advisor balance to cover the cost of that contact.
Default Payment Method. For ordinary charges of Service Members, Storm Advisor will first attempt to charge the default payment method. In the event that Storm Advisor is unable to charge that payment method for any reason–including but not limited to exceeding a payment method’s credit limit, payment method cancellation, a payment method being out of date, or payment method details being incorrect–you agree that Storm Advisor may charge any other payment method associated with your account. If your payment details change, your card provider may provide us with updated card details. We may use these new details in order to help prevent any interruption to the Pro Services. If Storm Advisor is unable to charge the default payment method, Storm Advisor will attempt to charge any other payment methods associated with your Account in the order in which they were most recently provided, used, or updated on the Platform, charging the most recently provided, used, or updated valid payment method first.
Penalty Fees for All Members. Storm Advisor may also charge penalty Fees for fraud, misconduct or other violations of these Terms, as determined in our sole discretion. Information about current penalty Fees is available in the help center.
You agree to pay all applicable Fees or charges based on the Fee and billing terms then in effect, regardless of whether you have an active Account. Charges shall be made to the payment method designated at the time you accrue a Fee. If you do not pay on time or if Storm Advisor cannot charge a payment method for any reason, Storm Advisor reserves all rights permissible under law to recover payment and all costs and expenses incurred, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, in our pursuit of payment. If any Fee is not paid in a timely manner, or we are unable to process your transaction using the payment method provided, we reserve the right to terminate or suspend your Account.
You explicitly agree that all communication in relation to delinquent accounts or Fees due will be made by electronic mail or by phone. You agree that all notices, disclosures, and other communications that we provide to you electronically satisfy any legal requirement that such communications be in writing. You agree that you have the ability to store such electronic communications such that they remain accessible to you in an unchanged form. You agree to keep your contact information, including, but not limited to, email address and phone number current. Such communication may be made by Storm Advisor or by anyone on its behalf, including but not limited to a third-party collection agent. If you cancel your Account at any time, you will not receive any refund. If you have a balance due on any Account, you agree that Storm Advisor may charge such unpaid Fees to any payment method or otherwise bill you for such unpaid Fees.
Taxes. Payments required by these Terms may be stated exclusive of all taxes, duties, levies, imposts, fines or similar governmental assessments, including sales and use taxes, value-added taxes, goods and services taxes, excise, business, service, and similar transactional taxes imposed by any jurisdiction and the interest and penalties thereon (collectively, “Taxes”). Certain jurisdictions, however, may require us to collect Taxes from you in connection with the purchase of, payment for, access to, or use of the Pro Services, and you shall be responsible for and bear Taxes associated with the purchase of, payment for, access to, or use of the Pro Services. Charges are inclusive of applicable Taxes where required by law. You hereby confirm that Storm Advisor can determine your appropriate jurisdiction for tax purposes however it deems appropriate or as required by law, and you agree to pay taxes to Storm Advisor when Storm Advisor includes a charge for taxes on any invoice. You also understand and agree that you are solely responsible for determining your own tax reporting and sales and use tax collection requirements in consultation with your own tax advisers, and that we cannot and do not offer specific tax advice to either Service Members or Customer Members.
In order to ensure appropriate charging of Fees and to enforce these Terms, Storm Advisor may track the occurrence of communications between Customer Members and Service Members that occur off of the Platform via email, phone call, SMS text message, third-party websites, or any other means, whether initiated by a Customer Member or Service Member. In order to track the occurrence of such communications, Storm Advisor may obscure Service Member contact information in a Service Member profile, replace Service Member contact information in a Service Member profile with a different piece of contact information that will forward to the Service Member, or take any other step reasonably calculated to track the occurrence of such communications. Except as explicitly stated herein, we will not record or review the content of any communications that do not come into contact with the Storm Advisor Platform unless we first obtain your permission.
If you send text messages with a Customer Member or Service Member using the telephone number for that Member available on the Platform, we may use a third-party service provider to track these text messages. We track these text messages for fraud prevention, to ensure appropriate charging of Fees, to enforce these Terms, and for quality and training purposes. As part of this process, Storm Advisor and its service provider will receive in real time and store data about your text message, including the date and time of the text message, your phone number, and the content of the text message.
The Storm Advisor platform may facilitate payments between Customer Members and Service Members (“Marketplace Payments”) through our payment processing partner Stripe, but Storm Advisor is not a party to any such Marketplace Payments and does not handle funds on behalf of its Members. Service Members who receive Marketplace Payments from Customer Members on Storm Advisor must agree to the Stripe Connected Account Agreement, which includes the Stripe Services Agreement. As a Service Member, by agreeing to these terms or continuing to operate as a Service Member on Storm Advisor, you agree to be bound by the Stripe Connected Account Agreement and Stripe Services Agreement, as those agreements may be modified by Stripe from time to time. As a condition of receiving payment processing services through Stripe, you agree to provide Storm Advisor with accurate and complete information about you and your business, and you authorize Storm Advisor to share this information and transaction information related to your use of the payment processing services provided by Stripe.
As a Customer Member making a Marketplace Payment through Stripe, you agree to pay all amounts you owe when due using your preferred payment method. You further authorize Stripe to charge your preferred payment method for amounts you owe when they are due, whether they are recurring or one-time payments. You must keep all payment information you provide us up-to-date, accurate and complete. Do not share your payment card, bank account or other financial information with any other Member. We take steps to secure all payment methods and other personal financial information, but we expressly disclaim any liability to you, and you agree to hold us harmless for any damages you may suffer as a result of the disclosure of your personal financial information to any unintended recipients.
Storm Advisor may enable you to make Marketplace Payments using credit, debit, or prepaid cards, by linking your bank account, or by any other payment method we support. We reserve the right to cancel your ability to make payments with one or more of the payment methods you have authorized in our sole and absolute discretion.
If you choose your bank account as your Marketplace Payment method, you authorize Stripe to make Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) withdrawals from your bank account, and to make any inquiries we consider necessary to validate any dispute involving payments you make to us or to a Member, which may include ordering a credit report and performing other credit checks or verifying the information you provide us against third-party databases. You authorize Storm Advisor or its provider to initiate one or more ACH debit entries (withdrawals) or the creation of an equivalent bank draft for the specified amount(s) from your bank account, and you authorize the financial institutions that hold your bank account to deduct such payments. You also authorize the bank that holds your bank account to deduct any such payments in the amounts and frequency designated in your Account.
If your full order is not processed by us at the same time, you hereby authorize partial debits from your bank account, not to exceed the total amount of your order You agree to pay any ACH fees or fines you or we incur associated with transactions you authorize. This return fee will vary based on which state you are located in. The return fee may be added to your payment amount and debited from your bank account if we resubmit an ACH debit due to insufficient funds. We may initiate a collection process or legal action to collect any money owed to us. You agree to pay all our costs for such action, including any reasonable attorneys’ fees. Federal law limits your liability for any fraudulent, erroneous, or unauthorized transactions from your bank account based on how quickly you report it to your financial institution. You must report any fraudulent, erroneous or unauthorized transactions to your bank no more than 60 days after the disputed transaction appeared on your bank account statement. Please contact your bank for more information about the policies and procedures that apply unauthorized transactions and the limits on your liability.
Marketplace Payment Disputes: All requests for Marketplace Payment chargebacks, errors, claims, refunds and disputes (“Payment Disputes”) will be subject to review by Storm Advisor in accordance with the rules applicable to the payment method you used to make the Marketplace Payment and will be in Storm Advisor’s absolute discretion. Storm Advisor is not liable to you under any circumstances for Payment Disputes we are unable to resolve in your favor. We will normally process your valid written Payment Dispute request within thirty (30) days after we receive it, unless a shorter period is required by law. You may file a Payment Dispute by emailing it to Storm Advisor support at support@stormadvisor.com. If you close or deactivate your Account before we adjudicate your Payment Dispute, we will not be able to issue you any amounts you are owed. We will attempt to pay you any Payment Disputed amounts you are owed using the method with which you made the disputed payment, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so if your payment method information is inaccurate, incomplete, or has been canceled.
