Houzz Pro Terms and Conditions

Houzz Pro provides home industry professionals with a business management and marketing SaaS solution that helps them to win projects, collaborate with clients and teams, and run their business efficiently and profitably.

These Houzz Pro Terms and Conditions (the “Terms”) apply to your use of the Houzz Pro Platform (defined below). The Terms are a binding legal agreement between you (“Professional”, “you”, or “your”) and Houzz Inc. (“Houzz”, “we”, “us”, or “our”). The following additional terms or agreements and policies may also apply to you:

• • Pro Services Agreement: If you paid for a Houzz Pro plan, you are also bound by the Pro Services Agreement that was emailed to you at the time you purchased your plan. This agreement includes information about the cost of your software and/or advertising plan, the duration of your term, and when you can cancel your plan.
• • Houzz Terms of Use: The Terms of Use govern your use of www.houzz.com and all of the websites, mobile apps, products, software, services, programs, and networks offered by Houzz (collectively, the “Houzz Platform”). The Houzz Pro Terms and Conditions supplement the Terms of Use and are incorporated by reference into the Terms of Use.
• • Privacy Policy: The Privacy Policy describes the personal information that we collect, how we use the information, how the information may be shared, and what choices and rights you have with respect to the information. Access and use of the Houzz Platform is subject to this Privacy Policy.
• • Trade Program and Business Program Terms and Conditions: These terms apply if you shop for items on our Houzz Shop website in the Trade or Business Program.

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO REVIEW THESE TERMS CAREFULLY. THESE TERMS PROVIDE IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO YOU. BY ACCEPTING THESE TERMS OR ACCESSING OR USING THE HOUZZ PLATFORM IN ANY WAY, YOU AGREE TO RESOLVE ANY DISPUTES BY INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO HAVE THOSE DISPUTES DECIDED BY A JUDGE OR JURY, AND THAT YOU WAIVE YOUR RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN CLASS ACTIONS, CLASS ARBITRATIONS, OR ANY TYPE OF REPRESENTATIVE ACTIONS. ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS ALSO MEANS THAT YOU AGREE TO GRANT US RIGHTS TO YOUR CONTENT, OUR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY TO YOU AND, IF YOU CHOOSE TO PROVIDE US WITH YOUR PHONE NUMBER, YOU AGREE TO RECEIVE MARKETING CALLS AND TEXT MESSAGES FROM US IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW.

THESE TERMS ALSO COVER YOUR AGREEMENT TO MAKE FUTURE RECURRING PAYMENTS FOR CERTAIN PRO PLATFORM PURCHASES THAT MAY AUTOMATICALLY RENEW.

By accessing or using the Pro Platform in any way, you are agreeing to these Terms in their entirety. If you do not agree with any portion of the Terms, you may not use the Pro Platform. You agree that these Terms are enforceable like any other written agreement signed by you.

1. Changes To The Terms

We may revise these Terms from time to time, including any linked or referenced documents. The most current version of these Terms will govern your use of the Pro Platform. If we make material changes to these Terms, we will notify you by the email address associated with your account or by posting a notice on the Pro Platform or by other means, to offer you an opportunity to review the changes before they become effective. If you do not agree to the revised Terms, you should immediately stop accessing or using the Pro Platform. By continuing to access or use the Pro Platform after those changes become effective, you are subject to the new Terms.

2. Pro Platform

The Pro Platform consists of the Houzz Pro website, Houzz Pro mobile applications, as well as all other related products, software, services, programs, and networks, like our advertising or website services (collectively referred to as the “Pro Platform”). Certain specific terms apply to the following services:

