This policy explains how refunds, cancellations and complaints are handled across BMABA memberships, insurance products and associated digital services. It applies to all clubs, instructors, assistant instructors, volunteers and connected accounts.
BMABA is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, and our pricing reflects that. The terms below exist to protect our community of members from misuse of our services and to ensure we can continue to operate sustainably for everyone.
Cooling-off period and when membership is considered used
You have the right to cancel a new or renewed BMABA membership for a full refund, provided the membership has not yet been used or redeemed.
A BMABA membership (with or without insurance) is considered used or redeemed at the earliest of the following points:
The moment MyBMABA is accessed (logged into) by the account holder or any connected user. Logging into MyBMABA gives immediate access to digital services, downloadable documentation, tools, intellectual property and other member resources, and the membership portal is therefore considered fully delivered from the point of first login.
The moment any associated digital tool, service or provision is utilised, even where MyBMABA itself has not been logged into. This includes, for example, an instructor adding a new assistant instructor, volunteer or team member to their account, regardless of whether that person has personally logged into MyBMABA.
The expiry of 14 days from the date of purchase or renewal, where no login or digital service activity has taken place.
Once any of the above has occurred, the membership is considered served in full and is non-refundable.
Insurance component
Where an insurance product is included with or attached to a BMABA membership, the following additional rules apply.
Within the first 14 days of purchase, you may request cancellation of the insurance component and we will accommodate this with a full refund of the insurance element, provided that no insurance certification has been downloaded from your account.
If insurance certification has been downloaded, any refund of the insurance component is entirely at BMABA's discretion. This is because downloaded insurance paperwork can be used as proof of cover, and processing a refund in those circumstances would expose our non-profit and our wider community to abuse.
After 14 days, or upon any login to MyBMABA, the insurance component is considered served alongside the membership and is non-refundable.
Reasonable changes of circumstance
We try to accommodate all reasonable requests where a club's circumstances genuinely change, and we will always work with clubs and instructors to make practical adjustments where we can.
However, we have a duty to protect our community from individuals or organisations who could otherwise exploit our not-for-profit status for personal gain. Decisions on accommodating non-standard requests will always be made with that balance in mind.
Monthly payment plans
Monthly payment plans are offered as a payment option only. They are not a rolling subscription and they do not confer a right to cancel partway through the year.
As stated at checkout and at renewal, the monthly payment option is an annual commitment. Payment is required in full for the agreed twelve-month term regardless of any change in circumstances. There is no right to cancel monthly payments mid-term.
A failed or missed monthly payment does not end the agreement. The full outstanding balance remains due and the account holder will be liable for collection action where BMABA considers it appropriate.
Non-payment, account stop and termination
The following process applies to all unpaid invoices and failed payments, whether the original arrangement was monthly or annual.
If an invoice or payment is at least 14 days overdue, the account will be placed on stop and a final reminder will be issued.
If an invoice or payment is at least 21 days overdue, and at least two reminders have been sent, the account is liable for immediate termination. Termination is comprehensive and includes:
The primary BMABA membership
Any associated insurance products
Any connected memberships, including other instructors, assistant instructors, volunteers or staff registered under the account
Any attached digital provisions, including websites hosted with BMABA, email accounts, plugin licences, directory listings and other digital services
Termination for non-payment is treated as a forfeiture. There is not necessarily an option to make payment after cancellation and resume the previous arrangement.
Reinstatement following non-payment
Where a monthly payment plan has been cancelled due to failed payment, BMABA will refuse any further monthly payment arrangements for that account by default. To resume membership in those circumstances, one of the following routes applies:
Settlement of the outstanding balance. The club or instructor pays the full amount that was owed at the point of termination. Our team can confirm this figure on request. Once settlement has been received, we will permit a return to a monthly payment plan.
Where the outstanding balance has been written off. If BMABA has, at its sole discretion, chosen to forgive or write off the outstanding amount, we will require the club or instructor to pay for a full annual membership in advance for their first year back. At the point of renewal in year two, the option to move back onto a monthly plan may be reinstated.
Repeated non-payment
Where a club or instructor has had more than two memberships cancelled due to non-payment, BMABA reserves the right to refuse, without condition and in perpetuity, any further monthly payment arrangements with that account or its connected parties. This is a necessary protection for our non-profit against repeated financial damage.
Why this matters
We want to be transparent about why this policy is firm. When a club reneges on a payment plan, they are effectively taking money from a not-for-profit. BMABA pays for the services, resources, staffing and operational costs associated with every membership in advance. Insurance premiums are paid up front to underwriters. The membership infrastructure itself, which has cost millions of pounds to build and maintain over more than a decade, is drawn upon from the moment a member joins.
Non-payment has a direct knock-on effect on every other club in our community. It increases costs for everyone, reduces the resources we can reinvest into member services, and diverts staff time into recovery work rather than into supporting the wider membership. Our policies on reinstatement are firm because we have a duty to protect the clubs and instructors who pay properly and on time, and to safeguard the long-term sustainability of BMABA as a not-for-profit serving the UK martial arts sector.
Renewals invoiced on instruction
Where a club is renewed up front and invoiced by our team, as we often do to facilitate bespoke arrangements or to provide immediate access to clubs who give renewal instruction but urgently require documentation or cover, the service is considered served on the date the invoice is generated.
The same arrears process applies. If the invoice remains unpaid for 21 days, and at least two reminders have been issued, the account, all memberships and all associated insurances will be cancelled.
In these circumstances, an automatic rejoin of BMABA is not available. Any application to rejoin must be reviewed by the BMABA Senior Leadership Team, who will assess the risk, the financial loss incurred, and BMABA's appetite to re-engage with the club or instructor concerned. The decision of the SLT is final.
Complaints
Any complaint or concern relating to refunds, cancellations or the operation of this policy should be raised for review via our formal complaints policy.
The SLT meets weekly to review risk, including matters arising from this policy. We will respond to all complaints in a timely and considered manner.
The decision to re-admit any membership following non-payment, termination or cancellation remains entirely at BMABA's discretion. Submitting a complaint does not, in itself, give rise to a right of reinstatement.
Right to refuse service
BMABA reserves the right to refuse or withdraw service from any club, instructor or connected user where we feel we will be unable to maintain a professional working relationship. Reasons may include, but are not limited to:
Abusive, aggressive or rude correspondence or conduct
The tone of communications with our team
A persistent lack of engagement
A lack of apparent professionalism inconsistent with the standards expected of a BMABA member
Where this right is exercised, the same termination process and forfeiture provisions set out above will apply, and any application to rejoin will be subject to SLT review.
Statutory rights
Nothing in this policy is intended to limit any statutory rights you have as a consumer under UK law. Where this policy and your statutory rights conflict, your statutory rights prevail. Members and clubs purchasing BMABA services in a business or professional capacity should note that some consumer protections, including certain cooling-off provisions, may not apply.
If you are unsure of your position, please contact us at [email protected] before making a purchase or requesting a refund.
Re-joining after a natural expiry
If your BMABA membership was simply left to expire at the end of its term, and nothing was left outstanding or overdue on the account, there is no issue at all. We would warmly welcome you rejoining the BMABA community in the usual way.
When you register again, there is an option on the registration form to let us know that you were previously a BMABA member. Selecting this allows our team to fast-track your application, as we can draw on your previous records rather than starting from scratch.
This route is only available where the previous membership ended naturally and in good standing. Accounts that were terminated for non-payment, forfeiture or under the right to refuse service provisions will continue to fall under the SLT review process set out in sections 7 and 8 above.
Upgrading and downgrading mid-term
Members may upgrade their membership tier at any point during their term. Upgrades are charged on a pro-rata basis for the remainder of the current membership year, and access to the additional tier benefits is granted as soon as payment clears.
There is no right to downgrade a membership mid-term, and no refund or adjustment to monthly payments will be issued where a downgrade is requested. Different membership tiers convey different intellectual property, data access, digital tools and member-only resources, and the value of a tier is delivered the moment those resources become available to the account. The membership is therefore considered served in the same way as a standard membership, regardless of whether every individual benefit has been actively used.
This is especially true where tier-specific content has been accessed or utilised. Examples include, but are not limited to, CPD courses reserved for Silver or Gold members, club websites provided to Gold members, premium digital tools, advanced documentation and any IP made available exclusively to a particular tier. Once tier-specific provisions have been drawn upon, the higher tier is considered fully redeemed for the remainder of the term.
Downgrade requests will be honoured at the point of renewal, where the member can choose any tier they wish for the following membership year.