If your actions result, or are likely to result in a Payment Dispute, a violation of these Terms and Conditions or create other risks to Storm Advisor or our payment processing partners, or if we determine that your Account has been used to engage in deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity, then we may permanently withhold any amounts owed to you in our sole discretion. If you have a past due balance due on any Account, or for any additional amounts that we determine you owe us, we may, without limiting any other rights or remedies: (a) charge one or more of your payment methods; (b) offset any amounts you owe us against amounts you may be owed; (c) invoice you for amounts due to us, which such amounts will be due upon receipt; (d) reverse or block any credits to your bank account; or (e) collect payment from you by any other lawful means.
If you fail to make Marketplace Payments you owe when due, or if Storm Advisor is unable to charge one of your payment methods for any reason, Storm Advisor reserves all rights permissible under law to recover payment and all costs and expenses incurred, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, in our pursuit of payment. You explicitly agree that all communication in relation to delinquent accounts or overdue payments will be made by electronic mail or by phone. Such communication may be made by Storm Advisor or by anyone on its behalf, including but not limited to a third-party collections agent.
Storm Advisor may, from time to time, place a hold on any of your payment methods. Any such hold will be temporary and will not mature into a charge on your payment method. Payment method holds are intended to prevent failed payments.
Storm Advisor may publicly display advertisements, paid content, and other sponsored information. The manner, mode, and extent of such advertising are subject to change without specific notice to you. Service Members may compensate Storm Advisor to “Promote” themselves in search results and therefore rank higher. Any such Service Members will be clearly designated in applicable search results as “Promoted” or with a similar designation. Storm Advisor may impose certain quality-related standards for Service Members to qualify as “Promoted”, which standards may be enforced and/or changed at any time.
Storm Advisor values our Pros and Customers, and we understand that occasionally disputes may arise between or among them. Our goal is to provide tools to help users resolve such disputes independently. In the rare event a dispute regarding an interaction related to the Platform cannot be resolved independently, you agree, at Storm Advisor’s request, to participate in good faith, to the extent you are reasonably able to do so, in a neutral resolution or mediation conducted by Storm Advisor or a neutral third-party mediator or arbitrator selected by Storm Advisor. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you acknowledge and agree that Storm Advisor is under no obligation to become involved in or impose resolution in any dispute between or among users or any third party.
Storm Advisor Content is protected by copyright, trademark, and other laws of the United States, foreign countries, and international conventions. Except as expressly provided in these Terms, Storm Advisor and its licensors exclusively own all right, title, and interest in and to the Platform and Storm Advisor Content, including all associated intellectual property rights. All trademarks, service marks, logos, trade names and any other proprietary designations of Storm Advisor used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Storm Advisor. Any other trademarks, service marks, logos, trade names and any other proprietary designations are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
By sending us any feedback, comments, questions, or suggestions concerning Storm Advisor or our services, including the Platform (collectively, “Feedback”) you represent and warrant (a) that you have the right to disclose the Feedback, (b) that the Feedback does not violate the rights of any other person or entity, and (c) that your Feedback does not contain the confidential or proprietary information of any third party or parties. By sending us any Feedback, you further (i) agree that we are under no obligation of confidentiality, express or implied, with respect to the Feedback, (ii) acknowledge that we may have something similar to the Feedback already under consideration or in development, (iii) grant us an irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, worldwide license to use, modify, prepare derivative works, publish, distribute and sublicense the Feedback, and (iv) irrevocably waive, and cause to be waived, against Storm Advisor and its users any claims and assertions of any moral rights contained in such Feedback. This Feedback section shall survive any termination of your Account or the Platform.
We expect users to respect copyright law. In appropriate circumstances we will terminate the Account of any user who repeatedly infringes or is believed to be repeatedly infringing the rights of copyright holders. Please see our Copyright & DMCA Policy for more information.
Storm Advisor does not endorse any Member, user, or any Pro Services, and Storm Advisor is not a party to any agreements between or among users, Members, or third parties. No agency, partnership, joint venture, or employment is created as a result of the Terms or any user’s or Member’s use of any part of the Platform, including but not limited to any scheduling or other services. Neither Storm Advisor nor any Members or users of the Platform may direct or control the day-to-day activities of the other, or create or assume any obligation on behalf of the other. Members are required by these Terms to provide accurate information, and although Storm Advisor may undertake additional checks and processes designed to help verify or check the identities or backgrounds of users, we do not make any representations about, confirm, or endorse any user or their purported identity or background, regardless of the specific Storm Advisor services they are using or any involvement by Storm Advisor personnel in providing or scheduling those services.