1. Advertising Services. “Advertising Services” means any advertising and marketing services provided through the Pro Platform, which may include premium features, sponsored ad placements, receiving leads from “Project Match”, “Select Match”, “Additional Leads Pool”, or similar features. If you purchased Advertising Services you may need to reach out to Houzz or provide Houzz with additional information before the Advertising Services can be provided to you. If you don’t reach out or provide the necessary information within 90 days of purchase, Houzz may forfeit your right to receive the Advertising Services and Houzz will have no further obligation to deliver the Advertising Services. Our Advertising Services enable Houzz to target “Ad Content”. Ad Content means advertising materials generated by or on behalf of Houzz using Your Content (defined below) often placed in standard templates for publication on the Pro Platform to users oftentimes designated by you in designated regions (or sub-metros). Houzz in its reasonable discretion may determine if sponsored or promotional content is Ad Content if it is not reasonably clear from the context. Houzz may provide you with an estimate of how many impressions, clicks, or contacts, or how much market share you will receive. However, Houzz cannot guarantee these estimates, that Ad Content will always reach the designated audience, or that leads will contact you. You understand that users, automated computers, third parties and Houzz personnel may generate impressions, clicks or leads, and Houzz cannot guarantee that those impressions, clicks or leads reflect genuine interest. Houzz also cannot guarantee that the impressions, clicks or contacts will be uniformly distributed. Your exposure may change over time and Houzz does not guarantee that your revenue or profits will increase using Advertising Services or the Pro Platform.
2. Website Services. “Website Services” means any website displaying Your Content (defined below) and other content provided by or on behalf of you into standard Houzz web templates with hosting managed by Houzz. If you have transferred your non-Houzz website domain to Houzz or requested Houzz to purchase a non-Houzz website domain ("Non-Houzz URL"), Houzz may renew the registration for the Non-Houzz URL as part of the Website Services. For clarity, Houzz does not make any representations or warranties regarding whether the website domain or content infringes the trademark or copyright of third parties. If you would like Houzz to transfer the Non-Houzz URL back to you, please send a written request to your Houzz representative or submit a support inquiry from your account.
3. Email Services. “Email Services” means tools that enable you to send emails and implement email marketing. Email Services may involve Third-Party Services (defined below). Email Services may not be used for the preparation or distribution of junk mail, spam, chain letters, pyramid schemes, or other deceptive or unsolicited bulk commercial email, or violate in any way the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 or equivalent, or similar applicable law, or send emails implying they are being sent on behalf of Houzz. You agree that you have consent to send any email communication you send through the Houzz Email Services and will not violate any of the restrictions listed above.
4. Call Tracking. “Call Tracking” is a marketing service that allows you to track calls through the Pro Platform. Call Tracking or some of its features are not available in all locations. If you use the Call Tracking feature, Houzz may mask your phone number and may record information about the call, including the caller, time, and duration. In regions where Call Tracking is available, Call Tracking will automatically be enabled, unless you opt to disable this feature by notifying Houzz at least 48 hours before the feature goes live. Thereafter, you can disable call tracking at any time by going to your Pro Account settings.
5. Pro Spotlight. “Pro Spotlight” is a story about you considered to be Houzz Content, written by Houzz, that is available on your Pro Profile (defined below) and that may also be displayed publicly. “Pro Profile” refers to your professional public profile on the Pro Platform. If you purchase or receive a Pro Spotlight, you may be required to complete a questionnaire, interview, and/or provide Your Content for use in creating the Pro Spotlight. While you will have input, Houzz will have final editorial control over the content of the Pro Spotlight. Placement and designation of the Pro Spotlight will be determined by Houzz and may change from time to time. Houzz does not guarantee a particular number of Pro Spotlight views, impressions, clicks, or leads.
6. Photography Services. “Photography Services” means professional photography of your project taken by a Houzz photographer or a third party photographer (“Outside Photographer”) during a period of time (“Photoshoot”) to make photos of your project (“Photos”) available to you. You understand and agree that you must redeem your Photoshoot within the then-current Term (defined below) in which the Photoshoot was purchased or received. If you do not redeem your Photoshoot within the applicable Term, then except as otherwise agreed in writing by Houzz, you will forfeit your right to receive the Photoshoot and Houzz will have no further obligation to deliver Photos or reimburse you for any Photoshoot. To the extent permitted by applicable law, any amounts paid for a Photoshoot are non-refundable. Furthermore, a photoshoot will only be made available to you if you have no payment amounts past due to Houzz. You understand and agree that to the extent you provide any Personal Data (defined below) to Houzz of homeowners or other individuals (for example, to schedule a Photoshoot), you represent and warrant that you have all rights and permissions necessary to provide such information to Houzz. Subject to your compliance with these Terms and any applicable Agreement (defined below), including without limitation any payment obligations and subject to the assignment to Houzz by such Outside Photographer, Houzz will assign those rights received from Outside Photographers in all Photos. You acknowledge and agree that Houzz may upload your Photos to your Pro Profile. If your Photos are uploaded or submitted to the Pro Platform by you or on your behalf (including by Houzz or by an Outside Photographer), you grant Houzz a worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, fully paid up, transferable, and fully sublicenseable (through multiple tiers of sublicensees) license to reproduce, process, distribute, transmit, modify, publish, adapt, create derivative works of, publicly display and publicly perform and fully exploit such Photos in accordance with these Terms. You are responsible for obtaining all rights and clearances necessary for the Photos prior to the Photoshoot. Houzz reserves the right to remove any Photo in its sole discretion. In connection with the Photography Services, you irrevocably grant to Houzz or the Outside Photographer, as applicable, the right and permission to photograph, film, or otherwise record your name, voice, and likeness, as well as any home, business, real estate or personal property that you make accessible to Houzz. You also represent and warrant that you have all permissions and releases necessary to photograph at the designated location(s) or otherwise appearing in the Photos and any persons, objects, goods, and products appearing in the Photos. If a Photoshoot is canceled or rescheduled a fee may be charged in accordance with these Terms or an Agreement.
7. Professional Documents. The Pro Platform may allow you to create renderings, mood boards, floor plans, estimates, proposals, invoices, change orders, contracts, and other similar business documents (collectively “Pro Documents”). These Pro Documents can be made available for review and signature (including e-signature) to your vendors, sub-contractors, customers, clients, potential clients, leads or similar individuals or businesses (collectively “Clients”). You are responsible for any Pro Documents and delivering to your Clients any services or materials purchased by them or on their behalf.
8. Payment Processing Services. Houzz may provide tools that enable Clients to transact with Professionals (“Payment Processing Services”). As a condition of our enabling Payment Processing Services, you represent and warrant that the information you provide to us in connection with transactions made on the Pro Platform (“Payment Information”) is accurate and complete at all times. Furthermore, you represent and warrant that your use of the Pro Platform does not violate any applicable laws or terms to which you are subject. You agree that you are responsible for paying for all purchases made on behalf of your Clients. To the extent that you receive payment from Clients through the Pro Platform, payments will be disbursed to you according to certain schedules. Please note that any payments or transactions between you and a Client made via the Pro Platform are facilitated through a third-party payment processor whose terms will apply. Clients might be enabled to pay your payable documents like estimates, invoices, and change orders online. You may opt out of receiving online payments anytime by going to your Online Payments Settings.
1. Payment Information. Payment Information and other sensitive financial information may not be shared or sent using the Pro Platform except via the dedicated methods specifically made available by Houzz for those purposes. You agree that you are authorized to share Payment Information and other information about you, your business, and your transactions with us and our third party payment processors. Please see the Third Party Services (below) for more details. If you believe that any data related to Payment Processing Services was accessed or disclosed without permission you agree to promptly notify Houzz.
2. Disputes and Repayment Risks. If you are involved in a credit card or payment dispute involving a payment made through or in connection with the Pro Platform, such as a chargeback, you agree to provide us and our third-party payment processor with all information relevant to the dispute. If any funds are withdrawn as a result of the dispute or chargeback, you agree to reimburse us within 48-hours of the date the dispute was initiated. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Houzz may obtain reimbursement of any amounts owed to us by instructing our payment processor to deduct such amounts from your payment method(s), deduct amounts from any of your stored payment methods (including credit cards or bank accounts), deduct amounts from future payments owed to you, or by reversing credits, or through any other lawful means, including by using third-party collections services. You explicitly authorize Houzz to use any or all of the foregoing methods to seek reimbursement. It is Houzz's business practice to identify and investigate disputed transactions, suspected fraud, and transactions with repayment risk. Houzz reserves the right to withhold disbursements until Houzz completes investigations of disputed or risky transactions.
3. Refunds. If you agree to refund a Client any fees, you are responsible for and will pay us (and we may retain) any transaction costs associated with such refund.
4. Fees. There may be fees and surcharges related to the Payment Processing Services. The applicable payment processing fees are disclosed and displayed on the Houzz Platform while using the Payment Processing Services and shall be deducted automatically from payments made via the Pro Platform.
9. Trade Program. Any participation in our Houzz Trade Program and Business Program is subject to the Houzz Trade Program and Business Trade Program Terms and Conditions.
10. Service Availability. Not all Pro Platform services or features are available on all plans, in all regions, or on all devices. While Houzz may provide prior notice where practicable, you acknowledge and agree that any and all of the services and features available on the Pro Platform may be modified, updated, interrupted, suspended or discontinued at any time without notice or liability. Houzz may also provide you with certain services or features for a limited, promotional, or trial period only. Services or features may also be unavailable to you if you cease to order or pay for them, violate applicable laws, infringe on third party intellectual property rights, have payment amounts past due to Houzz, or these Terms are terminated or otherwise unapplicable.
11. Third Party Services. Certain aspects of the Pro Platform may integrate with products or services provided by third parties (“Third-Party Services”). Houzz does not operate, control, approve of, or endorse any of the Third-Party Services, including their security, availability, or accuracy. Your use of Third-Party Services may be subject to the terms and policies of those third parties. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself and comply with any applicable third-party terms. Houzz is not responsible for any Third-Party Services. Your use and reliance on any Third-Party Service is at your own risk.
12. Electronic Signature Services. Houzz may provide you with services that enable you or your Clients to sign documents electronically (“E-Sign Services”). The requirements for a valid, legally enforceable electronic signature differ based on the jurisdiction. Houzz will not be liable or responsible for the document, its enforceability or for any losses incurred due to an unenforceable electronic signature. You are solely responsible for your communications and interactions and any damages incurred by using any of our E-Sign Services.
13. Visual Tools. Houzz may provide a wide variety of “Visual Tools” or software features that help you graphically or digitally represent ideas, conceptual relationships, or drawings. Some of these Visual Tools include: 3D Ruler Tool, Mood Boards, Room Planner, 3D Floor Planner, dimensional information, and Room Scanning or other LiDAR technologies. Keep in mind that the Visual Tools are intended only to assist you and are not a substitute for your professional judgment, independent design, analysis, simulation, estimation, testing or other activities, including those with respect to safety and utility. Houzz will not be responsible or liable in any manner whatsoever for use of the Visual Tools, including the accuracy of measurements or any personal injury or damage to property. To reduce the risk of injury, only use the tools as intended, in a safe and controlled manner. Always be aware of your surroundings before beginning use and while using the Visual Tools. Use caution to avoid injury. Serious injuries can occur from tripping or striking walls, furniture, other objects or people. Houzz recommends clearing an area for safe use before using the Visual Tools. Remember that the objects you see in the virtual environment do not exist in the real world, and you should not attempt to sit or stand on them or use them for support. Take special care to ensure that you are not near other people, objects, stairs or steps, ramps, sidewalk(s), balconies, open doorways, windows, furniture, open flames (like candles or fireplaces), ceiling fans or light fixtures, televisions or monitors, or other items that you may impact or strike when using—or immediately after using—the Visual Tools. Remember that while using the Visual Tools you may be unaware that people and pets may enter your immediate area. Never use the Visual Tools in situations that require attention, such as walking, bicycling, or driving.

