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Plain-English summary
Lingoda allows itself to delete your user account if you breach terms, transfer the account, or violate usage restrictions. If Lingoda or a teacher excludes you from a lesson, your credits will be used up without a refund. Similarly, if you arrive more than 10 minutes late for a class, the teacher can close it, and your credits will not be refunded (risk_flags-3). Lingoda is not obligated to maintain a log of your user account or any data you store (data_use-1). Credits purchased are non-refundable in money (cancellation_renewal-1). Monthly subscriptions automatically renew every four weeks unless explicitly terminated by you or Lingoda (cancellation_renewal-2). Free trial periods will automatically convert to paid monthly subscriptions if not canceled within the trial period (cancellation_renewal-3). Your subscription may be canceled or terminated if your credit card expires, is canceled, lost, invalidated, or if it fails to recharge or renew (cancellation_renewal-4). Lingoda's liability for damages due to slight negligence is limited to a foreseeable amount (gotchas-1). You are solely responsible for procuring and covering the cost of third-party video conferencing software needed for the courses (gotchas-2). Lingoda can increase its fees or prices up to once per calendar year to account for rising costs (gotchas-3). You must indemnify Lingoda for damages resulting from your negligent or intentional breaches of the GTC (gotchas-4).
90% confidence
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Follow up on findings with grounded answers from this review. Not legal advice.
Risks to You
1 finding
Potential high-severity risks that are material, difficult to reverse, and could lead to significant harm.
high95% confidence
Late arrival to class leads to loss of credits without refund.
If you are more than 10 minutes late for a class, the language teacher can close the course or deny access, and your credits for that class will be used up and not refunded.
Why it matters: Arriving more than 10 minutes late for a class can result in the class being closed or access denied, and your credits for that class will be lost without a refund.
If you arrive more than 10 minutes late for a class, the language teacher is entitled to close the course and not conduct it anymore or deny access. In this case, the respective credits will be used up and will not be refunded.
User Account, Conclusion of Contract, Contract Languages, paragraph 27 · Citation strength: strong
Data Use and Sharing
1 finding
How the service collects, uses, shares, and protects your data.
medium95% confidence
Lingoda is not obligated to keep a log of your user account or stored data.
Lingoda is not required to maintain a log of your user account or any data or information you may have stored through the user account and/or the Services.
Why it matters: Lingoda is not obligated to retain records of your user account or data, which means your stored information might not be permanently archived by the service.
Lingoda is not obligated to keep a log of your user account or any data or information you may have stored through the user account and/or the Services.
User Account, Conclusion of Contract, Contract Languages, paragraph 16 · Citation strength: strong
Cancellation and Renewal
4 findings
Conditions and procedures for canceling the service, as well as terms for automatic renewals.
high95% confidence
Purchased credits are not refundable in money.
Purchased credits are explicitly stated as not being refundable in money.
Why it matters: If you purchase credits, you cannot get your money back, as they are non-refundable.
Purchased credits are not refundable in money.
User Account, Conclusion of Contract, Contract Languages, paragraph 21 · Citation strength: strong
medium95% confidence
Monthly subscriptions automatically renew.
If you order a monthly subscription to an online language course, the contract is concluded for four weeks and is automatically extended each time for another four weeks unless terminated.
Why it matters: Your monthly subscription will automatically renew every four weeks unless you actively terminate it, meaning you could be charged continuously if you forget to cancel.
If you order a monthly subscription to an online language course, the contract is concluded for four weeks and is automatically extended each time for another four weeks, unless you or Lingoda terminate the contract before the end of the ongoing subscription period.
Specific cancellation policy for free trial period conversion to paid subscription.
If you have a free trial period and do not cancel it within that period, it will automatically convert to a paid monthly subscription.
Why it matters: If you don't cancel your free trial period in time, it will automatically transition into a paid monthly subscription, leading to charges.
If you do not cancel the free trial period within this period, the free trial period will be converted into a paid monthly subscription in accordance with para. 2 of this section 7.
Your subscription may be cancelled if your credit card expires, is cancelled, lost, or invalidated, and it will be terminated if the card is not successfully recharged or the subscription not renewed.
Why it matters: Your subscription may be cancelled if your credit card fails for any reason, or if it isn't successfully recharged or renewed, potentially disrupting your service.
Your subscription may be cancelled after enrolment in the event that your credit card expires, is cancelled, lost or invalidated. Lingoda will then contact you and you will be given the opportunity to change your registration details. Your subscription will be terminated in the event that your credit card is not successfully recharged or your subscription is not successfully renewed.
Fees and Payments for Online Language Courses, paragraph 7 · Citation strength: strong
Gotchas
4 findings
Potentially overlooked clauses that could be unfavorable or unexpected.
medium95% confidence
Limitation of liability for slight negligence.
Lingoda's liability for damages resulting from slightly negligent breach of material obligations is limited to the amount typically foreseeable at the time of contract conclusion.
Why it matters: Lingoda's liability for certain damages caused by its slight negligence is limited to a foreseeable amount, meaning you might not recover full damages in some cases.
Lingoda's liability is limited to the amount of damages typically foreseeable at the time of the conclusion of this contract for the slightly negligent breach of material obligations arising from the contractual relationship (i.e. such contractual obligations, the fulfilment of which is essential for the proper performance of the contract, the breach of which jeopardises the achievement of the purpose of the contract and the fulfilment of which you regularly rely on, so-called "cardinal obligations"). Lingoda is not liable for the slightly negligent breach of non-essential obligations arising from the contractual relationship.
You are responsible for third-party video conferencing software and costs.
To use online language courses, you must use third-party video conferencing software, and you are solely responsible for procuring it, including any required rights of use, at your own expense.
Why it matters: You are solely responsible for obtaining and paying for any third-party video conferencing software needed to use the online language courses, which means an additional cost and effort on your part.
To use online language courses, it is necessary for you to use third-party video conferencing software. This is specified in the technical equipment requirements, as amended from time to time, on our Website. You are solely responsible for procuring the respective video conferencing software, including any required rights of use, at your own expense.
User Account, Conclusion of Contract, Contract Languages, paragraph 22 · Citation strength: strong
medium95% confidence
Lingoda reserves the right to change fees/prices.
Lingoda reserves the right to change fees/prices no more than once per calendar year to reflect increases in cost elements, such as language teacher costs or technical provision.
Why it matters: Lingoda can increase its fees or prices once a year to cover rising costs, meaning the price you pay for services could go up.
Lingoda reserves the right to change the fees/prices in effect no more than once per calendar year in order to reflect increases in certain cost elements and any resulting increase in the total costs associated with Lingoda’s Services. Possible cost elements that affect Lingoda’s fees/prices are the costs of language teachers, costs of technical provision and distribution of service, costs of marketing, personnel, service providers and IT systems.
Fees and Payments for Online Language Courses, paragraph 3 · Citation strength: strong
low95% confidence
You agree to indemnify Lingoda for damages from your breaches.
You agree to indemnify Lingoda for any damages that result from your negligent or intentional breach of the GTC.
Why it matters: You are responsible for compensating Lingoda for any damages caused by your negligent or intentional violations of the terms and conditions.
You agree to indemnify Lingoda with respect to any and all damages resulting from your negligent or intentional breach of the GTC.