Any reference on the Platform to a user being licensed or credentialed in some manner, or “badged,” “best of,” “top,” “background checked” (or similar language) designations indicates only that the user has completed a relevant account process or met user review standards, and does not represent anything else. Any such description is not an endorsement, certification or guarantee by Storm Advisor and is not verification of their identity and whether they or their Pro Services are licensed, insured, trustworthy, safe or suitable. Instead, any such description is intended to be useful information for you to evaluate when you make your own decisions about the identity and suitability of others whom you contact or interact with via the Platform. You should always exercise responsibility, due diligence and care when deciding whether to have any interaction with any other user. Storm Advisor offers a non-exhaustive list of safety tips to consider when hiring a Service Member. Except as specifically described in the Storm Advisor Guarantee and including its exclusions and limitations, Storm Advisor has no responsibility for any damage or harm resulting from your interactions with other users.
The Collective Content may contain links to third-party websites, offers, or other events/activities not owned or controlled by Storm Advisor. We do not endorse or assume any responsibility for any such links, and if you access them, you do so at your own risk.
By using the Platform, you understand and agree that any legal remedy or liability that you seek to obtain for actions or omissions of other users or other third parties will be limited to a claim against those particular users or other third parties. You agree not to attempt to impose liability on or seek any legal remedy from Storm Advisor with respect to such actions or omissions.
Without limiting any other rights reserved herein, Storm Advisor may, in its sole discretion, take any action permitted by law for any violation of these Terms or any other policy or agreement between you and Storm Advisor, including but not limited to removing User Content you posted, limiting your Account access, requiring you to forfeit certain funds or paid Fees, assessing monetary penalties or costs, terminating your Account, notifying other Members of the termination of your Account and/or the violation of these Terms, decreasing your status or search rank, canceling quotes or postings, blocking access, investigating you, and/or cooperating with law enforcement agencies in investigation or prosecution.
We may, in our discretion, with or without cause, with or without prior notice and at any time, decide to limit, block, suspend, deactivate or cancel your Storm Advisor Account in whole or in part. If we exercise our discretion under these Terms to do so, any or all of the following can occur with or without prior notice or explanation to you: (a) your Account will be deactivated or suspended, your password will be disabled, and you will not be able to access the Platform or your User Content, or receive assistance from Storm Advisor support teams; (b) if appropriate in our sole discretion, we may communicate to other users that your Account has been terminated, blocked, suspended, deactivated, canceled, or otherwise penalized in any way, and why this action has been taken; and (c) you will not be entitled to any compensation for Platform services or Pro Services canceled or delayed as a result of Account termination. You may cancel your use of the Platform and/or terminate your Account at any time by following the “Settings” link in your profile, clicking “Account,” and clicking “Deactivate Account.” Please note that if your Account is canceled, we do not have an obligation to delete or return to you any Content you have posted to the Platform, including, but not limited to, any reviews.
PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY. IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING YOUR RIGHT TO FILE A LAWSUIT IN COURT.
You and Storm Advisor agree that these Terms affect interstate commerce and that the Federal Arbitration Act governs the interpretation and enforcement of these arbitration provisions.
This Section is intended to be interpreted broadly and governs any and all disputes between us, including but not limited to claims arising out of or relating to any aspect of the relationship between us, whether based in contract, tort, statute, fraud, misrepresentation or any other legal theory; claims that arose before this Agreement or any prior agreement (including, but not limited to, claims related to advertising); and claims that may arise after the termination of this Agreement. The only disputes excluded from this broad prohibition are the litigation of certain intellectual property and small court claims, as provided below.
By agreeing to these Terms, you agree to resolve any and all disputes with Storm Advisor as follows:
Initial Dispute Resolution: Most disputes can be resolved without resort to litigation. You can reach Storm Advisor’s support department at support@stormadvisor.com. Except for intellectual property and small claims court claims, the parties agree to use their best efforts to settle any dispute, claim, question, or disagreement directly through consultation with the Storm Advisor support department, and good faith negotiations shall be a condition to either party initiating a lawsuit or arbitration.
