Understanding Your Billing and Payments

Managing your UncleBTech billing is straightforward and transparent. This guide covers everything you need to know about payments, invoices, billing cycles, and account management.

Billing Basics

Billing Cycles

Monthly Billing: Charged on the same date each month
Annual Billing: Charged yearly with 2 months free (equivalent to 10 months pricing)
Pro-rated Charges: Upgrades and downgrades are calculated fairly based on usage

Payment Due Dates

Standard Terms: Payment due within 7 days of invoice date
Grace Period: 3-day grace period before service suspension
Late Fees: No late fees for the first 30 days overdue
Suspension: Services suspended after 10 days overdue (with advance notice)

Accepted Payment Methods

Credit and Debit Cards

Visa, Mastercard, American Express: All major cards accepted
Secure Processing: All payments processed through Stripe for maximum security
Auto-Pay Available: Set up automatic payments to avoid missed due dates
International Cards: We accept cards from most countries worldwide

Alternative Payment Methods

Bank Transfer: Available for UK customers (BACS payments)
PayPal: Available for certain services and regions
Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin and Ethereum accepted for annual plans
Invoice Payment: Net 30 terms available for established business customers

Payment Security: We never store your full credit card details. All payment processing is handled by Stripe, which is PCI DSS Level 1 compliant.

Understanding Your Invoices

Invoice Components

Service Charges

Base hosting plan cost
Domain registration/renewal fees
Email hosting charges (£1 per mailbox)
Add-on services (Care Plans, extra storage, etc.)

Taxes and Fees

UK VAT: 20% VAT applied to UK customers
EU VAT: Appropriate VAT rates for EU customers
Setup Fees: Clearly itemized when applicable (most services have no setup fees)

Invoice Timeline

Generated: 7 days before service renewal
Emailed: Sent to your account email address
Due Date: 7 days from invoice date
Reminders: Sent 3 days and 1 day before due date

Managing Payment Methods

Adding a New Payment Method

Log into your client portal at https://my.uncleb.tech
Navigate to "Billing" → "Payment Methods"
Click "Add Payment Method"
Enter your card details securely
Set as default payment method if desired

Updating Existing Cards

Go to "Billing" → "Payment Methods"
Click "Edit" next to the card you want to update
Update expiration date or billing address
Save changes

Setting Up Auto-Pay

Ensure you have a valid payment method on file
Go to "Billing" → "Auto-Pay Settings"
Enable auto-pay for the services you want
Choose how many days before due date to charge
Save your preferences

Auto-Pay Recommendation: Enable auto-pay to ensure uninterrupted service and take advantage of any auto-pay discounts we offer.

Billing Transparency

No Hidden Fees

Setup Fees: Clearly disclosed upfront (most services are free setup)
Cancellation Fees: No fees for cancelling services with proper notice
Data Transfer Fees: No charges for reasonable data migration
Support Fees: No charges for standard technical support

Clear Resource Pricing

Unlike many hosts, we don't use confusing "visits per month" pricing:

Bandwidth: Clearly defined monthly allowances
Storage: Exact GB allocations, not "unlimited"
CPU/RAM: Transparent resource allocation on Cloud and LaunchStack plans
Email: Simple per-mailbox pricing with clear storage limits

Refunds and Credits

Refund Policy

Hosting Services:

30-day money-back guarantee for new customers
Prorated refunds for downgrades (credit applied to account)
No refunds for partial months unless service failure on our part

Domain Registrations:

Generally non-refundable due to registry policies
Refunds available for technical errors or duplicate registrations
Transfer fees refunded if transfer fails due to our error

Add-On Services:

Care Plans: Refundable with 30 days notice
Email hosting: Prorated refunds for cancellations
SSL certificates: Refundable if not yet issued

Service Credits

We provide service credits for:

Uptime SLA failures: Automatic credits for downtime beyond our guarantee
Service disruptions: Credits for extended outages or performance issues
Billing errors: Immediate credits for any billing mistakes

Account Management

Changing Your Plan

Upgrading:

Immediate access to new resources
Prorated billing for the remainder of current billing cycle
No downtime during upgrade process

Downgrading:

Takes effect at next billing cycle
Account credit issued for unused portion
Data migration assistance if storage limits require it

Account Suspension and Termination

Suspension Triggers:

Non-payment after 10-day grace period
Terms of service violations
Resource abuse affecting other customers
Security issues requiring immediate action

Reactivation Process:

Pay outstanding balance
Address any terms violations
Contact support for immediate reactivation
Usually restored within 2 hours of payment

Billing Support and Assistance

Common Billing Questions

"Why was I charged twice?"

Check if you have multiple services renewing
Look for upgrade charges vs. regular billing
Contact billing support for detailed explanation

"Can I change my billing date?"

Yes, we can adjust billing dates for your convenience
Contact support to coordinate the change
May involve prorated charges to align cycles

"How do I cancel a service?"

Submit cancellation request through client portal
Provide 30 days notice for most services
Services remain active until end of billing period

Billing Support Contact

Email: billing@unclebtech.com
Portal: Submit ticket under "Billing" department
Response Time: Billing queries answered within 4 hours

Enterprise and Agency Billing

Volume Discounts

5+ services: 5% discount on monthly charges
10+ services: 10% discount on monthly charges
25+ services: Custom pricing available

Agency Features

Consolidated Billing: Single invoice for all client services
White-Label Invoicing: Your branding on client-facing invoices
Reseller Pricing: Special rates for hosting resellers
Credit Terms: Net 30 payment terms for established agencies

Custom Billing Arrangements

Quarterly/Annual Billing: Custom billing cycles for large accounts
Purchase Orders: We can work with your procurement process
Multi-Currency: Billing in USD, EUR available for international clients
Custom Contracts: Tailored agreements for enterprise customers

Billing Best Practices

Stay on Top of Your Account

Monitor usage regularly to avoid overage charges
Keep payment methods current to prevent service interruptions
Review invoices promptly to catch any discrepancies early
Plan for renewals by setting calendar reminders

Cost Optimization Tips

Annual billing saves 2 months of costs
Bundle services for potential discounts
Right-size your plan - don't pay for unused resources
Monitor add-ons - cancel services you're not using

Billing Transparency Promise: Every charge on your invoice is clearly explained. If you ever have questions about a charge, we'll provide a detailed breakdown within 24 hours.

Tax and Compliance

VAT Handling

UK Customers: 20% VAT automatically applied
EU Customers: Appropriate VAT rates based on location
Business Customers: Provide VAT number for reverse charge where applicable
VAT Invoices: Full VAT invoices provided for business expense claims

Record Keeping

Invoice Archive: All invoices stored permanently in your portal
Payment History: Complete record of all payments and credits
Tax Reports: Annual summaries available for accounting purposes
Receipt Downloads: PDF receipts for all transactions

Questions about billing or payments? Our billing team is here to help at billing@unclebtech.com or through your client portal.