Legal

Specific Terms and Conditions

Last Updated: August 2026

Xneelo is a South African web hosting provider and trusted hosting partner. We provide hosting and related Services that enable our Customers to create, manage and transact online. These Services are provided subject to our Terms of Service and any applicable Specific Terms and Policies.

Table of Contents

1. Key Definitions
2. Undertakings and Acknowledgements
3. Hosting Services
4. Domain Name Registration
5. Reseller Terms
6. Your Use of Third Party Services
7. New and Developing Products
8. AI-Assisted Services

1. Key Definitions

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, words and expressions defined in our Terms of Service have the same meaning when used in these Specific Terms. For the purposes of these Specific Terms, the following words and expressions have the meanings set out below:

AI-Assisted Services: Are AI-enabled assistants, agents, tools, workflows, and automated systems that support xneelo’s Services, customer support, product guidance, and internal operations.
Administrator: The registry operator or other entity authorised to administer the relevant Domain Name space, including, where applicable, the ZA Registry Consortium (Pty) Ltd in respect of the .za Domain Name space, or any successor or replacement administrator.
Administrator Policies: The rules, policies, procedures and requirements published by the relevant Administrator from time to time.
Beta Services: The beta, trial, test, preview or other pre-release versions or features of our existing or new Services.
Cloud Instance: A virtual machine or virtual Server that is provisioned in the cloud. It is one type of Cloud Resource you can create within your Cloud Project.
Cloud Project: A virtual container that groups a set of Cloud Resources together in a single workspace.
Cloud Resource: A virtual resource or infrastructure that you can provision within a Cloud Project.
Controller: The party that determines how and why Personal data is processed (similar to the Responsible Party under POPIA).
Domain Name: The specific address on the Internet that belongs to an entity such as a company, organisation, institution, or individual known as the Registrant.
Location: The data centres located in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Germany or any other location we specify.
Personal Information or Data: Any information that can identify you, directly or indirectly.
Processor: The party that processes Personal Data on behalf of the Controller (similar to Operator under POPIA).
Registrar: Xneelo or any other entity authorised or accredited by the relevant Registry, Administrator, ICANN or other applicable authority to provide Domain Name registration, renewal, transfer, update, deletion or related Domain Name Services to Registrants.
Registrant: The person or entity that applies to register or is recorded in the relevant Registry’s registration data as the holder of a Domain Name registration. For clarity, the Registrant may be different from the account owner or the person authorised to administer the Domain Name through the xneelo Control Panel.
Registry: The entity authorised to operate and maintain the authoritative Registry database for a particular top-level or second-level domain name space, including processing domain name registrations and maintaining the relevant zone file and registration data.
Server: The computer hardware, machinery, and equipment on which the software operates.
Services: The products, Services, features and functionality provided by xneelo under these specific terms, including any new, updated, limited release, beta or generally available offerings.
Software: The operating system and applications we provide to you.

2. Undertakings and Acknowledgements

We will use reasonable steps to provide the Services to you on a continual basis, for the duration of the Agreement, subject to these Specific Terms, our Terms of Service, Acceptable Use Policy, scheduled maintenance, service limitations and circumstances outside our reasonable control. Although we take appropriate and reasonable measures to ensure that the Services are available, reliable, and secure, we do not guarantee that the Services will always be uninterrupted, error-free, up to date, or compatible with your systems, software, or third-party applications.

The Services are rendered “as is” and “as available” and are used at your own discretion and risk.

We will process and protect personal information in accordance with applicable data protection laws, our Privacy Policy and, where applicable, our Data Processing Agreement. Where we host, store, or otherwise process personal information on your behalf, we will maintain reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect the integrity and confidentiality of that personal information.

3. Hosting Services

General Hosting Terms

3.1. General

Xneelo is a member of the Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA). We abide by and uphold the ISPA Code of Conduct.

We provide Servers, space on shared Servers, and hosting of customer Servers, together with web Services and email facilities for websites controlled by individuals or companies that do not have their own web Servers.

We will only be required to provide you with the Server type and configuration that is advertised at the time you decide to obtain the Service from us. If you are an existing customer and you wish to upgrade to a new Server, we may charge you an additional setup fee.

If we find that you have breached any of these Specific Terms, we may exercise any rights we may have available to us in law, including (without notice) the right to terminate access to any Services, or suspend or terminate any Services (which may include the deletion of your data).

3.2. Security

We will use all reasonable steps to verify the identity of your representative who wishes to access your Server at the Location. However, we will not be liable for any loss or damage you suffer because of a non-authorised person gaining access to your Server at the Location. You must notify us in writing of your representatives who are entitled to access your Server at the Location.

3.3. Content

We have no knowledge of, nor interest in, customer content hosted on your behalf by xneelo on a Server or a shared hosting package. We also do not in any way contribute to or approve the content.

Nothing that we do in the performance of our obligations under the Service will be seen as an assumption of responsibility or liability by us as a result of any content. In particular, the limitation of liability in our Terms of Service will apply specifically to any loss, destruction, or corruption of your data, irrespective of the cause, including our negligence, your failure to back it up, us deleting it after the Service is terminated, and any system error or failure, whether foreseen or unforeseen.