Binding Arbitration: If the parties do not reach an agreed-upon solution within a period of thirty (30) days from the time informal dispute resolution is initiated under the Initial Dispute Resolution provision above, then either party may initiate binding arbitration as the sole means to resolve claims, subject to the terms set forth below. Specifically, all claims arising out of or relating to these Terms or previous versions of these Terms (including the Terms’ or Privacy Policy’s formation, performance, and breach), the parties’ relationship with each other, and/or your use of the Platform shall be finally settled by binding arbitration, as described below.
Where the relief sought is $10,000 or less and you do not wish to bring the claim in small claims court, the arbitration will be conducted online by an online arbitration provider of our choosing in accordance with their applicable Arbitration Rules & Procedures effective at the time a claim is made. Currently, to start, you may initiate arbitration proceedings on the FairClaims website. You are responsible for your own attorneys’ fees unless the arbitration rules and/or applicable law provide otherwise.
Where the relief sought is $10,001 or more, resolution shall be in accordance with the JAMS Streamlined Arbitration Procedure Rules for claims that do not exceed $250,000 and the JAMS Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures for claims exceeding $250,000 in effect at the time the arbitration is initiated, excluding any rules or procedures governing or permitting class actions. To start an arbitration with JAMS, you must do the following: (a) write a Demand for Arbitration that includes a description of the claim and the amount of damages you seek to recover (you may find a copy of a Demand for Arbitration at www.jamsadr.com); (b) send three copies of the Demand for Arbitration, plus the appropriate filing fee, to JAMS, Two Embarcadero Center, Suite 1500, San Francisco, California 94111; and (c) send one copy of the Demand for Arbitration to Storm Advisor at 1717 N Bayshore Drive, #A-3748, Miami Florida, 33132, ATTN: Legal. You will be required to pay $250 to initiate an arbitration against us. If the arbitrator finds the arbitration to be non-frivolous, Storm Advisor will pay all other fees invoiced by JAMS, including filing fees and arbitrator and hearing expenses. You are responsible for your own attorneys’ fees unless the arbitration rules and/or applicable law provide otherwise.
The arbitrator, and not any federal, state, or local court or agency, shall have exclusive authority to resolve all disputes arising out of or relating to the interpretation, applicability, enforceability, or formation of these Terms or the Privacy Policy, including but not limited to any claim that all or any part of these Terms or Privacy Policy is void or voidable, whether a claim is subject to arbitration, or the question of waiver by litigation conduct. The arbitrator shall be empowered to grant whatever relief would be available in a court under law or in equity. The arbitrator’s award shall be written and shall be binding on the parties and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction.
The parties understand that, absent this mandatory arbitration provision, they would have the right to sue in court and have a jury trial. They further understand that, in some instances, the costs of arbitration could exceed the costs of litigation and the right to discovery may be more limited in arbitration than in court.
If you are a resident of the United States, arbitration may take place in the county where you reside at the time of filing. For individuals residing outside the United States, arbitration shall be initiated in the State of Florida, United States of America. You and Storm Advisor further agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of any federal or state court in Miami-Dade County, Florida in order to compel arbitration, to stay proceedings pending arbitration, or to confirm, modify, vacate, or enter judgment on the award entered by the arbitrator.
Class Action Waiver: The parties further agree that the arbitration shall be conducted in their individual capacities only and not as a class action or other representative action, and the parties expressly waive their right to file a class action or seek relief on a class basis. YOU AND Storm Advisor AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. If any court or arbitrator determines that the class action waiver set forth in this paragraph is void or unenforceable for any reason or that an arbitration can proceed on a class basis, then the arbitration provisions set forth above shall be deemed null and void in their entirety and the parties shall be deemed to have not agreed to arbitrate disputes.
Exception: Litigation of Intellectual Property and Small Claims Court Claims: Notwithstanding the parties’ decision to resolve all disputes through arbitration, either party may bring enforcement actions, validity determinations or claims arising from or relating to theft, piracy or unauthorized use of intellectual property in state or federal court or in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to protect its intellectual property rights (“intellectual property rights” means patents, copyrights, moral rights, trademarks, and trade secrets, but not privacy or publicity rights). Either party may also seek relief in a small claims court for disputes or claims within the scope of that court’s jurisdiction.