3. Professional Responsibilities

1. Cooperation. You agree to cooperate promptly and reasonably with requests by Houzz related to our Pro Platform. You recognize that some of the Pro Platform services cannot be provided without your complete cooperation (e.g., for Website Services or Pro Spotlight) and in those instances you agree to provide Houzz with all of the content necessary for us to provide the Pro Platform services to you. If you do not provide us with the necessary content then we may not be able to provide you with the applicable service.
2. Pro Account. You must create a Pro Account and provide certain information about yourself in order to use and access the Pro Platform. A “Pro Account” is the digital platform that provides you (and others) access to the Pro Platform. You are required to provide accurate Pro Account information including license information and the professional category you select (such as “architect” or “general contractor”). You are solely responsible for the professional category you select. If the category requires a specific license or other requirements to be met you cannot select that category without having that license or without meeting those requirements. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and security of any Pro Account username(s) or password(s). In the event the email associated with your account becomes inaccessible to you, you may be asked to provide information in order to update your login credentials. If the information you provide is insufficient to prove account ownership, you may lose permanent access to your account. You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your Pro Account or Pro Platform. In some instances, access to your Pro Account may be limited. Houzz reserves the right to monitor Pro Account access and block access to anyone that exceeds the allowable number of persons authorized to access the Pro Account or close the Pro Account in its entirety. If your Pro Account is accessed by a number of persons that exceeds the number of persons allowed to access your Pro Account, Houzz reserves the right to charge you for those persons. The number of people allowed to access your Pro Account can be found in your plan Agreement or (ii) your Pro Account.
3. Your Content. “Your Content” means all information, content, or materials made available or submitted by you to Houzz via any means. Placement and designation of Your Content may be determined by Houzz and may change from time to time. You agree that Your Content should complement and enhance the Pro Platform experience for all users generally. Houzz reserves the right to reject, modify or delete Your Content at any time in its reasonable discretion. In the event of Houzz’s refusal to accept Your Content, you agree to promptly substitute other content reasonably acceptable to Houzz. Notwithstanding any feedback, acceptance, or refusal of Your Content, you remain responsible for all Your Content. For more information on Your Content, please see the Houzz Terms of Use and Section 6 of these Terms.
4. User Data. You may have access to or receive data through the Pro Platform pertaining to Clients or anyone else (referred to collectively as “User Data”). You may use the User Data only for the intended purpose for which it was provided (i.e. to respond to the applicable person in a timely manner or as otherwise authorized) in accordance with these Terms, and all applicable data protection laws. You may share such User Data only to the extent authorized by the person to which such data relates provided that you are and remain responsible for ensuring compliance with this provision and all applicable laws. Without limiting the foregoing, you shall not sell User Data. You shall protect the confidentiality of User Data and use appropriate security safeguards to protect User Data against unauthorized or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction, alteration, disclosure of or access to User Data. You will honor requests by individuals exercising their rights under applicable law (e.g. with respect to not contacting the individual further, withdrawing their consent, data deletion or data access etc.). If you receive any privacy inquiry or complaint from an individual, regulator or other party related to the use of User Data, you will promptly inform Houzz of such inquiry or complaint and will cooperate reasonably and in good faith to respond to such inquiry or complaint. If Houzz makes User Data available to you, for example, in the form of leads from our “Project Match” tool, “Additional Leads Pool” or similar features, Houzz has informed the individuals to which such User Data relates that their information will be provided to you for such purposes.
5. Communications with Clients. All communications taking place via the Pro Platform must comply with applicable laws including all opt-out and unsubscribe requests. If Clients don’t affirmatively respond to or are not otherwise receptive to your communications, you agree that you will cease communicating to such Clients. You agree to obtain proper legal consent before sending any communications to anyone. If Houzz shares contact information with you and then asks you not to use that contact information anymore for legal reasons, you may not contact that Client. You understand and agree that you are the sender of, and responsible for, any of your communications sent via the Pro Platform, and Houzz is not the sender of your communications.
6. User Disputes. You agree that you are solely responsible for your Communications with Clients or Pro Documents. Houzz has no liability or responsibility in connection with such interactions or documents. We reserve the right, but have no obligation to become involved in any complaints, disputes, or disagreements between you and any other user of the Pro Platform or your Clients.
7. Reviews. You understand and acknowledge that others may post content about your business on the Pro Platform, including ratings and reviews. You agree that you will not, or will not assist, incentivize, encourage, or enable others to post any fake or defamatory reviews, post on behalf of a Client or other party, trade reviews with other users or Clients, or compensate someone or be compensated to post, refrain from posting, or attempt to remove a review, or post a review that violates the Houzz Review Policy. Houzz may remove you from the Pro Platform if Houzz, in its sole discretion, finds you to be in violation of this section. You understand and acknowledge that Houzz may employ automated software in an effort to showcase the most reliable and useful reviews while displaying other reviews less prominently. You understand and acknowledge that while Houzz tries to identify and suppress potentially less helpful reviews, Houzz may sometimes suppress legitimate reviews or fail to detect illegitimate reviews. You understand and acknowledge that any purchase of any paid services from Houzz will not allow or enable you, directly or indirectly, to alter reviews or impact whether reviews appear. Due to our moderation process there may be a reasonable delay between review submission and display on your Profile.
8. Partnership Programs. If you earn money, reimbursements, credits, or discounts from supporting manufacturers on the Pro Platform (known as being part of a “Dealer Program”) you are solely responsible for ensuring your eligibility directly with the supporting manufacturer. Houzz is not responsible for ensuring you are properly compensated.