3.4. Usage

You are solely responsible for all bandwidth and traffic related to your hosting package. This includes regularly monitoring usage through xneelo’s Control Panel. You will be liable for any over-usage charges. Any traffic management and reporting tools we provide are intended solely to assist you in this process. This does not free you from responsibility or place any responsibility on us. If you decide to make use of any traffic management and reporting tools:

Not all information will be real-time, and there will always be a 1-day delay in furnishing information.
We will not be responsible for any traffic spikes, information or denial-of-service attacks, or any loss or damage you suffer because of the information not being provided in real time.
We are not required to provide you with further information on traffic usage beyond what is reported in the xneelo Control Panel.

We are not responsible for any licensing of any software you use.

3.5. Network Uptime Guarantee

We guarantee that our network will be available 99.9% of the time in any given month, excluding scheduled maintenance. This means you should not experience more than 43 minutes of network downtime in any month, measured from the first day of that month.

Network uptime includes the functioning of all network infrastructure, including routers, switches, firewalls, and cabling, but excludes Services or software running on your Server or hardware for Self-Managed Hosting Services.
Network downtime exists when a:
- Managed Hosting customer is unable to transmit and receive data to and from our Managed Service; or
- Self-Managed Hosting Customer is unable to ping the Server, as measured by our monitoring system.

3.6. Network Availability and Service Credits

If network uptime is less than 99.9% (in other words, downtime exceeds approximately 43 minutes in a given month), we will credit you 5% of the base monthly fee for every 30 minutes of downtime, up to 100% of your monthly fee for the affected hosting Service or Server.

Exclusions

You will not receive any credit should the problem be attributable to:

A degradation of the Service outside our control.
Scheduled or emergency maintenance.
A force majeure event.
A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) or comparable malicious-traffic attack, whether directed at your Services or at our network or infrastructure, to the extent the resulting downtime is beyond our reasonable control, notwithstanding our standard mitigation measures. Your negligent acts or omissions.
Browser or DNS caching.

For managed hosting, you will also not receive credit to the extent that downtime is attributable to:

Failure of access circuits to our network.
Domain Name Server issues outside our direct control.
DNS propagation.
Outages elsewhere on the Internet that hinder access to your hosting Services.

For Self-Managed Hosting, you will also not receive credit to the extent that downtime is attributable to:

Your request that we reinstall a version of the operating system software other than the latest available version;
You being unavailable, which results in us being unable to establish contact with you to resolve the problem; or
Your failure to follow the prescribed procedure timeously or at all.

For the avoidance of doubt, the exclusions above do not limit your right to credit for downtime caused by a failure of our own network, routers or internet links that was within our reasonable control.

3.7. Service Credit Claims Process

To request a credit, email us with the following:

Customer number and name as they appear on your invoice.
Date and time of network unavailability or issue.
Include the Server, domain, name, or identification code in the email subject line.

We must receive the request within 48 hours of the downtime. Only once we confirm network unavailability through our monitoring system will we give you the credits. We will issue the credits within two billing cycles, in accordance with our Refund Policy. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the total amount we credit to you in a given month will not exceed the total hosting fee you must pay for that month.

Managed Hosting

3.8. General

Where appropriate, we will maintain the software on our Managed Servers.

As part of providing a Managed Hosting Service, xneelo may make changes to the hosting environment and related service configurations where reasonably necessary to maintain, secure, support or improve the Services, or to protect the Customer’s Services, xneelo’s infrastructure, other customers or the Services generally.

Where reasonably practicable, xneelo will provide advance notice of any material changes. However, where immediate action is reasonably necessary to maintain the availability, integrity or security of the Services or xneelo’s infrastructure, xneelo may implement such changes without prior notice and will notify the Customer as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter. Customers remain responsible for ensuring that their websites, applications and software remain compatible with the software versions, configurations and platforms supported by xneelo from time to time.

Xneelo will not be responsible for your use of any software you may install (and for any vulnerabilities, including traffic generated as per clause 3.4 above, that may result from its use). You therefore use the software at your own risk.

3.9. Products

Web Hosting (Shared Server)

We will make a package available on a Server that is shared with other Customers.
The Server will (at all times) remain our property. We will set up the Server according to our standard Managed Hosting Server configuration at the Location on your behalf. We will not be responsible for the use of software you install (or for any vulnerabilities, including traffic generated, that may result from its use).
You use the software at your own risk.

Managed Servers (Dedicated Server)

We will make a Server available to you for your own exclusive use.
The Server will at all times remain xneelo’s property. We will set up and manage the Server at the Location on your behalf.
All Server log files remain xneelo’s property. If you ask us for a Server log file, we will provide a copy of the relevant log file.
You must not remove the Server from a Location.
We will manage the Server, including the hardware, software, and upgrades, at our sole discretion.
The responsibility for usage, as outlined in Clause 3.4 above, will also apply to these Services.
If the Server becomes the target or source of any denial-of-service attack, and xneelo believes there is no other possible solution at that time, we may disconnect the Server from the network.

3.10 Email Terms

General

We will provide the following email-related Services for Customers selecting shared or managed dedicated hosting only:

Filtering of unsolicited commercial email (SPAM): This is done on a best-effort basis, without any guarantees, using appropriate best-of-breed technologies (for example, SpamAssassin, which is the most widely used open source filtering software).
Virus filtering: This is done on a best-effort basis without any guarantees, using appropriate best-of-breed technologies (for example, Clam, a very popular open-source solution).
An SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) Server for sending outgoing mail.
A POP3 (Post Office Protocol) Server for the downloading of incoming mail.
IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) Server for reading mail.

Remote Support

We may offer limited remote support to assist you with specific email setup and configuration issues. This support is strictly limited to the email configuration process and does not extend to other software or system settings.

Data Privacy and Security
We will take all reasonable steps to protect your privacy and data security during remote support sessions. This includes, but is not limited to, using secure remote access protocols and limiting access to the necessary system components. We are committed to complying with all applicable data protection laws.
Consent
By requesting remote support, you consent to temporary access to your device solely for email configuration. This consent is limited to the specific session and will be revoked upon its completion.
Disclaimer of Liability
While we strive to provide secure and reliable remote support, we cannot guarantee complete security. You acknowledge and accept that there are inherent risks associated with remote access, and we shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from the remote support session. This includes, but is not limited to, any loss of data, interruption of service, or potential security vulnerabilities resulting from remote access, provided that we have adhered to the agreed-upon security measures and scope limitations.

We take appropriate and reasonable measures to keep your email environment secure and reliable. We are not responsible for any incompatibility between our Systems and any third-party application you choose to use.

Self-Managed Hosting

3.11. Self-Managed Server

General

We will make a Server available to you, preloaded with the latest version of an operating system, from a list of available options we provide. If you elect to have a Microsoft operating system installed that we provide, you are bound by the licensing terms & conditions of the relevant Microsoft Software with effect from when the Microsoft Software is first installed on the Server.
You will manage the operating system and all software on the Server. Xneelo will not, and has no obligation to, get involved in any aspect of managing the Server other than the hardware.
The allocated Server remains xneelo’s sole property.
If xneelo provides non-standard hardware, the cost will be passed directly onto you; the hardware, however, will remain our property. If you opt to bring an external drive or flash drive to the data centre to maintain database backups, these components will remain your property.
If your Server becomes the target or source of any denial-of-service attack, we reserve the right to disconnect the Server from the network if we find that no other solution is available at that stage.
We will not be responsible for your use of any software you may install (and for any vulnerabilities, including any traffic generated, that may result from its use). You use the software at your own risk.
The responsibility for usage, as outlined above, will also apply to these Services.
We are not responsible for the licensing of any software you use, except where you are leasing Microsoft software through xneelo.

Hardware Guarantee

We will repair or replace, at no cost to you, the following hardware components: network interface cards, patch cables, hard drives, central processing units (CPUs), fans whose failure causes a CPU to fail, memory, motherboards and power supplies (collectively, “Self-Managed Server Problems”).

If a repair or replacement requires us to install a new operating system, we will install the latest available version unless you request otherwise.

Support and Service Level Guarantee

This guarantee only applies to Self-Managed Hosting Customers. We will try to respond to and resolve all Self-Managed Server Problems that specifically relate to Server hardware within 90 minutes of you reporting the problem to us over the phone.
If we do not resolve the Self-Managed Server Problem within 90 (Ninety) minutes, or the extended period xneelo may advise, we will give you a credit equal to one month’s worth of the base hosting fee. For purposes of this clause, ”Resolving” means that the Root Server originally provided by xneelo responds to a ping as measured by our network monitoring system. If your Self-Managed Server has not been configured to respond to ping requests, you must provide us with another way to determine whether the Server is visible on the network. If you do not do this, we will be relieved of our obligations under this clause.
You must also understand that Server restore time from a backup depends on the volume of data to be retrieved, which could result in several hours of downtime. In such a case, we are not obliged to give you credit.

3.12. Colocation Hosting

The Colocation product provides you with only a rack, power connection and data connection. You must supply your own Server(s) and peripherals.

Customer Responsibilities

You remain solely responsible for all equipment that you install in your rack. We will be responsible for the Location the rack is stored in and for the network connection only.
You are solely responsible for all bandwidth and traffic related to your hosting service and are liable for all traffic charges. This includes regularly monitoring usage through the xneelo Control Panel. Note: only traffic provided by xneelo will be visible in the xneelo Control Panel. Any traffic management and reporting tools we provide are intended solely to assist you in this process. This does not free you from responsibility or place any responsibility on us. If you decide to use the xneelo Control Panel traffic monitoring tool, please be aware that the information will not be real-time information and there will always be a one-day delay in the furnishing of information; we will not be responsible for any traffic spikes, information or denial-of-service attacks, or any loss or damage you suffer because of the information not being provided in real time.
If your Server(s) or network components become the target or source of a denial-of-service attack, we may disconnect you from the network if we find no other solution available at that stage.
It is your responsibility to manage and ensure that your peak power usage does not exceed 20A for a full rack and 10A for a half rack. We will monitor your usage, and if you consistently exceed this threshold, you will be notified. Failure to remedy such default within 14 (Fourteen) days after having received a written notification to do so may be considered a breach of these Specific Terms.
You are to ensure that your use of our Services does not have a detrimental effect on the operations within our data centres or on those of other Colocation Customers’ equipment, including but not limited to heat distribution and cable management within your rack(s), and adhering to electrical compliance, access control and security policies and removal of flammable materials.
We have provided a resilient infrastructure at the location and have taken reasonable precautions to protect your Server(s) and equipment. We are confident that you will have a positive experience while hosting in our facility. Should, despite these best efforts, something happen, we will not be liable for any loss or damage resulting from any failure on our part.

