1. Who We Are
The Beach Club ("we", "us", "the Club") is a membership community operated by Sophie Foote trading as The Happy Investor Ltd, based in Swanage, Dorset, United Kingdom. These Terms & Conditions ("Terms") govern your membership of the Club. By joining, you agree to be bound by them.
2. What The Beach Club Is
The Beach Club connects independent experts and business owners across different specialisms, so members can refer clients to one another and build relationships within a trusted community. It is a networking and community membership. It is not a regulated professional body, and we do not vet, endorse, verify the qualifications of, or accept liability for the services provided by any member to another member or to a third party.
3. Eligibility & Joining
Membership is open to any individual or business who completes the sign-up process and pays the applicable fee. There is no application, interview, or approval process: anyone who pays is admitted as a member. We reserve the right to decline or remove membership at our discretion in line with Section 8 (Conduct) and Section 9 (Ending Membership by Us).
4. Membership Fees & Billing
Membership is a 12-month commitment. You can pay monthly across the 12 months, or annually in a single payment for the year, as selected at sign-up.
Fees are charged in advance, by recurring card payment, on the date you joined (monthly) or as a single payment for the year (annual).
We may change membership fees from time to time. A price change will not affect your current 12-month term; we will give at least 30 days' notice of any new price before it applies to a renewal.
You are responsible for keeping your payment details up to date. If a payment fails, we may suspend your access until payment is resolved. A suspension does not end your 12-month commitment or the fees due for the remainder of the term.
5. Cancellations & Refunds
Membership is a 12-month commitment and cannot be cancelled part-way through the term.
Monthly members: your monthly payments continue for the full 12 months, whether or not you use the membership during that time.
Annual members: your payment covers the full 12-month term, and no refund is given for any unused part of the year.
At the end of your initial 12-month term, membership continues on the same basis (monthly or annual) unless you give us written notice (e.g. by email) before your renewal date that you do not wish to renew.
All fees are non-refundable. Once a payment has been taken, no refund will be given for that period, whether in full or in part, and regardless of how much of the membership you have used, except where required by law.
This reflects the fact that membership grants immediate access to community benefits, content, and networking opportunities from the point of payment.
6. Statutory Cooling-Off Rights (UK Consumers)
If you are a consumer joining from within the UK, you ordinarily have a 14-day right to cancel a distance contract under the Consumer Contracts Regulations. By purchasing membership and confirming you want access to begin immediately, you acknowledge that you are asking us to start providing the service straight away and that, once you have accessed any member benefit within that 14-day period, your right to a refund for that period is lost, in accordance with Section 5 above.
7. Member Benefits
Benefits available to members may include (but are not limited to) community access, member directory listing, cross-referral introductions, events, and content. We may add, change, or remove specific benefits from time to time to keep the Club relevant and useful; we will use reasonable efforts to notify members of material changes.
8. Member Conduct
To keep the Club valuable and safe for everyone, members agree to:
- Act professionally and honestly in all dealings with other members.
- Not use the Club to spam, mis-sell, or pressure other members.
- Take responsibility for the accuracy of their own professional claims, qualifications, and services offered to other members.
- Not share other members' contact details or content outside the Club without permission.
- Treat all members and Club staff with respect.
9. Ending Membership by Us
We may suspend or terminate your membership, without refund, if you breach these Terms, behave in a way that harms the Club or its members, or if payment fails and is not resolved within a reasonable period. Where possible we will give you a warning and a chance to put things right first.
10. Referrals Between Members
Any introduction, referral, or work arrangement between members is a private matter between those members. We are not a party to, and accept no responsibility or liability for, any contract, transaction, dispute, or outcome arising between members, including in relation to quality of work, payment, confidentiality, or professional conduct.
11. Intellectual Property
All Club branding, materials, templates, and content we provide remain our property (or that of our licensors). Members may use them for their own personal reference within the Club but may not copy, resell, or redistribute them without our written permission.
12. Liability
We provide the Club on an "as available" basis and do not guarantee any particular business outcome, referral, or result from membership. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we exclude liability for indirect or consequential loss, and our total liability to you for any claim relating to your membership is limited to the fees you have paid us in the 12 months before the claim arose. Nothing in these Terms excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, or for fraud.
13. Data Protection
We process your personal data in accordance with UK data protection law and our Privacy Policy. By joining, you consent to your name and relevant professional details being visible to other members for the purposes of networking and referrals, as is core to how the Club operates.
14. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes to the Club or the law. We will notify members of material changes. Continued membership after changes take effect means you accept the updated Terms.
15. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
16. Contact
Questions about these Terms or your membership can be sent to [email protected]