Legal
Collection agreement
This agreement applies only to a practice that chooses to have VirtualDoc collect its patients' payments, because it has no payment gateway of its own. The practice accepts it in its workspace before any payment is collected. A practice with its own gateway collects directly and this agreement does not apply to it.
1Appointment.
The practice appoints VirtualDoc as its agent to collect payments from its patients on its behalf, through VirtualDoc's PayFast merchant account, for consultations booked through VirtualDoc. VirtualDoc is not a bank and pays no interest on money it holds.
2Payment to VirtualDoc is payment to the practice.
A patient who pays VirtualDoc has paid the practice. VirtualDoc holds the money for the practice and pays it to the practice's bank account every week, for the payments of the week before (Monday to Sunday), normally within three business days after that week ends.
3Fees.
From each payment VirtualDoc deducts the fee PayFast charges for that payment, and nothing else. Each payment, its fee and the amount paid out are listed on the practice's statement under Payments. A payment whose fee PayFast has not yet reported is paid out in the week after the fee is known.
4Refunds.
The practice decides refunds to its patients. When a patient is refunded, the refund is taken off the next payout.
5Chargebacks.
If a patient's bank reverses a payment, the amount and any fee PayFast charges for the reversal are taken off the next payout. If the practice wants to dispute it, VirtualDoc passes PayFast's request on and the practice gives the booking and payment details needed, and no more patient information than that.
6Amounts owed.
If refunds and reversals in a week are more than the payments, the difference is carried into the following payouts. If it is still owed after 30 days, the practice pays it to VirtualDoc within 7 days of a written request.
7Holds.
VirtualDoc may hold back a payout, and tells the practice why, while PayFast holds the funds, while a newly changed bank account is being checked, or where there are signs of fraud. Held money is paid as soon as the reason falls away.
8Bank account.
The practice gives a bank account in its own name or in the name of its practitioner, and is responsible for the details being correct. Every owner is emailed whenever it changes. VirtualDoc is not liable for a payout made correctly to the account the practice gave.
9The practice's responsibilities.
The practice stays responsible to its patients for its fees, invoices and refunds and for the care it gives, and for its own income tax and VAT on its fees. The money collected is the practice's income, not VirtualDoc's.
10Records.
VirtualDoc keeps a record of every payment, fee, refund, reversal and payout for at least five years. The practice can download its statement at any time.
11Ending it.
The practice can stop at any time by switching to its own gateway. VirtualDoc may end this arrangement on 30 days' notice, or at once if PayFast stops the service or the practice's account is suspended. Payments already collected are still paid out as above, less any amount owed.
12Own gateway.
VirtualDoc helps the practice apply for its own payment gateway account. Collection through VirtualDoc is meant to bridge the time until that account is approved, after which the practice switches to it.
13Subscription.
VirtualDoc's monthly subscription is billed separately and is never taken from payouts.
14Liability.
VirtualDoc is liable to the practice for money it has collected and not paid out as set out here. It is not liable for delays or failures on PayFast's side, beyond paying out what PayFast pays it.