30-Day Right to Opt Out: You have the right to opt out and not be bound by the arbitration and class action waiver provisions set forth above by sending (from the email address you use on Storm Advisor) written notice of your decision to opt out to opt-out@stormadvisor.com with the subject line, “ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER OPT-OUT.” The notice must be sent within thirty (30) days of the later of the Effective Date of these Terms or your first use of the Platform; otherwise, you shall be bound to arbitrate disputes in accordance with the terms of those paragraphs. If you opt out of these arbitration provisions, Storm Advisor also will not be bound by them.
Changes to This Section: Storm Advisor will provide thirty (30) days’ notice of any changes affecting the substance of this Arbitration and Class Action Waiver section by posting on the Storm Advisor Terms and Conditions website, sending you a message, or otherwise notifying you when you are logged into your account. Amendments will become effective thirty (30) days after they are posted on the Storm Advisor Terms and Conditions website or sent to you.
Changes to this section will otherwise apply prospectively only to claims arising after the thirtieth (30th) day. If a court or arbitrator decides that this subsection on “Changes to This Section” is not enforceable or valid, then this subsection shall be severed from the section entitled “Arbitration and Class Action Waiver,” and the court or arbitrator shall apply the first Arbitration and Class Action Waiver section in existence after you began using the Platform.
Survival: This Arbitration and Class Action Waiver section shall survive any termination of your Account or the Platform.
Third-Party Beneficiary: You and Storm Advisor acknowledge that any third party consumer reporting agency that Storm Advisor uses to perform background checks on Service Members is an express and intended third party beneficiary of this arbitration provision and as such, the terms of this Arbitration provision will inure to the benefit of the consumer reporting agencies and may be enforced by them. Accordingly, you agree that any dispute that arises between you and a consumer reporting agency that relates to or arises out of this Agreement or any aspect of your relationship with Storm Advisor will be resolved by binding arbitration. If any court or arbitrator determines that this third-party beneficiary subsection is void or unenforceable for any reason, then this subsection shall be severed from the section entitled “Arbitration and Class Action Waiver,” and the remainder of the section shall remain enforceable, meaning that the class action waiver and the mutual obligation to resolve disputes between you and Storm Advisor through binding arbitration remains enforceable.
The Terms and the relationship between you and Storm Advisor shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. You agree that any claim or dispute you may have against Storm Advisor that is not subject to arbitration must be resolved by a court located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, or a United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, located in Miami, Florida, except as otherwise agreed by the parties. You agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of the courts located within Miami-Dade County, Florida or the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida located in Miami, Florida, for the purpose of litigating all such claims or disputes that are not subject to arbitration. You hereby waive any and all jurisdictional and venue defenses otherwise available.
YOUR USE OF THE PLATFORM, PRO SERVICES, OR COLLECTIVE CONTENT SHALL BE SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT STORM ADVISOR DOES NOT HAVE AN OBLIGATION, BUT RESERVES THE RIGHT FOR ANY REASON, TO (A) MONITOR OR REVIEW USER CONTENT; OR (B) FOR ANY PERMISSIBLE PURPOSE, CONDUCT IDENTITY VERIFICATION, BACKGROUND (INCLUDING CRIMINAL BACKGROUND) OR REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER CHECKS ON ANY MEMBER, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO SERVICE MEMBERS AND CUSTOMER MEMBERS. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS,” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, STORM ADVISOR AND ITS AFFILIATES AND SUBSIDIARIES, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS EXPLICITLY DISCLAIM ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, QUIET ENJOYMENT OR NON-INFRINGEMENT; ANY WARRANTIES ARISING OUT OF COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF OR IN TRADE; ANY WARRANTIES, REPRESENTATIONS, OR GUARANTEES IN CONNECTION WITH THIS PLATFORM OR THE PRO SERVICES OFFERED ON OR THROUGH THIS PLATFORM; AND ANY WARRANTIES RELATING TO THE QUALITY, SUITABILITY, TRUTH, ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF ANY INFORMATION OR MATERIAL CONTAINED OR PRESENTED ON THE PLATFORM, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ALL COLLECTIVE CONTENT. STORM ADVISOR MAKES NO WARRANTY THAT THE PLATFORM OR PRO SERVICES WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS OR BE AVAILABLE ON AN UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE BASIS. STORM ADVISOR ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY, AND SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES TO YOUR COMPUTER EQUIPMENT OR OTHER PROPERTY ON ACCOUNT OF YOUR ACCESS TO OR USE OF THE PLATFORM. STORM ADVISOR SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DEFAMATORY, OFFENSIVE, OR ILLEGAL CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY, OR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE OF ANY KIND INCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE USE OF ANY DATA, INFORMATION, MATERIALS, SUBSTANCE, OR COLLECTIVE CONTENT POSTED, TRANSMITTED, OR MADE AVAILABLE VIA THE PLATFORM. NO ADVICE OR INFORMATION, WHETHER ORAL OR WRITTEN, OBTAINED FROM STORM ADVISOR OR THROUGH THE PLATFORM, WILL CREATE ANY WARRANTY NOT EXPRESSLY MADE HEREIN.