4. Billing and Payment

1. Amounts Due. You agree to pay for anything you purchase on the Pro Platform. If you purchase a Houzz Pro plan, you may enter into an additional Agreement titled the Pro Services Agreement, which includes details about the cost and duration of the plan you purchased. You agree that your purchase may be subject to additional fees or surcharges including but not limited to: recurring fees, usage-based fees, transaction fees deducted automatically, one-time fees, Pro Account set-up fees, and surcharges for using a payment card.
2. Promotions, Discounts, and Free-Trials. For clarity, unless otherwise expressly provided, any promotion or discount will only apply during the Initial Term for which the promotion or discount is applicable. Unless otherwise expressly provided, the “Initial Term” is a 12-month period beginning on the date you start paying for a plan. Free Trials will only be provided for the length of time listed in the promotional materials (e.g., 14 or 30 days). Free Trials are only available for new customers who are signing-up for Houzz Pro for the first time. Any free services provided in conjunction with a paid service will be provided only so long as you do not have payment amounts past due to Houzz.
3. Non-Refundable. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, all amounts payable to Houzz are non-refundable unless expressly provided otherwise. Houzz may set off amounts payable by Houzz to you against amounts payable by you to Houzz.
4. Recurring Billing. EXCEPT FOR IN ITALY AND AUSTRALIA, IF YOU PAID FOR A HOUZZ PRO PLAN YOUR PLAN WILL RENEW AUTOMATICALLY WITHOUT ADDITIONAL NOTICE FOR SUCCESSIVE 12-MONTH TERMS (EACH, A “RENEWAL TERM”) UNLESS YOU PROVIDE A NOTICE OF NON-RENEWAL AT LEAST 30 DAYS BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF THE THEN-CURRENT INITIAL TERM OR RENEWAL TERM BY EMAILING PRONOTICES@HOUZZ.COM.
5. Price Increase. HOUZZ RESERVES THE RIGHT TO INCREASE PRICES FROM TIME TO TIME. IN THE EVENT OF A PRICE INCREASE, HOUZZ SHALL PROVIDE YOU WITH WRITTEN NOTICE AT LEAST THIRTY (30) DAYS PRIOR TO THE INCREASE VIA THE EMAIL ADDRESS ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR PRO ACCOUNT. SUCH CHANGE SHALL NOT REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL APPROVAL BY YOU AND WILL GO INTO EFFECT AS LISTED ON THE NOTICE. IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THE PRICE INCREASE YOU MUST CANCEL AND CEASE ACCESSING THE PRO PLATFORM BEFORE THE PRICE INCREASE GOES INTO EFFECT. CONTINUED USE OF THE PRO PLATFORM AFTER THAT TIME WILL BE TAKEN AS ACCEPTANCE OF THE INCREASED PRICE.
6. Payment Method. Houzz has the right to store your payment method(s) in accordance with the Houzz Privacy Policy. You must promptly update all of your payment method(s) and related information (for example, a change in your billing address or credit card expiration date) to maintain its accuracy and completeness. We may update the information and continue billing your payment method (e.g. credit card) even after it has expired or been updated, to avoid interruptions and other transactions you authorize.
7. Late Fees. If we are unable to collect any amounts owed by you, we may limit your use of the Pro Platform. We may collect those amounts owed using any legal manner without prejudice to any other right or remedy we may be entitled to under these Terms or by law. In the event that Houzz brings any action or suit to collect any amounts owed, Houzz will be entitled to recover its costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees incurred in such collection. Any amounts past due will be subject to a late fee of the lesser of 1.5% per month or the maximum amount permitted by law. In the event that these Terms or any Agreement is breached due to non-payment, and then you subsequently pay the amounts due, these Terms and any Agreement(s) shall be automatically reinstated unless Houzz informs you otherwise.
8. Taxes. You are responsible for paying all taxes, excluding only taxes based on Houzz's net income. If Houzz has the legal obligation to pay or collect taxes for which you are responsible, the appropriate amount shall be invoiced to and paid by you, unless you provide Houzz with a valid tax exemption certificate authorized by the appropriate taxing authority. Houzz may begin invoicing and charging such taxes to you at any time, which amount may vary based on changes to the tax rate or applicability. Your invoice will reflect the final total taxes in effect at the time of invoicing and for this reason may differ from other amounts listed. Houzz may issue a 1099-K form to certain U.S. Pros to comply with IRS and applicable state requirements. You may opt in to receive your 1099-K form electronically.
9. Outstanding Balances. For any amounts owed by you to Houzz, including for any chargebacks from Clients, refunds, or other amounts (collectively, "Outstanding Balances"), Houzz may (a) charge your credit card in the amount of any Outstanding Balances, (b) submit an invoice to you for any Outstanding Balances, or (c) collect payment or reimbursement for any Outstanding Balances from you by any other lawful means. You authorize Houzz to use any or all of these methods to recover any Outstanding Balances.

5. Term and Termination

1. Term. If you paid for a Houzz Pro plan, your plan term length (which is different from the length of these Terms) will be specified in your Account Settings or your Pro Service Agreement. However, these Terms will continue to apply for any use or access of the Pro Platform.
2. Termination by Professional. If you have a free Pro Account you may terminate your agreement to these Terms by selecting Remove Professional Profile on the Edit Profile section on the Pro Platform. However, certain provisions of the Terms will survive termination, as detailed below. If you paid for your Houzz Pro plan, please see your Account Settings or Pro Service Agreement for details on your plan length and instructions for termination.
3. Termination by Houzz. In the event of your material breach of these Terms, Houzz may immediately terminate these Terms and any applicable Agreements between you and Houzz by providing written notice to you. If Houzz terminates these Terms for your material breach, Houzz has no obligation to refund any amounts to you and you shall immediately pay any additional amounts due to Houzz. These Terms may also be terminated by Houzz for any reason by providing you 30 days prior written notice. In such a case, Houzz will promptly refund you any prepaid amounts, on a pro rata basis, for services not delivered.
4. Effect of Termination. In the event of any termination of these Terms, whether by you or us, you will no longer be allowed to access the Pro Platform. Those sections that by their nature are intended to survive termination or expiration of this Agreement shall so survive in full force and effect including but not limited to sections 2(h), 3(b), 3(d), 3(e), 4, 5(d), and 6-20. Furthermore, at Houzz's discretion, Your Content may continue to be published provided, however, upon your written request, Houzz will not attribute Your Content to you by name or contact information. Houzz may, but is under no obligation to keep any data collected from you. If Houzz provides a copy to any data, Houzz reserves the right to charge a fee for such requests, as permitted by applicable law. Houzz retains the license to Your Content described in Section 6 after termination.

6. Intellectual Property and Proprietary Rights

1. Your Content. Professional, or your licensors, as applicable, retain ownership of Your Content, subject to the following license granted to Houzz. Professional hereby grants to us and our affiliates, licensees and sublicensees, without compensation to you or others, a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, fully paid-up, worldwide license (including the right to sublicense through multiple tiers) to use, reproduce, process, adapt, publicly perform, publicly display, modify, prepare derivative works, publish, transmit and distribute Your Content, or any portion thereof, throughout the world in any format, media or distribution method (whether now known or hereafter created) for the duration of any copyright or other rights in Your Content. Such permission will be perpetual and may not be revoked for any reason, including in the event of termination of any applicable Houzz program or service, to the maximum extent permitted by law. Further, to the extent permitted under applicable law, you waive and release and covenant not to assert any moral rights that you may have in Your Content. If you identify yourself by name or provide a picture or audio or video recording of yourself, you further authorize us and our affiliates, licensees and sublicensees, without compensation to you or others, to reproduce, print, publish and disseminate in any format or media (whether now known or hereafter created) your name, voice and likeness throughout the world, and such permission will be perpetual and cannot be revoked for any reason, except as required by applicable law. You further agree that we may use Your Content in any manner that we deem appropriate or necessary. For clarity, Houzz will not make your proposals, invoices, to-do lists, schedules, change orders, or time and expense tracking, publicly available except at your direction.
2. Houzz Content and Houzz Materials. Houzz retains all rights, title and interest in and to the Pro Platform, Houzz technology, and any content and information created or made available by Houzz (together “Houzz Content”). Except for the express licenses set forth in these Terms, there are no other licenses granted to you, express, implied or by way of estoppel. All rights not granted in these Terms are reserved by Houzz.
3. Professional Restrictions. You may not use Houzz Content, Pro Spotlight, Ad Content or other Houzz created content outside of the Pro Platform. You will not decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble or otherwise attempt to derive the source code for the Pro Platform and will not use the Pro Platform in a manner that is not expressly allowed under these Terms.
4. Press Releases; Use of Houzz Marks. Without Houzz's prior written consent, you will not issue any press releases or public statements concerning Houzz or the Pro Platform, including the Terms, or use, display or modify Houzz's trademarks.

7. Representations and Warranties

1. You represent and warrant to Houzz that:
1. You have read, understood, and agree to be bound by the Houzz Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy;
2. You have the necessary power and authority to enter into these Terms. If you access the Pro Platform on behalf of another entity or business, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind such entity or business to these Terms and that both you and such entity or business are jointly and severally liable;
3. Houzz's use of Your Content and Ad Content does not violate or infringe any intellectual property right, right of privacy, right of publicity, or any other proprietary or personal right of any third party, or constitute false advertising, fraud or misrepresentation;
4. You have all necessary rights and authority to grant Houzz the rights granted under these these Terms with respect to Your Content;
5. Your Content does not contain content that is obscene, defamatory, libelous, or slanderous, or otherwise harmful to, any person, corporation or other entity or violate applicable law;
6. Your use of the Pro Platform, User Data, and any offer or provision of services and products in connection with the Pro Platform, does not violate any applicable laws, ordinances, rules or regulations;
7. You may not access or use the Pro Platform if you are a competitor of Houzz, or if we have previously suspended you from the Pro Platform;
8. You will comply at all times with the intellectual property restrictions set forth in these Terms; and
9. You will not misrepresent your identity or affiliation to anyone in connection with Houzz.
2. You also represent and warrant that you will not, and will not assist, encourage, or enable others to use the Pro Platform to:
1. Violate our Terms;
2. Create multiple Pro Accounts for the same business in the same or different markets, or create Pro Accounts for businesses or services that are not supported by the Pro Platform;
3. Post any fake or defamatory review, trade reviews with others, or compensate someone or be compensated to post, refrain from posting, or remove a review;
4. Violate any third party’s rights, including any breach of confidence, copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, moral right, privacy right, right of publicity, or any other intellectual property or proprietary right;
5. Threaten, stalk, harm, or harass others, or promote bigotry or discrimination;
6. Solicit personal information from minors;
7. Violate any applicable law;
8. Modify, adapt, appropriate, reproduce, distribute, translate, create derivative works or adaptations of, publicly display, sell, trade, or in any way exploit the Pro Platform, Ad Content, or Your Content, except as expressly authorized by Houzz;
9. Use any robot, spider, service search/retrieval application, or other automated device, process or means to access, retrieve, copy, scrape, or index any portion of the Pro Platform or any Ad Content, except as expressly permitted by Houzz;
10. Reverse engineer any portion of the Pro Platform, unless applicable law prohibits this restriction, in which case you agree to provide us with 30 days’ prior written notice by sending an email to legal@houzz.com;
11. Record, process, or mine information about Clients or Pro Platform users;
12. Access, retrieve or index any portion of the Pro Platform for purposes of constructing or populating your own database of business reviews, or potential Clients;
13. Reformat or frame any portion of the Pro Platform;
14. Take any action that imposes, or may impose, in our discretion, an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on Houzz’s technology infrastructure or otherwise make excessive traffic demands;
15. Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Pro Platform, Pro Account, computer systems or networks connected to the Pro Platform through hacking, password mining or any other means;
16. Use the Pro Platform or any Ad or Your Content to transmit any computer viruses, worms, defects, Trojan horses, malicious code, spyware, malware or other items of a destructive or harmful nature;
17. Use any device, software or routine that interferes with the proper working of the Pro Platform, or otherwise attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Pro Platform;
18. Use the Pro Platform to violate the security of any computer network, crack passwords or security encryption codes, disrupt or interfere with the security of, or otherwise cause harm to, the Pro Platform or Ad Content; or
19. Remove, circumvent, disable, damage or otherwise interfere with any security-related features, features that prevent or restrict the use or copying of content, or features that enforce limitations on the use of the Pro Platform.

8. Indemnification and Defense

1. Indemnification and Defense. You hereby agree to fully indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Houzz, its parents, subsidiaries, officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates, distributors, service providers, partners, licensors, contractors, representatives and content providers (collectively, “Houzz Indemnified Parties”) from and against any and all third-party claims, actions, demands, losses, damages, costs (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys' fees), liabilities, expenses, and proceedings (“Claims”) arising out of or relating to (i) your access to or use of the Pro Platform, including Your Content, (ii) your violation of a material term of these Terms, (iii) your breach of your express representations and warranties provided under these Terms, (iv) any third party products or services purchased or obtained by you in connection with the Pro Platform, (v) your products or services, or the marketing or provision thereof to any Client, (vi) any breach or mishandling of data by you, (vii) not complying with Houzz’s request to remove personal data, or (viii) the infringement by you, or any third party using your Pro Account, or by the Photos, User Data, or Your Content of any intellectual property or other right of any person or entity. Your counsel defending such Claim will be subject to Houzz's prior written approval, not to be unreasonably withheld. Houzz reserves the right to participate fully in and assume joint control of the defense of any Action. You agree not to settle any such matter without the prior written consent of Houzz. Houzz will use reasonable efforts to notify you of any such claim, action or proceeding upon becoming aware of it.

9. Limitation of Liability and Disclaimer

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY BECAUSE IT LIMITS THE LIABILITY OF HOUZZ TO YOU. EACH OF THE SUBSECTIONS BELOW ONLY APPLIES UP TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW. NOTHING HEREIN IS INTENDED TO LIMIT ANY RIGHTS YOU MAY HAVE WHICH MAY NOT BE LAWFULLY LIMITED. BY ACCESSING OR USING THE PRO PLATFORM, YOU REPRESENT THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND AGREE TO THESE TERMS, INCLUDING THIS SECTION. YOU ARE GIVING UP SUBSTANTIAL LEGAL RIGHTS BY AGREEING TO THESE TERMS.

1. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES. WHILE HOUZZ TAKES REASONABLE CARE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES TO YOU, THE PRO PLATFORM AND AD CONTENT ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU ON AN “AS IS”, “WITH ALL FAULTS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS, WITH THE EXPRESS UNDERSTANDING THAT HOUZZ MAY NOT MONITOR, CONTROL, OR VET YOUR CONTENT OR THIRD PARTY CONTENT. AS SUCH, YOUR USE OF THE PRO PLATFORM IS AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION AND RISK. HOUZZ MAKES NO CLAIMS OR PROMISES ABOUT THE QUALITY, COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY, OR RELIABILITY OF THE PRO PLATFORM ITS SAFETY OR SECURITY, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION THE SECURITY OF YOUR DATA, OR THE AD CONTENT. ACCORDINGLY, HOUZZ IS NOT LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY PERSONAL INJURY, LOSS OR DAMAGE THAT MIGHT ARISE, FOR EXAMPLE, FROM THE SERVICE’S INOPERABILITY, SERVICE UNAVAILABILITY, SECURITY VULNERABILITIES OR FROM YOUR RELIANCE ON THE QUALITY, ACCURACY, OR RELIABILITY, METRICS OR OTHER CONTENT FOUND ON, USED ON, OR MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE PRO PLATFORM. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HOUZZ SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, REGARDING THE SERVICES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, HOUZZ SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTY OR LIABILITY REGARDING THE FOLLOWING: (i) THE NUMBER OF PERSONS OR PERCENTAGE OF A USER POPULATION WHO WILL ACCESS, VIEW OR INTERACT WITH YOUR PRO ACCOUNT, YOUR CONTENT, HOUZZ CONTENT, PRO PLATFORM, OR HOUZZ PLATFORM, (ii) SPECIFIC RESULTS OR PERFORMANCE (INCLUDING LEADS, IMPRESSIONS, CLICKS OR REVENUE) YOU MIGHT OBTAIN FROM THE SERVICES, (iii) THE HOUZZ CONTENT OR THE PRO PLATFORM OR THIRD PARTY SERVICES, (iv) THAT THE PRO PLATFORM PROVIDED UNDER THESE TERMS OR THIRD PARTY SERVICES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR FREE, SECURE, ACCURATE, RELIABLE OR COMPLETE, (v) YOUR CONTENT WILL NOT BE LOST OR DAMAGES, (vi) ERRORS WILL BE CORRECTED OR ANY PARTICULAR SUPPORT REQUESTS WILL BE RESOLVED TO MEET YOUR NEEDS, OR (vii) ANY REFERENCE TO “UNLIMITED” ACCESS, USE, OR STORAGE OF YOUR CONTENT, PRO DOCUMENTS, OR THE PRO PLATFORM IS SUBJECT TO TECHNICAL LIMITATIONS.
2. THIRD-PARTIES. HOUZZ MAKES NO CLAIMS OR PROMISES WITH RESPECT TO ANY THIRD PARTY AVAILABLE ON THE PRO PLATFORM. ACCORDINGLY, HOUZZ IS NOT LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY PERSONAL INJURY, LOSS OR DAMAGE THAT MIGHT ARISE FROM ANY SUCH THIRD PARTY’S ACTIONS OR OMISSIONS, INCLUDING, FOR EXAMPLE, IF ANOTHER USER OR CLIENT MISUSES YOUR CONTENT, IDENTITY OR PERSONAL INFORMATION, OR IF YOU HAVE A NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE WITH ONE OF THE THIRD PARTIES. YOUR PURCHASE AND USE OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES OFFERED BY THIRD PARTIES THROUGH THE PRO PLATFORM IS AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION AND RISK.
3. REMEDY. YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE RIGHT AND REMEDY IN CASE OF DISSATISFACTION WITH THE PRO PLATFORM OR ANY OTHER GRIEVANCE SHALL BE, WHERE REASONABLY FEASIBLY, OUR RE-PERFORMANCE OF SUCH SERVICES OR YOUR TERMINATION AND DISCONTINUATION OF ACCESS TO, OR USE OF THE PRO PLATFORM. IN CASES OF MATERIAL BREACH OF THESE TERMS SUCH TERMINATION SHALL BE WITHOUT PENALTY.
4. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. EITHER PARTY’S LIABILITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, AND EITHER PARTY WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER PARTY FOR ANY (i) INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, RELIANCE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, (ii) LOSS OF PROFITS OR REVENUE, (iii) BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, (iv) REPUTATIONAL HARM, OR (v) LOSS OF INFORMATION OR DATA. THE WAIVERS AND LIMITATIONS SPECIFIED IN THIS SECTION 9 WILL SURVIVE AND APPLY REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE.
5. MAXIMUM LIABILITY. EXCEPT FOR YOUR INDEMNITY OBLIGATIONS, A PARTY’S MAXIMUM AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO THE OTHER PARTY FOR LOSSES OR DAMAGES THAT THE OTHER PARTY SUFFERS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PRO PLATFORM OR THESE TERMS IS LIMITED TO THE GREATER OF THE AMOUNT PAID, IF ANY, BY YOU TO HOUZZ IN CONNECTION WITH THE SERVICE IN THE 12 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACTION GIVING RISE TO LIABILITY. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION 9 WILL BE DEEMED TO LIMIT YOUR OBLIGATIONS IN SECTION 8.

