Terms of Service

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the bookkeeping, payroll, tax preparation, and advisory services ("Services") provided by Fluent Books ("we," "us," or "our"). By engaging our Services, you ("Client" or "you") agree to these Terms.

1. Services

Fluent Books provides remote bookkeeping, payroll processing, tax preparation, bookkeeping cleanup, cloud accounting setup, and fractional CFO advisory services as described in your individual service proposal. The specific scope, deliverables, and pricing for your engagement are outlined in your signed service agreement or proposal, which forms part of these Terms.

2. Client responsibilities

To enable us to deliver our Services effectively, you agree to:

• Provide timely access to bank feeds, receipts, invoices, and other financial documents as requested.
• Review and respond to our queries within a reasonable timeframe (typically 3 business days).
• Ensure the accuracy and completeness of information you provide to us.
• Maintain valid licences for any software accounts (e.g., QuickBooks Online) required for service delivery.
• Notify us promptly of any changes to your business structure, banking, or contact information.

3. Fees and payment

Fees for our Services are set out in your service proposal. Unless otherwise agreed:

• Monthly service fees are billed on the 1st of each month and due within 14 days.
• One-time services (cleanup, setup) are billed upon completion or according to the payment schedule in your proposal.
• We accept payment by electronic funds transfer (EFT), credit card, or pre-authorised debit.
• Late payments may be subject to a late fee of 1.5% per month on the outstanding balance.
• We reserve the right to suspend Services if payment is more than 30 days overdue.

4. Term and termination

Our Services are provided on a month-to-month basis unless otherwise specified in your service agreement. Either party may terminate the agreement with 30 days written notice. Upon termination:

• We will complete any work in progress for the current billing period.
• We will provide you with copies of all your financial records, working papers, and access credentials.
• Any outstanding fees become due immediately.
• We will retain copies of your financial records for seven (7) years as required by CRA regulations.

5. Confidentiality

We treat all client information as strictly confidential. We will not disclose your financial or personal information to any third party except as required to deliver our Services (e.g., filing with CRA), as authorised by you, or as required by law. This obligation survives termination of our engagement.

6. Limitation of liability

Fluent Books provides bookkeeping and related services with reasonable care and professional skill. However:

• We are not a licensed accounting firm and do not provide audit or assurance services.
• Our Services are based on information you provide. We are not responsible for errors arising from incomplete or inaccurate information supplied by you.
• Our total liability for any claim arising from our Services is limited to the fees paid by you for the specific service giving rise to the claim in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.
• We are not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including lost profits or business opportunities.

7. Professional standards

Our bookkeepers hold professional designations (CPB Canada) and adhere to the standards set by the Canadian Institute of Bookkeeping. We maintain professional liability insurance and follow industry best practices for data handling and financial record-keeping.

8. Intellectual property

All financial reports, templates, dashboards, and processes we create as part of our Services are delivered to you for your use. You retain ownership of your financial data at all times. Any proprietary tools, methodologies, or software we use remain our intellectual property.

9. Dispute resolution

In the event of a dispute arising from these Terms or our Services, both parties agree to first attempt resolution through good-faith negotiation. If negotiation fails, the dispute will be resolved through mediation in British Columbia. These Terms are governed by the laws of the Province of British Columbia and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein.

10. Changes to these terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes at least 30 days before they take effect. Continued use of our Services after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

11. Contact

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us at:

Fluent Books
British Columbia, Canada
Email: [email protected]