How we protect you

1. Your payment runs on Stripe

Payments on Fidato run on Stripe Connect. Your payment is processed by Stripe and kept in Fidato's Stripe account until each step is done; then it is released to the professional, or refunded to you.

The professional has their own Stripe account. Money moves to it only phase by phase, when the release rules below are met.

2. Released one phase at a time

Every service is split into phases, shown with their percentages before you pay. When a phase is done, the team uploads proof to your case page.

You confirm and the phase is released. If you do not answer, it is released automatically 7 days after the proof was uploaded.

3. Report a problem before release

If the proof is wrong or the work is not what was agreed, report it from your case page before the phase is released. The money for that phase stays on hold, and the other unreleased phases stay protected.

We review the evidence from both sides. The outcome can be release, a partial refund or a full refund of that phase.

4. Refunds

Money for phases that have not been released can be refunded, for example if the work cannot go ahead. Refunds go back to the card you paid with, through Stripe.

Released phases are paid to the professional. Your legal rights as a consumer, including the right of withdrawal, are explained in the Terms.

5. A clear price

You see the professional fee, VAT and the Fidato Care fee before you pay. The Care fee is fixed per case and does not change during it.

Government fees, stamp duties, taxes and notary fees are never included. They are charged at cost, with no mark-up, only after you approve them.

6. Who does the work

Services are delivered by an English-speaking tax and legal firm in Erba, on Lake Como, directly or by coordinating trusted partners.

Decisions by public offices (for example on a permit or a visa) are outside anyone's control and cannot be guaranteed. What is guaranteed is that you pay for work done, step by step.

7. Your data

Your documents are used only for your case. They are stored in the EU, in a private storage area, and are never sold. The team handling your case sees what it needs to do the work. You can ask us to delete your data, within the limits of what the law requires us to keep.