Pothole

Version 0.0.1 · Effective 2026-05-03

Governed by the laws of England and Wales.

Draft for solicitor review — not legal advice. Contact support@pothole.fit with questions.

Terms of Service

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern access to and use of Pothole’s websites, mobile applications, and related services (together, the “Services”). By creating an account or using the Services, you agree to these Terms.

Pothole Fit Ltd operates the Services (“Pothole”, “we”, “us”). Replace this placeholder with your exact legal entity name and registration details after solicitor review.

If you do not agree, do not use the Services.

1. Nature of the Services

Pothole provides an online marketplace that lets users (“Users”) report neighbourhood cleanliness issues, pool funds (“Bounties”) toward those issues, and offer proof of work so that pooled funds may be released to another User who completes the work (a “Fixer”). Users who create or fund Bounties are “Reporters” or “Contributors” as the context requires.

Pothole is not a waste carrier, local authority, employer, recruitment agency, insurer, or guarantor of any task outcome. We provide software, payment facilitation through third parties (including Stripe), and limited moderation tools.

2. Eligibility and accounts

You must be at least 18 and capable of entering a binding contract. You must provide accurate registration information and keep it up to date.

You are responsible for safeguarding your credentials and for activity under your account. Notify us promptly at support@pothole.fit if you suspect unauthorised access.

We may suspend or terminate accounts that breach these Terms or pose risk to other Users or the Services.

3. Stripe, payments, and Connect

All card payments are processed by Stripe. Pothole uses Stripe Connect so Fixers can receive payouts to a Stripe Express connected account.

By paying into a Bounty, boosting a pool, or onboarding as a Fixer, you agree to Stripe’s terms and policies where they apply to you. Stripe’s legal documents are available at https://stripe.com/gb/legal.

Fixers must complete Stripe’s hosted onboarding and maintain a connected account in good standing to receive payouts. Pothole does not store your full bank credentials; Stripe collects and verifies that information.

Pothole may deduct platform fees, taxes where we are required to collect them, and third-party payment costs as shown in the app or at checkout before or at the time payment is authorised or captured. Fee schedules may change; we will give reasonable notice where required by law.

You authorise Pothole (via Stripe) to authorise, capture, refund, and transfer funds according to the flows implemented in the Services (for example: pre-authorisation, capture when work is accepted, transfers to Fixers). Exact behaviour is defined in the product; if these Terms ever conflict with what you see at payment time, the in-app disclosure and Stripe’s records control for that transaction.

4. Bounties are not employment

Nothing in these Terms creates an employment, partnership, joint venture, or agency relationship between Pothole and any User, or between a Reporter and a Fixer. Fixers are independent. Reporters and Fixers are responsible for their own tax, National Insurance, and regulatory filings, and for determining whether any licence, registration, or insurance is required for work they perform.

5. Acceptable use

You agree that you will not:

  • use the Services for anything unlawful, unsafe, or fraudulent;
  • use the Services to arrange work on private property without permission, or to encourage trespass;
  • submit false locations, photos, or descriptions;
  • harass, threaten, or discriminate against other Users;
  • circumvent payments or fees (for example by transacting off-platform to avoid fees);
  • attempt to reverse engineer, scrape, or overload the Services;
  • upload malware or interfere with security.

We may remove content, withhold payouts where lawful, and cooperate with law enforcement.

6. Content you provide (photos, location, text)

You grant Pothole a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to host, store, reproduce, display, and distribute User content to operate, secure, and promote the Services, including sharing it with subprocessors (such as Firebase and Stripe) as described in our Privacy Policy.

You represent that you have the rights needed to grant that licence. Do not upload images of people who have not consented where that would breach applicable law.

Location and device data may be collected to verify submissions as described in the Privacy Policy.

7. Tasks, claims, verification, disputes

Features such as claims, proof-of-work uploads, reporter review, timeouts, and automatic release are as implemented in the app. You agree to cooperate with reasonable verification steps (including in-app camera flows and location checks).

If you disagree with a payout or task outcome, contact us at support@pothole.fit with details. Chargebacks, refunds, and payment disputes may be handled by Stripe, card networks, and Pothole according to law, network rules, and our operational policies. Pothole may reverse, offset, withhold, or claw back funds where permitted when fraud, error, or chargebacks occur.

8. Risk, safety, and insurance

Cleanup and outdoor work carry inherent risks. You are solely responsible for assessing whether a task is safe and lawful for you, for using appropriate personal protective equipment, and for complying with health and safety law.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Pothole does not warrant that any task site is safe or that any Fixer is qualified. Review our Community & safety page and use common sense. Obtain insurance if you need coverage; Pothole does not provide liability insurance for Users.

9. Limitation of liability

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot be excluded or limited under the law of England and Wales (including for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or other liabilities that cannot be limited).

Subject to the preceding paragraph:

  • the Services are provided “as is” and “as available”;
  • Pothole is not liable for indirect or consequential loss, loss of profits, goodwill, or data; and
  • Pothole’s total aggregate liability arising out of or relating to the Services or these Terms is limited to the greater of (a) £100 or (b) the platform fees you paid to Pothole in the 12 months before the event giving rise to liability (excluding pass-through amounts destined for other Users).

These limits reflect the allocation of risk between us and the fact that many amounts are held or transmitted for the benefit of third parties via Stripe.

10. Indemnity

You will indemnify and hold harmless Pothole and its directors, officers, and employees from claims, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of: (a) your breach of these Terms; (b) your User content; or (c) your performance of or instructions relating to physical tasks, except where caused by Pothole’s negligence or wilful misconduct.

11. Changes

We may update these Terms by posting a new version and updating the effective date. Where required by law, we will notify you (for example by email or in-app notice). Continued use after the effective date may constitute acceptance.

Archived versions remain available at versioned URLs (for example under /legal/terms/v/…).

12. Governing law and courts

These Terms are governed by the law of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction, except that consumers may also have rights to sue in their home courts where mandatory law requires.

13. Regulatory complaints and contact

If you are unhappy with how we handle personal data, you may lodge a complaint with the ICO (https://ico.org.uk). For contractual matters, email support@pothole.fit.