Refund policy

MAISON T.
REFUND & RETURNS POLICY
Effective 17 August 2026 · Version 1.0 · Republic of South Africa

This Refund & Returns Policy governs all purchases of candles, home fragrance and related goods made from Maison T. through our online store, and forms part of our Terms and Conditions of Sale. By placing an order with us you agree to the terms set out below.

Maison T. is a South African business. This policy is written to comply with the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 ("CPA") and the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 ("ECTA"). Nothing in this policy limits, excludes or replaces any right you have under those Acts, and any provision that purports to do so is of no force to that extent.

1. YOUR RIGHTS AT A GLANCE

You have three separate and independent sets of rights when you buy from us. You may rely on whichever applies to your situation:

• Cooling-off — 7 days from delivery (ECTA s 44). You may cancel an online purchase without giving a reason and without penalty, and receive a full refund. You bear the direct cost of returning the goods. Certain goods are excluded (see clause 5).

• Maison T. courtesy returns — 14 days from delivery (our policy). Our own, more generous change-of-mind window, offered in addition to the statutory 7 days, subject to the conditions in clause 4.

• Implied warranty of quality — 6 months from delivery (CPA ss 55 and 56). If goods are defective, unsafe or not reasonably durable or suitable for their ordinary purpose, you may choose a repair, a replacement or a refund, at our cost and without penalty.

2. STATUTORY COOLING-OFF PERIOD

Because you buy from us electronically, section 44 of ECTA gives you the right to cancel the transaction without reason and without penalty within seven (7) days after the date you receive the goods.

Where you exercise this right:

• we will refund the full purchase price you paid, including the original standard delivery charge, within 30 days of the date of cancellation;

• you must return the goods to us in the condition described in clause 4; and

• you are responsible for the direct cost of returning the goods to us, as ECTA expressly permits.

To exercise this right, notify us in writing at tonimilko@gmail.com within the seven-day period, quoting your order number.

3. MAISON T. 14-DAY COURTESY RETURN WINDOW

In addition to your statutory rights, we accept change-of-mind returns for 14 calendar days from the date of delivery. This is a commercial concession offered by Maison T. and is subject to the conditions below.

• You must request the return within 14 days of delivery.

• Once your return is approved, the goods must be posted back to us within 7 calendar days of approval.

• You pay the cost of return shipping, unless the return falls under clause 6 (faulty, damaged or incorrect goods).

• Refunds under this clause are made to your original payment method, or as store credit if you prefer.

• The original delivery charge you paid is not refunded on a change-of-mind return, unless the entire order is returned within the statutory seven-day cooling-off period.

4. CONDITION OF RETURNED GOODS

Because our products are candles and home fragrance, condition matters. To qualify for a change-of-mind refund, goods must be returned:

• unused and unburnt — the wick must be untrimmed and unlit, and the wax surface undisturbed;

• with any dust cover, cellophane, seal or shrink-wrap intact and unbroken;

• in their original vessel, lid, box, gift sleeve and packaging, in resaleable condition; and

• with proof of purchase (order number, order confirmation or gift receipt).

We reserve the right, as contemplated in section 20(6) of the CPA, to charge a reasonable handling or restocking charge where goods are returned in a condition that has diminished their value — for example where outer packaging has been discarded, a vessel is scratched or marked, or a fragrance seal has been broken. Where such a charge applies we will tell you the amount before processing the refund, and you may choose to have the goods returned to you instead at your cost.

[Please note]

Opening a candle to smell it does not disqualify a return. Burning it does. Once a wick has been lit, the product cannot be resold and can only be returned under clause 6 if it is genuinely defective.

5. GOODS THAT CANNOT BE RETURNED

The following are excluded from the cooling-off right and from our courtesy return window. This reflects section 42(2) of ECTA, which excludes goods made to a consumer's specifications and goods that by their nature cannot be returned:

• candles, diffusers or wax melts that have been burnt, lit, used or partially used;

• personalised or engraved items, and candles made to your own scent, colour, vessel or label specification;

• bespoke, private-label and custom bulk orders, including wedding, event and corporate gifting commissions;

• gift cards, e-vouchers and store credit;

• items clearly marked "final sale" or sold as seconds, samples, testers or factory-imperfect stock;

• goods where the fragrance seal has been broken and the product is no longer hygienically resaleable; and

• goods returned to us after the applicable window has closed, or without prior authorisation.

None of these exclusions affects your rights under clause 6 where the goods are defective, unsafe or not as described. Those rights apply to every product we sell, without exception.