10. Communications

1. Consent. As part of accessing the Pro Platform, and subject to compliance with applicable laws, you agree that Houzz and its affiliates may communicate with you via text message, call, email, or push notification and pre-recorded messages. Standard text message charges applied by your telephone carrier may apply to text messages we send. You also agree to receive promotional text messages, calls and pre-recorded messages, any of which may be generated by automatic telephone dialing systems. You are not required to agree to receive these promotional communications as a condition of purchasing / accessing the Pro Services Platform. If you wish to stop receiving promotional emails or promotional text messages, we provide the following methods for you to opt-out or unsubscribe: (i) follow the instructions we provide in the email or initial text message for that category of promotional emails or text messages, or (ii) opt-out or unsubscribe using your device settings.

11. Relationship

1. Independent Contractors. You are not an agent, representative or partner of Houzz, and you have no authority to enter into any agreement to bind Houzz. Houzz and you are independent contractors as it relates to these Terms. Furthermore, Houzz does not provide any legal, financial, Pro Accounting, or tax advice.

12. Controlling Law and Jurisdiction

1. Choice of Law. These Terms will be interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of California and the United States of America, without regard to their conflict-of-law provisions. You and Houzz agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of a federal or state court located in San Francisco, California for any actions for which the arbitration provision, as set forth in Section 16, does not apply.

13. Translation

1. Translation. We may translate these Terms into other languages for your convenience. Nevertheless, the English version governs your relationship with Houzz and any inconsistencies among the different versions will be resolved in favor of the English version available here.

14. Assignment and Waiver

1. Assignment. These Terms are not assignable in whole or in part by you without the prior written consent of Houzz. Houzz may delegate any or all of its obligations under these Terms. Houzz may assign or transfer these terms to any of its affiliates or in connection with a sale of all or substantially all of its assets, restructuring, change of control, merger, acquisition of Houzz, its affiliates or any of their respective businesses. These Terms will be binding on, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable against the parties and their respective successors and assigns.
2. Waiver. Waiver of rights resulting from breach of any provision hereof will not be deemed to constitute a waiver of rights resulting from any previous or succeeding breach of the same or any other provision. Houzz will not be deemed to waive any of its rights under these Terms unless expressly waived in a signed writing by Houzz.

15. Other Agreements

1. Other Agreements. When you purchase or use certain parts of the Pro Platform, you may enter into other terms or agreements in addition to these Terms. Those other agreements could be an order form, quotation, sales agreement or something else (collectively referred to as an “Agreement”). The Agreement may include details about the specific service you purchased like the price, recurring billing cycle, or auto-renewal, and may also reference these Terms. Where there is a direct conflict between an Agreement and these Terms, that Agreement will control. These Terms together with any other applicable Agreement(s) constitute the entire agreement and supersedes all other verbal agreements or written documents, including emails, between you and Houzz relating to the Pro Platform. In the event of a direct conflict between these Terms and the Terms of Use, The Terms of Use will control with respect to the subject matter of the conflict. Except for any representations and warranties specifically set forth in these Terms, Professional will not rely on any representation or statement made by Houzz or any Houzz representatives or any third parties. Without limiting the foregoing, unless agreed in a writing signed by an authorized representative of Houzz (i.e., a Director, Officer, or Vice President at Houzz), any terms set forth in any email will be void and have no effect.

16. Dispute Resolution

1. Binding Arbitration. You and Houzz agree that any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of or relating to this Agreement, our Privacy Policy, or to your use of the Houzz Platform (collectively “Disputes”) will be settled by binding arbitration in accordance with the dispute resolution provisions detailed in this Section 16. This means that you and Houzz both agree to waive the right to a trial by jury.
2. Exceptions to Arbitration. Each party retains the right to seek injunctive or other equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent the actual or threatened infringement, misappropriation, or violation of a party's copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, patents, or other intellectual property rights. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you may bring a claim against Houzz in “small claims” court, instead of by arbitration, but only if the claim is eligible under the rules of the small claims court and is brought in an individual, non-class, and non-representative basis, and only for so long as it remains in the small claims court and in an individual, non-class, and non-representative basis.
3. Mandatory Informal Dispute Resolution. If you have a Dispute with Houzz, you agree to first send a detailed notice (“Notice”) to Houzz by: (1) email at legal@houzz.com and (2) first class, certified mail addressed to Houzz Inc., Legal Department, c/o Corporation Service Company, Inc., 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, Delaware 19808. Your Notice must contain all of the following information: (1) your full name; (2) your address, telephone number, and email address associated with your Houzz account; (3) information sufficient for Houzz to identify any transaction, product, or service at issue (e.g., order confirmation, Houzz Pro subscription, etc); and (4) a detailed description of your Dispute, the nature and basis of your claim(s), and the nature and basis of the relief you are seeking with a calculation for it, and (5) your personal signature. If Houzz has a Dispute with you, Houzz agrees to first send a detailed Notice to your email address listed in your profile or via any other contact information you have made available to us. Houzz’s Notice will likewise set forth: (1) information sufficient for you to identify any transaction at issue; and (2) a detailed description of our dispute, the nature, and basis of our claims and any relief we are seeking. Your Notice must be individualized, meaning it can concern only your dispute and no other person’s dispute.

   You and Houzz agree to negotiate in good faith about the Dispute in an effort to swiftly resolve it without the need for a formal proceeding. If requested by Houzz, you and Houzz agree to personally meet and confer, via videoconference, in a good-faith effort to resolve any claim covered by this Agreement. For sake of clarification only, this conference shall be individualized such that a separate conference must be held each time either party intends to commence individual arbitration; multiple individuals initiating claims cannot participate in the same informal dispute resolution conference, unless mutually agreed by the parties. If you are represented by counsel, your counsel may participate in the conference, but you shall also fully participate in the conference. This process should result in resolution of the Dispute, but, if for some reason it is not resolved within 60 days after receipt of a fully completed Notice and the parties have not agreed to extend this time period, you or Houzz may initiate an arbitration. You and Houzz agree that compliance with and completion of this mandatory informal dispute resolution is a condition precedent to filing any demand for arbitration. The statute of limitations and any filing fee deadlines shall be tolled while the parties engage in this process. Unless prohibited by applicable law, the arbitration administrator shall not move forward with the administration of any Demand upon written notice from Houzz that the other demanding party has not complied with the informal process. A court shall have the authority to enjoin the filing or prosecution of arbitrations without first providing a fully completed Notice and participating in good faith in this informal dispute resolution process.

