Membership Terms and Conditions
By signing up for membership with the Short Term Accommodation Association Australia (STAAA), you agree to the following Terms and Conditions.
These terms and conditions (Terms) are the contract between you (referred to as “you” or “your”) and the Short Term Accommodation Association Australia Pty Ltd trading as “STAAA” ABN 67 666 424 791 (referred to as “us,” “our,” or “we”).
By using the Membership platform/Member Portal through our website (Site), you agree to be bound by these Terms. Please read them carefully and save a copy for your records. If you do not agree to be bound by these Terms, you must not use the Site or Membership Services.
1. Definitions
In this agreement, the following definitions apply:
Content: Refers to all content available on the Site as part of the Services, including all templates and precedents.
Governing Law: Refers to the laws of Australia.
Membership: Refers to your subscription to the Site and Services under these Terms.
Services: Refers to all services and benefits provided with your Membership on the Site, including access to the Content.
Site: Refers to the Membership platform/Members portal. By agreeing to these Terms, you also agree to comply with any Terms imposed by us or other third-party services and hosts we may use.
2. Our Contract
2.1. These Terms regulate the relationship between you and us. The contract between us is effective upon payment of your Membership fee.
2.2. By entering into this contract, you confirm that you have not relied on any representation or information outside of the details provided on the Site.
2.3. The Membership agreement operates on an ongoing basis until terminated by either party in accordance with these Terms.
3. Your Account and Personal Information
3.1. You are responsible for any actions taken under your account or using your credentials. You must keep your password confidential and notify us immediately if it is compromised.
3.2. You are responsible for providing accurate, current, and complete information to us. Failure to do so may result in the termination of your account.
4. Membership Terms
4.1. Membership fees, levels, and benefits are detailed on the Site and may change from time to time.
4.2. By accepting these Terms, you agree to receive immediate access to Membership Services and understand that Membership fees are non-refundable.
4.3. We reserve the right to verify your selected Membership level. If you have selected an incorrect level, we may charge the appropriate fee and adjust your Membership accordingly.
4.4. Members must select the correct membership level at the time of sign-up, based on the criteria specified by us.
4.5. We reserve the right to verify your membership level and, if deemed incorrect, to charge the difference for the appropriate membership level.
4.6. Any such additional payment will be automatically processed using the payment method linked to your membership account.
5. Member Conduct, Misrepresentation and Behaviour
5.1 Members must not engage in any conduct that is misleading, deceptive, defamatory, abusive, harassing, threatening or otherwise inappropriate in connection with STAAA, its members, staff, contractors, or volunteer committee members.
5.2 Members must not falsely represent themselves as acting on behalf of STAAA, having authority from STAAA or expressing official STAAA positions unless expressly authorised in writing by STAAA.
5.3 Any false, misleading, or unauthorised representation of STAAA, including but not limited to communications with third parties, government, media, or other members, constitutes a serious breach of these Terms.
5.4 Abusive, threatening, or harassing communications (including but not limited to emails, text messages, phone calls, social media messages or direct messages) directed at STAAA members, staff, contractors or volunteer committee members will not be tolerated and constitutes a material breach of these Terms.
6. Incorrect Membership Level and False Declarations
6.1 Members must select the correct membership level at the time of sign-up based on accurate and truthful information, including but not limited to the number of properties or listings they control or represent.
6.2 If we determine, acting reasonably, that a Member has:
- provided false or misleading information during sign-up; or
- intentionally selected an incorrect membership level to avoid payment of applicable fees,
we reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to immediately suspend or terminate the Membership.
6.3 In cases of intentional misrepresentation or false declaration, termination may occur with immediate effect and without any refund of Membership fees.
6.4 Where we consider the incorrect membership level to be inadvertent, we may (but are not obliged to) offer the Member the opportunity to upgrade and pay the applicable fee difference.
Fees and Payment
7.1. Membership fees are displayed in Australian Dollars and may include applicable taxes. Fees may be subject to exchange rates or additional international transaction charges if applicable.
7.2. Membership fees are non-refundable, including but not limited to cases of voluntary cancellation, change of mind, or non-usage of membership benefits.
7.3. Payments must be made as specified on the Site, without any set-off or deductions.
7.4. Refunds will not be issued for changes of mind, but we will comply with Australian Consumer Law in cases of faulty services or access issues.
8. Intellectual Property Rights
8.1. All Content on the Site is owned or licensed by us and is protected by copyright laws.
8.2. Without our prior written consent, you must not:
- Reproduce, distribute, or share the Content.
- Modify the Content outside of the scope of permissible use.
- Create derivative works or embed Content in another platform.
8.3. Breach of these terms may result in legal action, including claims for compensation.
8.4. All content available in our Members Portal is owned by us and is protected under copyright laws.
8.5. Members may not copy, distribute, share, or use any content from the Members Portal without the prior written consent from us.
8.6. Unauthorised use of portal content may result in termination of membership and potential legal action.
9. Auto-Renewal of Membership
9.1. Your Membership will automatically renew annually on the anniversary of your initial sign-up date.
9.2. Renewal fees will be charged to the payment method on file unless you cancel your Membership as outlined in Clause 9.
10. Security and Third-Party Services
10.1. Payments are processed through third-party platforms such as Stripe, and we are not responsible for the security or performance of these platforms.
10.2. While we take reasonable precautions to protect your data, we are not liable for data loss or breaches caused by third-party providers.
11. Termination of Membership
11.1. You may terminate your Membership by providing written notice to us at least 30 days before your renewal date.
11.2 If you do not provide sufficient notice, your membership will auto-renew, and the associated fee will be non-refundable.
11.3 We reserve the right to suspend or terminate a Membership immediately, without notice, where we reasonably believe there has been:
- a breach of these Terms;
- misuse of Membership benefits;
- misrepresentation of STAAA;
- abusive, harassing, or inappropriate conduct; or
- provision of false or misleading information.
11.4 Where a Membership is terminated under this clause, no refund of any Membership fees will be provided, except where required under Australian Consumer Law.
12. Use of STAAA Name and Brand
Members must not use the STAAA name, logo, branding, or representations of affiliation in a manner that is misleading, unauthorised, or inconsistent with STAAA’s stated positions or policies. Unauthorised or improper use constitutes a breach of these Terms.
13. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
13.1. This agreement is governed by the laws of Australia. Any disputes will be resolved in accordance with these laws.
13.2. Parties must attempt to resolve disputes through mediation before commencing litigation.
14. Amendments to Terms
14.1. We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Continued use of the Membership Services after changes are published constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
By proceeding with Membership, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms.