Service Provider Terms & Conditions

Delivery Obligation

Maximum Delivery Window

Service Providers must deliver the agreed work within a maximum of 2 working days (48 hours) from the moment the project is confirmed and payment is received. This window is non-negotiable and applies to all project categories unless a different deadline is explicitly stated in the client brief.

Late Delivery — No Payment Right

If a Service Provider fails to deliver the agreed work within the 2-working-day window, they forfeit all right to payment for that project. No partial payment, compensation, or claim may be made against Melon Grooves or the client in the event of late or non-delivery.

Quality Standard

Deliverables must meet the standard described in the client brief. Melon Grooves reserves the right to withhold escrow release if the delivered work materially fails to meet the brief requirements, pending review.

Platform Commission Fee

Commission Rate

Melon Grooves charges a fixed 25% platform fee on the total gross value of every project or order agreed upon through the platform.

Provider Net Payout

The Service Provider will receive 75% of the gross project amount upon successful completion and approval of the deliverable by the client.

No Negotiation of Commission

The 25% commission rate is fixed and non-negotiable. Providers may not attempt to adjust, circumvent, or offset this fee through any means, including off-platform arrangements.

Payout & Escrow Policy

Post-Completion Payment

Payments to Service Providers are disbursed strictly after full completion and final delivery of the requested service, subject to client approval and sign-off (status: Approved & Completed).

Disbursement Timeline

Net funds (75%) will be transferred to the provider's designated payout account within 3 to 5 business days following final approval.

No Advance Payments

Providers agree not to request or expect upfront payouts or milestone releases unless explicitly authorised in writing by Melon Grooves management. Any such request constitutes a breach of these Terms.

Strict Non-Bypassing & Direct Contact Prohibition

Anonymity & Platform Integrity

Service Providers are strictly prohibited from sharing, requesting, or exchanging direct contact details — including phone numbers, WhatsApp, personal email addresses, or social media handles — with Clients at any stage of the project.

Off-Platform Solicitation

Any attempt to solicit off-platform deals, conduct communication outside Melon Bridge, or process payments outside the platform's escrow system is a material breach of these Terms.

Penalty for Breach

Breach of this clause will result in: (a) immediate account suspension; (b) permanent removal from the Melon Bridge provider network; and (c) forfeiture of any pending payouts held in escrow at the time of the breach.

Intellectual Property & Deliverables

IP Transfer on Completion

All intellectual property rights, rights of usage, and copyrights of the final deliverable are transferred exclusively to the Client only after full payment is processed and the order is officially completed.

No Prior Use

Until the project is marked Completed and payment is released, the Service Provider may not publish, distribute, license, or otherwise use the deliverable for any purpose, including portfolio display, without written consent from Melon Grooves.

Originality Warranty

The Service Provider warrants that all deliverables are original work and do not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights. Any claim arising from IP infringement is the sole liability of the Service Provider.

Prohibited Content

Service Providers must not submit deliverables that contain plagiarised material, unlicensed third-party samples or recordings, AI-generated content presented as original human work without prior written disclosure to Melon Grooves, defamatory, obscene, or illegal content, or any material that violates applicable copyright, trademark, or moral rights laws. Submission of prohibited content constitutes an immediate material breach and forfeits all right to payment.

Confidentiality

Confidential Information

All information disclosed to the Service Provider through the Melon Bridge platform — including but not limited to client briefs, project details, unreleased music, artist identity, business plans, and any other non-public information — is strictly confidential ("Confidential Information").

Non-Disclosure Obligation

Service Providers must not disclose, share, reproduce, or use any Confidential Information for any purpose other than fulfilling the specific project for which it was shared. This obligation survives the termination or completion of any project and remains in force indefinitely.

Breach Consequences

Any unauthorised disclosure of Confidential Information constitutes a material breach of these Terms and may result in immediate account suspension, forfeiture of pending payouts, and Melon Grooves reserving the right to pursue legal remedies including injunctive relief and damages.