   If we are not able to resolve the Dispute informally, then the below provisions will govern any Dispute. If you live outside of the United States and do not use the Houzz Platform as a professional or business, some mandatory provisions of your local consumer protection law, if any exist, may also apply to the Dispute.

4. Class Action Waiver. You and Houzz agree that any proceedings to resolve Disputes will be conducted on an individual basis and not in a class, consolidated, or representative action. This means that, in connection with any Dispute, you and Houzz both agree to waive the right to participate as a plaintiff as a class member in any class action proceeding. Further, unless you and Houzz agree otherwise in writing, the arbitrator in any Dispute may not consolidate more than one person's claims and may not preside over any form of class action proceeding.
5. Arbitration Administration and Rules. The arbitration will be administered by ADR Services Inc. (“ADR Services”) and shall be subject to ADR Services’ most current version of its Arbitration Rules, available at https://www.adrservices.com/services/arbitration-rules or by calling ADR Services, Inc. at (310) 201-0010. If ADR Services is not available to arbitrate, the parties will mutually select an alternative arbitral forum, and either party may invoke 9 U.S.C. § 5 to request that a court appoint an arbitration provider. To the extent there is a dispute over which arbitration provider shall administer the arbitration, only a court (and not an arbitrator or arbitration administrator) may resolve that dispute, and the arbitration shall be stayed pending the court’s ruling.
6. Arbitration Process. A party who desires to initiate the arbitration must provide the other party with a written Demand for Arbitration as specified by the ADR Services’ Rules available at https://www.adrservices.com/services-2/arbitration-rules. The Demand must describe the nature and basis for the claim and includes all of the information required in the Notice. The arbitrator will be either a retired judge or an attorney licensed to practice law and will be selected by the parties from ADR Services’ roster of arbitrators with relevant experience. If the parties are unable to agree upon an arbitrator within 7 business days of delivery of the Demand, then ADR Services will appoint the arbitrator in accordance with ADR Services’ Rules.
7. Arbitration Location and Procedure. Arbitration hearings will take place through videoconferencing by default, unless you and Houzz agree upon another location in writing. If the arbitration is in person, the seat of the arbitration shall be in San Francisco, California, unless you and Houzz agree otherwise or ADR Services’ Rules provide otherwise. If your claim does not exceed USD $10,000, then the arbitration will be conducted solely on the basis of documents you and Houzz submit to the arbitrator, unless you request a hearing and the arbitrator then determines that a hearing is necessary. If your claim exceeds USD $10,000, your right to a hearing will be determined by ADR Services’ Rules. Subject to ADR Services’ Rules, the arbitrator will have the discretion to direct a reasonable exchange of information by the parties, consistent with the expedited nature of the arbitration.
8. Arbitrator's Decision and Governing Law. The arbitrator shall apply California law consistent with the Federal Arbitration Act and applicable statutes of limitations, and shall honor claims of privilege recognized by law. The arbitrator will render an award within the timeframe specified in ADR Services’ Rules. Judgment on the arbitration may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. Any award of damages by an arbitrator must be consistent with the “Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability” section set forth in this Terms of Use. The arbitrator may award declaratory or injunctive relief in favor of the claimant only to the extent necessary to provide relief warranted by the claimant's individual claim.
9. Fees. Each party's responsibility to pay the arbitration filing, administrative and arbitrator fees are set forth in ADR Services’ Rules. Houzz will consider reimbursing the opposing party’s portion of ADR Services’ fees upon a showing of financial hardship, but only if the opposing party is an individual consumer, and not a professional or business. Either party may make a request that the arbitrator award attorneys’ fees and costs upon proving that the other party has asserted a claim, cross-claim, or defense that is groundless in fact or law, brought in bad faith, or for the purpose of harassment, or is otherwise frivolous, as allowed by applicable law and ADR Services’ Rules.
10. Special Procedures for Mass Arbitrations. If, at any time, 30 or more similar demands for arbitration are asserted against Houzz by the same or coordinated counsel or entities (“Mass Filing”), ADR Services will randomly assign sequential numbers to each of the Mass Filings. Claims numbered 1-10 will be the “Initial Test Cases” and will proceed to arbitration first. The arbitrators will render a final award for the Initial Test Cases within 120 days of the initial pre-hearing conference, unless the claims are resolved in advance, the parties agree to extend the deadline, or the arbitrator extends the deadline. The parties will then have 90 days (the “Mediation Period”) (which may be extended by the parties) to resolve the remaining cases in mediation based on the awards from the Initial Test Cases. If the parties are unable to resolve the outstanding claims during this time, the parties may choose to opt out of the arbitration process and proceed in court by providing written notice to the other party within 60 days after the Mediation Period. Otherwise, the remaining cases will be arbitrated in their assigned order. Any statute of limitations will be tolled from the time the Initial Test Cases are chosen until your case is chosen as described above.
11. Opt-Out. You have the right to opt out of the arbitration provisions of Section 16 by sending a written notice of your decision to opt out to the following address: Houzz Inc., Houzz Legal Department, c/o Corporation Service Company, Inc., 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, Delaware 19808. The notice must be postmarked within 30 days of the later of: (i) the date that you first agreed to the Terms; and (ii) the date that you became subject to this provision under Section 16. You must include all of the following in the written notice: (1) your name and mailing address; (2) the email address associated with your account; and (3) a clear statement that you want to opt out of this Agreement’s arbitration agreement.

17. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This Agreement will be interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of California and the United States of America, without regard to their conflict-of-law provisions. You and we agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of a federal or state court located in San Francisco, California for any actions for which the arbitration provision, as set forth in Section 16, does not apply.

18. Disputes with Other Users

If you have a dispute with another user on the Houzz Platform or with any third party, you agree that Houzz is under no obligation to become involved. In the event that you have a dispute with one or more other users, you release Houzz, its directors, officers, employees, agents, and successors from claims, demands, and damages of every kind or nature, known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, disclosed or undisclosed, arising out of or in any way related to such disputes and/or the Houzz Platform. As part of this release, you expressly waive any protections (whether statutory or otherwise) that would otherwise limit this release to only include those claims that you may know or suspect to exist in your favor at the time of agreeing to this release.

19. Force Majeure

1. Force Majeure. Except for payment obligations, neither party will be considered in default due to any delay or failure in performance based on any event or circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including, but not limited to failure of the Internet or related networks, fire, strike, embargo, requirement of governmental, civil or military authority, act of God, or failure of suppliers. When the delaying cause ceases, each party will resume performance, subject to an equitable schedule adjustment if necessary.

20. Severability

1. Severability. In the event that any portion of these Terms is deemed illegal or unenforceable under applicable law, such provision shall be severed and the remainder of these Terms shall be given full force and effect.