Access Control

You must at all times adhere to the standard health and safety guidelines laid down for customers entering the Location.
We may deny you access to the Location if we, at any time, have reason to believe you are failing to comply with the procedures and guidelines.

Suspension or Termination

We may temporarily suspend our Colocation Services to repair, maintain, upgrade, modify, replace or improve any of our Colocation Services. We will provide 14 (Fourteen) days’ prior notice of any service suspension to you. However, we will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting from the service suspension.
We may terminate any Colocation Services on 30 (thirty) days’ written notice to you.

Breach

If either party fails to comply with any of its obligations or commit a breach of this Agreement and fail to remedy such default or breach within 7 (seven) days after having received a written notice to do so, or be placed in provisional or final liquidation or sequestration, or judicial management, or enter into any compromise arrangements with its creditors, or fail to satisfy a judgment taken against it within 10 business days, then the other party will be entitled to cancel the Agreement on written notice to the defaulting party. The provisions of this clause will not affect the rights of the parties to claim damages in respect of a breach of any of the provisions of this Agreement.
Neither party will be responsible for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages or losses arising from the Agreement. This includes loss of profits, revenue, anticipated savings, business transactions, goodwill or other contracts. It is irrelevant if this is due to negligence (carelessness) or breach of contract.
Our total liability to you is limited to direct damages up to a maximum of three months of your base hosting fee.

3.13. Cloud

General

Securing your cloud environment is a shared responsibility between xneelo (the cloud service provider) and you (as the Customer).
Xneelo manages and secures the infrastructure that runs all xneelo Cloud Services. This includes the hardware, software, networking, and facilities.
You are responsible for managing and securing your Cloud Projects and all resources within them, including virtual Services, data, operating systems, and software.

Cloud Instance Management

We will make a set of Cloud images available to you with operating systems pre-installed for use in creating Cloud Instances.
You will manage the operating system and all software on your Cloud Instances, including the licensing of any software you use.
Xneelo will not and has no obligation to get involved in any aspect of managing your Cloud Instances.
If an instance within your Cloud Project becomes the target or source of any denial-of-service attack, we reserve the right to disconnect the Cloud Instance from the network if we determine that no other solution is available.
If an instance in your Cloud Project is found to be in breach of the Acceptable Use Policy and affects the public or our platform, we reserve the right to take appropriate action.
We are not responsible for your use of any installed software, including vulnerabilities or traffic generated by such software. Use of the software is at your own risk.

Cloud Data Backup and Recovery

While xneelo provides a robust infrastructure, you are responsible for implementing appropriate data backup and recovery measures for the resources within your Cloud Projects.

Cloud Service Fees and Refunds

You will be charged on a pro-rata, per-hour basis for your usage within your Cloud Project.
Charges are calculated from timestamps recorded during the creation and deletion of Cloud Resources.
Please note that xneelo Cloud is billed in arrears on the first (1st) day of every month.
All efforts are made to ensure that the usage recorded is accurate and reliable. Any detected errors will be promptly corrected.

Cancellation of Cloud

Cancellation of a Cloud Project takes effect immediately.
All resources within a Cloud Project will also be deleted when the project is deleted.
Projects and cloud resources are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

3.14. Additional IP Ranges

Our Self-Managed Servers and Colocation Racks come with a /29 network, providing 5 usable IPs, and a /28 network, providing 13 usable IPs. While we do offer additional IP ranges, we reserve the right to limit the number of ranges provided. If you require more IP addresses than we can provide, you may use external ranges.

3.15. Fees

You must pay the applicable base hosting fee for the Self-Managed Dedicated Server or Colocation Service, as published on our website from time to time.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, the base hosting fee excludes setup fees, charges for incremental bandwidth usage, charges for additional IP addresses, charges for additional or upgraded hardware, including random access memory (RAM) and storage devices (such as hard drives or solid-state drives (SSDs)), and any other optional products, Services or upgrades requested by you.

Any applicable additional charges will be billed at our standard rates in effect at the relevant time, as published on our website.

4. Domain Name Registration

4.1. General Requirements

The Administrator runs the Registry system that processes .co.za Domain Name-related transactions initiated by Domain Name Registrars, such as xneelo, including domain registrations, updates, renewals, deletions, queries, and transfers.

Xneelo has been accredited as an independent Registrar to register Domain Names on the Administrator’s Registry system. All Domain Names that we register on your behalf within the .za Domain Name space are subject to the Administrator Policies, which may be amended from time to time.

We follow your instructions as long as they are possible and comply with the law. Domain Name Administrators have the authority to cancel, transfer, or suspend a Domain Name registration under certain circumstances. This can occur, for example, if it would create a conflict with the law or if we receive a court order or an arbitrator’s ruling.

We also use the Services of an international Registrar, Tucows, to register generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs such as .com and .org) as well as Top Level Domains in non-South African country codes (ccTLDs such as .uk and .eu). This registration is subject to the Registrar’s terms. Registration, maintenance, or transfer of a Domain Name is subject to the terms of the relevant Registry governing the Domain Name. We cannot guarantee the registration of any Domain Name selected by you.

4.2. Registration Principles

The following principles apply with regard to Domain Name registrations:

Domain Names are made available on a “first-come, first-served” basis. We therefore do not guarantee that the Domain Name you requested is available for registration.
We do not permit “cybersquatting” (also known as “domain squatting”): registering a Domain Name in bad faith with the intention of profiting from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else.
Registering a Domain Name is like getting a licence. As long as the Domain Name is current, you can continue to use it. Domain Names are not regarded as property and cannot be “owned” by anyone. However, the Domain Name will be registered in the name of the “Registrant”.
It is important to ensure that the correct person or entity is listed as the Registrant, as xneelo will act only on the instructions of the account owner or anyone authorised to act on the xneelo account. In certain instances, the Registrant might not be the account owner.
You, as Registrant or your agent, will retain control of your Domain Name. We will maintain the Domain Name for you as part of the Service.
We will serve as the billing and technical contact for the Domain Name, unless you register the Domain Name yourself or manage the Domain Name record directly with the applicable Registry.
Any Internet Protocol (IP) address that we allocate to you will remain our sole property. We give you a non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use the IP address for the duration of our agreement with you.
If you are an xneelo Reseller, you agree not to serve as the Registrant for your customer’s Domain Name. If you do so, we reserve the right to terminate your Reseller status.
All new .co.za registrations are allowed a grace period of seven (7) consecutive days immediately following the registration of the Domain Name, during which you can cancel your Domain Name registration with minimal cost implications.

You must provide us with all the information we request. We will not be held responsible if you provide incomplete or inaccurate information that delays the registration process and results in the Domain Name being registered by someone else.

4.3. Fees

The following fees will be incurred by you:

The annual Administrator Fee for the Domain Name.
Our Service fee for applying for, and where applicable, maintaining the registration of a Domain Name on your behalf.
All reasonable expenses or charges relating to the registration, transfer, or renewal of the Domain Name.

These service fees are non-refundable.

4.4. Changes to Domain Name Information

Changes to the Domain Name

It is not possible for us or the Administrator to amend the actual Domain Name itself. If there has been an error in the spelling of a Domain Name, it will need to be cancelled and a new registration created. Unless you request the change within the seven-day grace period, you will be required to pay a fee to the Registrar.

Changes to Registrant Information

Either the Registrant or its agent can change .za Registrant information (for example, the Registrant’s name, email address, telephone number and physical address) through the xneelo Control Panel.

If the Registrant has an xneelo account, they can make these changes themselves.
If the Registrant has appointed an agent with an xneelo account to administer the Domain Name, the Domain Name will be linked to that agent’s account and the agent will be able to make the changes.
Xneelo will only act on the instructions of the Account Owner or anyone authorised to act on the account.

Certain Domain Name updates are subject to Registry-imposed processing periods. Where applicable, the Domain Name status may change to “pending update” for the period prescribed by the relevant Registry. Xneelo has no control over this process and cannot amend or expedite the applicable Registry timeframes.

4.5. Renewals

Renewal Process

Domain Names are registered for renewable one (1) year terms, unless a longer period is offered and selected for the relevant Domain Name. Your continued use of a Domain Name, and of any Services associated with it, depends on the registration being renewed before it expires.

So that you do not lose a Domain Name through an oversight, our systems are set to automatically renew your Domain Name when renewal is due and to add the renewal fee to your next invoice, unless you have instructed us not to renew it. If you instruct us not to renew, the Domain Name will not be renewed and will lapse on expiry.

You may opt out of automatic renewal for any Domain Name at any time before the applicable renewal cut-off for that Domain Name by terminating the domain through the xneelo Control Panel.

It remains your responsibility to ensure that your Domain Name is renewed and does not lapse, to keep the contact and payment details on your account current, and to monitor your Domain Name’s expiry date.

Renewal Reminders and opt-out

We will send you at least two reminders before the renewal date, in accordance with ICANN’s registration policy.

If you do not wish to renew, you must notify us at least thirty (30) business days before the renewal date for gTLDs and specific ccTLDs, and 5 days before the renewal date for .za domains, by terminating the Domain Name through the xneelo Control Panel. If you do not give that notice, we will renew the Domain Name and add the renewal fee to your next invoice.

We send reminders to the contact details on record for your account, as a safeguard and, where required, as a matter of policy. We cannot guarantee delivery or receipt of any reminder, and we will not be liable for non-receipt resulting from out-of-date contact details or delivery failures outside our reasonable control. Nothing in this clause limits any right you have under applicable law to the reminders and notices we are required to give.

Non-Renewal

If a Domain Name is not renewed, whether because you opted out or because the renewal is not completed, it will lapse, and the Domain Name will be deleted and released, after which it can only be obtained again as a new registration.

4.6. Domain Transfer

When there is a transfer of ownership, the Registrant explicitly authorises Tucows, as stipulated by the ICANN Transfer Policy, to act as their Designated Agent and approve a Change of Registrant on their behalf. It remains the domain user’s responsibility to check that the correct ownership details are listed for the domain.

Internal Domain Transfer

The Registrant can ask xneelo to create an account and transfer control of the Domain Name to the Registrant’s account at any time, provided any requirements laid down by xneelo are met.

Domain Transfer Away Process

You are able to transfer your Domain Name to another Registrar at any time other than during the grace period. If you want to do so, a specific process has to be followed. This process is set out in the Administrator Policies.

Upon applying to change the Registrar information for a Domain Name through the Registry system, the gaining Registrar will commence a Registrar Change Process, which will ultimately result in the proposed changes being implemented.

Once you request a transfer to another Registrar, the Administrator will notify you and, where applicable, xneelo of the pending transfer. If neither of you objects within the response period set by the Administrator Policies, the transfer will proceed automatically. If either of you declines the transfer within that period, it will not proceed. The applicable response periods and procedures are set out in the Administrator Policies, see above.

4.7. Payment Default

Payment for domain Services, such as registration, renewal, transfer or administration fees, must be made in a timely manner to ensure your domain remains active and accessible. Failure to do so may result in the suspension and ultimate deletion of your Domain Name and any associated Services. You may transfer the management of your Domain Name to another service provider.

4.8. Cancellation

During the grace period

Once a Domain Name has been registered, it cannot be changed. However, we provide a 7-day grace period during which you can delete the domain.

If you cancel your Domain Name registration during a grace period, it will be assigned a ‘Pending Release’ status and will not become available for release until the seven-day grace period expires. During this time, you will be charged only a grace-period fee. You will receive a refund of the registration fee minus the grace period fee.

Once the grace period has expired, the Domain Name will be released and removed from the Registry database, making it available for anyone else to register. You will not be able to transfer the Domain Name to another Registrar during the grace period. A Domain Name reinstated during the grace period will continue as before, with no refunds processed.

After the grace period

After the grace period, you may still cancel a Domain Name.

Initiating a cancellation places it in a “pending suspension” period of five (5) consecutive days, after which it automatically moves to a “pending deletion” period of a further five (5) consecutive days. At the end of the pending deletion period, the Domain Name is deleted and returns to the pool of available Domain Names. You may reinstate the Domain Name at any time before final deletion; once it is finally deleted, it cannot be reinstated and can only be obtained again through a new registration.

The pending suspension and pending deletion periods are fixed system parameters set by the Administrator and cannot be modified by us. This voluntary cancellation differs from a lapse through non-renewal or non-payment

Ending or interruption of the Domain Service

If the Domain Service ends for any reason, we may, without incurring liability, notify the relevant Registrar or Registry and instruct it to remove us or our systems as the host of the Domain Name, even if no replacement host is in place. Ending the Domain Service does not, by itself, cancel or delete your Domain Name registration.

We rely on third-party Registrars and Registries to provide the Domain Service. If any of them amends, suspends or terminates a service on which we depend, we will make reasonable efforts to maintain continuity of your Domain Service. Where we cannot, we will not be liable for loss or damage arising from that discontinuation, to the extent permitted by law and subject to our Terms of Service.

4.9. Disputes

Dispute Process

We will not participate in any dispute between you and a third party.

In the event of a dispute concerning a Domain Name between the Registrant and any other party (including an agent) regarding control of the Domain Name or the associated xneelo account, we will only give effect to a change of the Registrant on receipt of formal written instructions in one of the following forms:

a court order requiring the change;
a written instruction from the liquidator of a legal entity that is being wound up, whether provisionally or finally, and whether voluntarily or compulsorily;
where the Registrant has died, a written request from the executor of the deceased Registrant’s estate, appointed by the Master of the High Court, that the Domain Name be transferred to a named person or entity; or
an order of an arbitration tribunal of competent jurisdiction in any administrative proceeding conducted under the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy adopted by ICANN, the Alternative Dispute Resolution Regulations in South Africa, or any similar proceeding in another ccTLD or gTLD to which you are a party.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

Disputes between you and any third party about registration or use of any Domain Name registration may be brought under any available alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, Court, or Arbitration Tribunal.

Various alternative dispute resolution mechanisms apply to Domain Names registered globally. These include:

The Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy adopted by ICANN for certain gTLDs.
The Alternative Dispute Resolution Regulations applicable in South Africa.
Similar proceedings in other ccTLDs.

Locked Domain Names

In certain circumstances, the Domain Name might be “locked”.

A “locked” Domain Name can only be transferred by the Administrator. The ability to lock a Domain Name is generally intended for situations where a court or other recognised authority, such as an accredited Domain Name dispute resolution provider, intends to preside over a dispute concerning the Domain Name and has informed the Administrator. The Domain Name will be “frozen” until a hearing or adjudication on the matter has been finalised. Only the Administrator can lock and unlock a Domain Name.

Indemnity

If you involve us in any dispute relating to your Domain Name or its registration, transfer, use, or administration, you indemnify us against any loss, damage, liability, cost, or expense that we may incur as a result, including reasonable legal costs incurred on the attorney-and-own client scale.

You also indemnify us against any loss or damage arising from any action we take to restrict either party’s access to or ability to perform Domain Name updates through the xneelo Control Panel, where we reasonably consider such action necessary pending the resolution of the dispute.

4.10. Privacy

We process the personal information you provide when you register a Domain Name in accordance with POPIA and our Privacy Policy. We collect and process that information as a Controller for the purpose of providing the Domain Services, and we share it with the Administrator and, for gTLDs and foreign ccTLDs, with the relevant Registrar and Registry, as required to register and maintain the Domain Name.

Each of those parties processes that information as a separate Controller, subject to its own obligations. We apply reasonable security safeguards as required by section 19 of POPIA.

4.11. Warranties and Indemnities

As a Registrant, you warrant that:

You are entitled to register and use the Domain Name.
If you are not the Registrant, you have the consent of the Registrant to use the Domain Name.
You are not prohibited by law or otherwise from registering the Domain Name.
By using the Domain Name, you have not violated any Intellectual Property Rights of any person who may lawfully claim title to the Domain Name or to any word or name forming an essential part of the Domain Name.

You indemnify us against any loss or damage that we may suffer arising from your registration or use of the Domain Name, or from personal information you provide that is inaccurate or that you were not entitled to supply.

5. Reseller Terms

5.1. General Reseller Responsibilities

Resellers are responsible for supporting their clients. We don’t provide support to our Resellers’ clients. If a Reseller’s client contacts us, we reserve the right to place the client’s Services on hold until the Reseller can assume its responsibility for its client. All support requests must be made by the Reseller on their clients’ behalf for security purposes. We reserve the right to terminate your Service with xneelo if you fail to provide adequate first-line support to your clients.

As a Reseller, you recognise that xneelo is ultimately responsible for the provision of the Service. Under certain circumstances, xneelo may be compelled to deal directly with your client. This may happen, for example, where:

You are unable to attend to any requests by your client due to unavailability, i.e. you are not contactable over a period of 48 hours.
You fail to comply with any lawful client request or effect technical changes to enable your client to receive the Services.
You fail to pay any amounts owing to xneelo on the due date or
You pass away. In such an event, you irrevocably appoint xneelo as your attorney and agent to do all such things and sign all documents relating to the Service as may be necessary.

5.2. Terms and Conditions

When you apply for any Service on behalf of your client, you must ensure that your client agrees to the xneelo Agreement, which includes xneelo’s Terms of Service, Acceptable Use Policy and Privacy Policy.

You agree not to publish or distribute any advertising material or make any public or press statements regarding xneelo or our Services without prior written consent from xneelo. To obtain written consent, please email marketing@xneelo.com.

You may not make use of the xneelo logo or product imagery in any manner without prior written consent. To obtain written consent, please email marketing@xneelo.com.

As a Reseller, you have access to our xneelo Control Panel to manage settings, including but not limited to the renewal of the Services, email settings, viewing and managing Domain Names, and running reports. Under no circumstances are you allowed to customise, rebrand, or in any way modify the xneelo Control Panel for your own use. You must only provide access to employees and end users authorised by you (“Authorised Users”) to have access to the xneelo Control Panel. As a Reseller, you are responsible for all access to the xneelo Control Panel by your Authorised Users and for any actions taken by any of the Authorised Users.

5.3. Security, Authority and Indemnification

We reserve the right to take whatever action we deem necessary at any time to preserve the security and reliable operation of our infrastructure, and you undertake not to do or permit anything that would compromise xneelo’s security.

You authorise xneelo to act on any instruction given by or purporting to originate from you or your client, even if it transpires that xneelo, yourself and your client have been defrauded by someone else, unless you or your client has notified xneelo prior to xneelo acting on a fraudulent instruction.

You unconditionally and irrevocably indemnify xneelo and agree to hold xneelo free from and harmless against all losses suffered or incurred by xneelo as a direct or indirect result of your or your client’s use of the Services, or any downtime, outage, interruption in or unavailability of the Services.

5.4. Billing and Service Fees

You are solely responsible for processing all billing for your clients and for all debt collection relating to your clients. All fees will be payable to xneelo as soon as they become due. In the event of a dispute arising between the parties, you are obliged to continue paying the Service Fees as and when they become due and payable in terms of the Agreement.

6. Your Use of Third Party Services

While we make every effort to select reliable vendors, maintain relationships, and hold them accountable to ensure reliable service on behalf of our Customers, we do not control or are responsible for those Services, and you use those third-party Services at your own risk.

We will not be liable for any loss or damage you have suffered as a result of your use of such third-party Services, including any interruption or unavailability of the third-party Services.

7. New and Developing Products

We occasionally offer customers early access to new or developing products, features, and Services before their general release. These programmes offer you the chance to experience new innovations and contribute to their development through your feedback, whilst we continue to enhance stability, functionality, and performance.

7.1. General Terms

Early access products are provided on an “as available” basis and may undergo significant changes or modifications without prior notice. You acknowledge that early access products may involve increased risks, including but not limited to data loss or corruption, service interruptions or downtime, integration issues with existing systems, and changes that may affect your workflows or processes.

While we aim to provide stable and reliable early access products, our liability for any issues arising from their use is limited. Please refer to our Terms of Service.