Dispute Resolution & Revision Policy

Included Revisions

Unless otherwise stated in the client brief, each project includes a maximum of two (2) rounds of revisions within the scope of the original brief. Revisions that materially change the original brief scope are not covered and must be agreed separately.

Client Dispute Window

Clients must raise any quality dispute within 48 hours of delivery. If no dispute is raised within this window, the project is deemed accepted and escrow will be released to the Service Provider.

Melon Grooves as Final Arbiter

In the event of a dispute between a Client and a Service Provider regarding deliverable quality or scope, Melon Grooves has sole and final discretion to determine whether the deliverable meets the brief requirements, whether escrow should be released or refunded, and whether a revision is warranted. The decision of Melon Grooves is final and binding on both parties.

Deemed Completion

If a Client fails to respond to a delivered project within 48 hours of delivery notification, Melon Grooves reserves the right to mark the project as Completed and release escrow to the Service Provider without further client approval.

Termination & Suspension Rights

Melon Grooves Right to Terminate

Melon Grooves reserves the right to suspend or permanently terminate a Service Provider's access to the Melon Bridge platform at any time, with or without cause, including but not limited to: repeated quality complaints, failure to meet delivery obligations, breach of any clause in these Terms, conduct deemed harmful to the platform's reputation, or prolonged inactivity.

Effect of Termination

Upon termination, the Service Provider's access to all active and future projects will be revoked immediately. Any pending payouts for projects already completed and approved will be disbursed in accordance with the standard timeline. Payouts for projects in dispute at the time of termination are subject to Melon Grooves' sole discretion.

No Compensation on Termination

Melon Grooves shall not be liable to pay any compensation, damages, or loss of earnings to a Service Provider whose access is terminated, regardless of the reason for termination.

Limitation of Liability

Mandatory Exceptions

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for: (a) death or personal injury caused by negligence; (b) fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or (c) any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under English law. All exclusions and limitations below apply only to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

Platform Liability Cap

Subject to the mandatory exceptions above, Melon Grooves' total aggregate liability to any Service Provider — whether in contract, tort, negligence, or otherwise — shall not exceed the net value of the specific project in dispute (i.e. the 75% provider share of that project's gross value).

No Consequential Damages

Subject to the mandatory exceptions above, Melon Grooves shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, loss of revenue, loss of data, loss of business opportunity, or reputational harm, even if Melon Grooves has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Platform Availability

Melon Grooves does not warrant uninterrupted or error-free operation of the platform. Temporary unavailability due to maintenance, technical issues, or circumstances beyond our control does not constitute a breach of these Terms and carries no liability.

Governing Law & Jurisdiction

Applicable Law

These Terms and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them — including non-contractual disputes or claims — shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Exclusive Jurisdiction

The parties irrevocably agree that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms or their subject matter or formation.

Language

These Terms are drafted in English. In the event of any translation, the English version shall prevail.

General Provisions

Independent Contractor

Service Providers are independent contractors and not employees, workers, agents, or partners of Melon Grooves. Nothing in these Terms creates any employment, agency, partnership, or joint venture relationship between the parties. Service Providers are solely responsible for their own tax obligations, National Insurance contributions, and compliance with applicable employment and tax law.

Data Protection

By registering as a Service Provider, you agree to the collection and processing of your personal data (including name, email address, and payout details) in accordance with our Privacy Policy and in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Your data is processed solely for the purposes of operating the Melon Bridge platform and administering payments.

Entire Agreement

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between Melon Grooves and the Service Provider with respect to the subject matter herein and supersede all prior agreements, representations, and understandings.

Amendments

Melon Grooves reserves the right to amend these Terms at any time. We will provide at least 14 days' notice of any material changes by posting updated Terms at this URL with a revised effective date. Continued participation in the Melon Bridge platform after the effective date of any amendment constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

Waiver

Failure by Melon Grooves to enforce any provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of its right to enforce that provision in the future.