YOU ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF YOUR COMMUNICATIONS AND INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER USERS OR MEMBERS OF THE PLATFORM AND WITH OTHER PERSONS WITH WHOM YOU COMMUNICATE OR INTERACT AS A RESULT OF YOUR USE OF THE PLATFORM, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY CUSTOMER MEMBERS, SERVICE MEMBERS OR SERVICE RECIPIENTS. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT STORM ADVISOR DOES NOT MAKE ANY ATTEMPT TO VERIFY THE STATEMENTS OF USERS OF THE PLATFORM OR TO REVIEW OR VET ANY PRO SERVICES. STORM ADVISOR MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES AS TO THE CONDUCT OF USERS OF THE PLATFORM OR THEIR COMPATIBILITY WITH ANY CURRENT OR FUTURE USERS OF THE PLATFORM. YOU AGREE TO TAKE REASONABLE PRECAUTIONS IN ALL COMMUNICATIONS AND INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER USERS OF THE PLATFORM AND WITH OTHER PERSONS WITH WHOM YOU COMMUNICATE OR INTERACT AS A RESULT OF YOUR USE OF THE PLATFORM, PARTICULARLY IF YOU DECIDE TO MEET OFFLINE OR IN PERSON AND GIVE OR RECEIVE PRO SERVICES. STORM ADVISOR EXPLICITLY DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY FOR ANY ACT OR OMISSION OF ANY USERS OR THIRD PARTIES.
YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE ENTIRE RISK ARISING OUT OF YOUR ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE PLATFORM AND COLLECTIVE CONTENT, YOUR OFFERING OR PROVIDING PRO SERVICES OR REQUESTING OR RECEIVING PRO SERVICES THROUGH THE PLATFORM, AND ANY CONTACT YOU HAVE WITH OTHER USERS OF STORM ADVISOR OR THIRD PARTIES, WHETHER IN PERSON OR ONLINE, REMAINS WITH YOU. NEITHER STORM ADVISOR NOR ANY OTHER PARTY INVOLVED IN CREATING, PRODUCING, OR DELIVERING THE PLATFORM WILL BE LIABLE (WHETHER BASED ON WARRANTY, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), PRODUCT LIABILITY OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, AND WHETHER OR NOT STORM ADVISOR HAS BEEN INFORMED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE, EVEN IF A LIMITED REMEDY SET FORTH HEREIN IS FOUND TO HAVE FAILED OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE) FOR: (A) ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, LOSS OF DATA OR LOSS OF GOODWILL; (B) SERVICE INTERRUPTION, COMPUTER DAMAGE OR SYSTEM FAILURE; (C) THE COST OF SUBSTITUTE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES; (D) ANY DAMAGES FOR PERSONAL OR BODILY INJURY OR EMOTIONAL DISTRESS ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THESE TERMS; (E) THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE PLATFORM, PRO SERVICES OR COLLECTIVE CONTENT; (F) ANY COMMUNICATIONS, INTERACTIONS OR MEETINGS WITH OTHER USERS OF THE PLATFORM OR OTHER PERSONS WITH WHOM YOU COMMUNICATE OR INTERACT AS A RESULT OF YOUR USE OF THE PLATFORM; OR (G) YOUR OFFERING OR PROVIDING PRO SERVICES OR REQUESTING OR RECEIVING PRO SERVICES THROUGH THE PLATFORM.
IN NO EVENT SHALL THE TOTAL, AGGREGATE LIABILITY OF STORM ADVISOR AND ITS AFFILIATES AND SUBSIDIARIES, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS, ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO THE TERMS, PLATFORM, PRO SERVICES, AND/OR COLLECTIVE CONTENT, OR FROM THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE PLATFORM OR COLLECTIVE CONTENT OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY PRO SERVICES OR INTERACTIONS WITH ANY OTHER USERS EXCEED THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FEES ACTUALLY PAID TO STORM ADVISOR BY YOU HEREUNDER, OR ONE HUNDRED US DOLLARS IF NO SUCH PAYMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE, AS APPLICABLE. THE LIMITATION OF LIABILITY DESCRIBED ABOVE SHALL APPLY FULLY TO RESIDENTS OF NEW JERSEY.
You agree to release, defend, indemnify, and hold Storm Advisor and its affiliates and subsidiaries, and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents, harmless from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including without limitation reasonable legal and accounting fees, arising out of or in any way connected with (a) your violation of these Terms; (b) your User Content; (c) your interaction with any Member or user; and (d) the request or receipt or offer or provision of Pro Services by you, including but not limited to any injuries, losses, or damages (compensatory, direct, incidental, consequential or otherwise) of any kind arising in connection with such Pro Services.
Notwithstanding the foregoing paragraph, if you are a resident of New Jersey, you only agree to release, defend, indemnify, and hold Storm Advisor and its affiliates and subsidiaries, and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents, harmless from and against any third-party claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including without limitation reasonable legal and accounting fees, arising out of or in any way connected with your violation of these Terms.
If you are a California resident, you waive California Civil Code Section 1542, which provides:
A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release, which if known by him or her must have materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor.
If you are not a California resident, you waive your rights under any statute or common law principle similar to Section 1542 that governs your rights in the jurisdiction of your residence.
Force Majeure: Other than payment obligations, neither Storm Advisor nor you shall be liable to the other for any delay or failure in performance under the Terms arising out of a cause beyond its control and without its fault or negligence. Such causes may include but are not limited to fires, floods, earthquakes, strikes, unavailability of necessary utilities, blackouts, acts of God, acts of declared or undeclared war, acts of regulatory agencies, or national disasters.
No Third-Party Beneficiaries: You agree that, except as otherwise expressly provided in these Terms, there shall be no third-party beneficiaries to these Terms.
Contacting You and E-SIGN Consent: You agree that Storm Advisor may provide you with notices, including those regarding changes to the Terms, by email, regular mail, or postings on the Platform. With your consent, Storm Advisor, Customer Members, Service Members, or other individuals may also contact you by telephone or through text messages. If you have agreed to receive text messages or telephone calls from Storm Advisor, Customer Members, Service Members, or other individuals you also consent to the use of an electronic record to document your agreement. You may withdraw your consent to the use of the electronic record by sending an email to support@stormadvisor.com with “Revoke Electronic Consent” in the subject line. To view and retain a copy of this disclosure or any information regarding your enrollment in this program, you will need (a) a device (such as a computer or mobile phone) with a web browser and Internet access; and (b) either a printer or storage space on such device. For a free paper copy, or to update our records of your contact information, send an email to support@stormadvisor.com with contact information and the address for delivery.
Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any other legal notices or additional terms and conditions or policies published by Storm Advisor on the Platform, shall constitute the entire agreement between you and Storm Advisor concerning the Platform or Pro Services obtained through the Platform. Except as explicitly stated herein, if any provision of the Terms is deemed invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of the Terms, which shall remain in full force and effect.
Waiver: No waiver of any provision of these Terms shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or any other term, and Storm Advisor’s failure to assert any right or provision under these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.
Statute of Limitations: You agree that regardless of any statute or law to the contrary, any claim arising out of or related to the Platform or the Pro Services offered therein must commence within one (1) year after the cause of action accrues. Otherwise, such cause of action is permanently barred. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this statute of limitations shall not apply to residents of New Jersey.
Section Headings: The section headings in these Terms are for convenience only and have no legal or contractual effect. Contact Information: If you have any questions about these Terms or the Platform, please contact us by sending an email to support@stormadvisor.com, or by writing to Storm Advisor, Inc., 1717 N Bayshore Drive, #A-3748, Miami Florida, 33132.