Participation Requirements

Your participation in any early access program is voluntary and subject to these terms:

You may be required to accept additional terms, policies, or program-specific conditions.
You must comply with our Acceptable Use Policy at all times.
You are prohibited from reverse engineering, creating derivative works, or conducting unauthorised benchmarking of early access products.
Access is granted at our sole discretion and may be limited by account type, region, product category, or usage patterns.
We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or terminate your access at any time, provided that we give you reasonable notice, where practicable.

By participating in early access programs, you acknowledge that we may collect:

Usage data, performance metrics, and system information to improve our Services.
Your feedback, suggestions, and observations about product functionality.
Technical behaviour data and usage patterns for development purposes.
All collected data will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Any feedback, suggestions, or ideas you provide regarding early access products shall become our property and may be used without restriction or compensation. You retain ownership of the data and content you create using these Services.

7.2. Beta Services

Beta Services are pre-release products or features made available for testing and evaluation purposes. We determine the scope of functionality, eligible participants, and duration of the Beta period.

Early access products are provided on an “as available” basis and may:

Experience reduced stability, limited functionality, or periodic unavailability.
Have limited or different support availability compared to the generally available Services.

Participation Requirements

You may only provide access to Beta Services to employees or authorised representatives who require it for testing or evaluation purposes.
You may not modify, alter, or use our Beta Services to develop a derivative or competing product or service.
Commercial use of Beta Services may be restricted unless explicitly permitted.
You acknowledge that Beta Services may contain bugs, errors, or incomplete functionality.

Cancellation of Beta Services

When a Beta period ends:

Your access to Beta Services may be discontinued unless the tested features are incorporated into our standard offerings.
If we release a generally available version, your continued use will be governed by the applicable terms for that service.
We will provide reasonable notice before discontinuing Beta access where practicable.

7.3. Limited Release

Access to limited-release products is by invitation only and is granted at xneelo’s sole discretion. Access may be applied to specific customer accounts where you’re listed as a collaborator, but not necessarily to all accounts. It may also be restricted to certain product types.

Although New and Developing Products are considered functionally stable for live production environments and supported under our standard service levels and support terms (unless otherwise stated), they are still undergoing iterative development and enhancement. Consequently, they may not feature the full capabilities or integrations of a General Availability product, and use of these products in a production environment is undertaken at the Customer’s own risk; please refer to the details provided in clause 7.1 of the General Terms above.

8. AI-Assisted Services

8.1. Scope and Purpose

Your use of AI-Assisted Services is subject to these Specific Terms.

AI-Assisted Services may analyse requests, retrieve relevant xneelo or publicly available information, use relevant account, service and interaction information, generate summaries or recommendations, classify or route support requests, and assist xneelo staff.

AI-Assisted Services are intended to assist customers and improve the user experience. They do not replace your responsibility for administering, configuring, securing or managing your hosting environment, services or account.

8.2. Outputs and Reliance

AI-Assisted Services may generate customer-facing responses automatically without prior human review. Outputs may be incomplete, inaccurate, outdated or unsuitable for your particular purposes. You remain responsible for verifying important information and assessing whether an output is suitable before relying on or acting on it.

AI-Assisted Services are not a substitute for advice from a qualified professional, for example on data protection or other regulatory compliance, tax or billing matters, or the security configuration of your hosting environment. Product or service recommendations do not guarantee that a product or service will be suitable for your needs.

8.3. Acceptable Use

You must not bypass or attempt to bypass any safeguard, security measure, access control or usage restriction associated with an AI-Assisted Service. You must also not attempt to access, obtain or extract system instructions or other restricted information. For more information, please refer to our Acceptable Use Policy.

8.4. Account Actions and Oversight

AI-Assisted Services cannot independently place orders, cancel services, modify DNS or hosting settings, process payments, change account information, or perform other actions that affect your account or services. These actions remain available through the applicable authorised process.

Purchases, upgrades, downgrades and configuration changes remain subject to the applicable product terms, pricing and confirmation process. Authorised xneelo personnel may review AI interactions and outputs for support quality, troubleshooting, safety, security, abuse prevention, analytics and improvement of the AI-Assisted Services.

We will not make decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects on you, unless permitted by law and subject to required safeguards, including human review where required.

8.5. Data and Privacy

We may use third-party AI, automation, workflow, hosting, analytics or support providers to provide AI-Assisted Services, including large language model providers and automation platforms.

We require these providers to process information only as necessary to provide the relevant services and subject to appropriate contractual, confidentiality, security and cross-border transfer safeguards. Where a provider processes Personal Data on your behalf, it will act as a sub-processor subject to the requirements of our Data Processing Agreement.

We do not use your content submitted to or processed through AI-Assisted Services to train or fine-tune general-purpose AI models, and we require our third-party AI providers not to do so. This does not prevent xneelo from reviewing interactions and outputs, subject to applicable law and appropriate safeguards, for the purposes described in clause 8.4.

Personal information that we process for our own account management, support and service purposes will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Where we process Personal Data on your behalf as a Processor, our Data Processing Agreement applies.

8.6. Availability and Changes

AI-Assisted Services may be unavailable, delayed or interrupted, and may be subject to maintenance, usage limits or other operational constraints. We do not guarantee uninterrupted availability or specific response times.

We may update, limit, suspend, replace or discontinue any AI-Assisted Service.