6. FAULTY, DAMAGED OR INCORRECT GOODS

Under sections 55 and 56 of the CPA, every product we sell carries an implied warranty that it is of good quality, in good working order, free of defects, reasonably suitable for its ordinary purpose and reasonably durable. If it is not, you may return it within six (6) months of delivery and you — not us — choose one of the following remedies:

(a) a full refund of the price paid;

(b) a replacement of the same or a comparable product; or

(c) a repair, where a repair is practical for the item concerned.

In these cases Maison T. carries the full cost, including collection or return postage, and no handling charge applies. If we repair or replace a product and the same failure recurs within three months of that repair or replacement, you may then require a full refund.

Reporting damage in transit

Glass vessels occasionally do not survive a courier network. Please inspect your parcel on arrival and report any breakage, leakage or shortfall to tonimilko@gmail.com within 7 calendar days of delivery, with:

• your order number;

• photographs of the damaged item; and

• photographs of the outer carton and internal packaging as received.

Early reporting lets us lodge a claim with the courier within their claim window. We will replace or refund breakages reported in this period at no cost to you.

What is not a defect

The following are natural characteristics of hand-poured wax and are not defects:

• frosting — the white crystalline bloom that forms on natural soy and vegetable wax;

• slight variations in colour, wax texture, surface finish or scent throw between batches;

• minor wet spots where wax pulls away from the glass; and

• softening or a rippled surface caused by heat in transit or storage, which does not affect burn performance.

7. HOW TO RETURN AN ITEM

1. Request authorisation. Email tonimilko@gmail.com with your order number, the items concerned, the reason for return and, where relevant, photographs.

2. Wait for approval. We respond within 2 business days and will issue you a return authorisation number and the return address. Goods sent back without authorisation may be refused or delayed.

3. Pack carefully. Wrap each vessel individually and use a rigid outer carton. Goods damaged on the return journey because of inadequate packing may not qualify for a full refund.

4. Ship within 7 days of approval, using a trackable service, and send us the tracking number. Until the parcel reaches us it remains at your risk.

5. Inspection. We inspect returns within 3 business days of receipt and confirm the outcome by email.

8. REFUNDS — METHOD AND TIMING

• Approved refunds are processed to the original payment method within 10 business days of us receiving and inspecting the returned goods. Statutory cooling-off refunds are made within 30 days of cancellation.

• Your bank, card issuer or payment provider may take a further 3 to 10 business days to reflect the funds. That period is outside our control.

• Where a cash refund is due to you under the CPA, we will not force a voucher or store credit on you. Store credit is offered only as an alternative you may choose.

• Payment gateway or currency conversion fees charged by your own bank are not refundable by us.

• Refunds on orders paid by a third party (for example a gift purchaser) are made to that third party's original payment method. Gift recipients may be offered an exchange or store credit instead.

9. EXCHANGES

We are happy to exchange an eligible item for a different fragrance, size or product of equal value, subject to availability and to the conditions in clause 4. Where the replacement is more expensive, the difference is payable before dispatch; where it is cheaper, we refund the difference. On a change-of-mind exchange you pay the return postage and we pay the cost of sending the replacement to you within South Africa.

10. INTERNATIONAL RETURNS

If you are returning goods from outside South Africa:

• you bear the full cost of return shipping, insurance and any export charges, unless the goods are faulty or incorrect;

• please mark the parcel clearly as "RETURNED GOODS — NO COMMERCIAL VALUE" on the customs declaration, and state the original order number. We are not able to accept parcels where import duties are levied against us, and such parcels may be refused;

• import duties, taxes and customs clearance fees you paid in your own country are not refundable by Maison T. You may be able to reclaim these from your local customs authority directly; and

• refunds are made in the currency in which you were originally charged. We are not responsible for exchange-rate movement between the date of purchase and the date of refund.

11. SALE, PROMOTIONAL AND GIFT-WITH-PURCHASE ITEMS

• Discounted items may be returned on the same terms as full-price items unless expressly marked "final sale".

• Where a return brings your order below the threshold for a promotion, free gift or free-shipping offer, the value of that benefit will be deducted from your refund, or you may return the free item with the order.

• Refunds on discounted items are calculated on the price actually paid, not on the recommended retail price.

12. CONTACT AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Please contact us first — most matters are resolved quickly and informally:

• Email: info@maisontcandles.com

• Returns address: 34 Herta Erna Ave, Durbanville, 7550

• Registered name and number: MAISON T CANDLES, Reg. No. 2026/332168/07

If we cannot resolve your complaint, you are entitled to refer it to the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (www.cgso.org.za) or to the National Consumer Commission established under the CPA, at no cost to you. Referring a complaint does not affect any other legal remedy available to you.

MAISON T.
This policy was last updated on 17 August 2026 and may be amended from time to time. The version published on our website at the time you place your order is the version that applies to that order. This policy is governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa.