Terms of service

These terms of service apply to the Hob platform (hob.fi), operated by Solute Oy (2067981-5). Hob is a technology platform that enables organisers to offer participants registration, payments and other hobby activity management.

Definitions

Service Provider means Solute Oy, which provides the Hob platform.
Platform means the Hob service, including the hob.fi website, applications and related interfaces.
Organiser means an organisation or private individual that creates a Hob environment and offers their own services there (for example events, courses or season registrations).
Participant means a natural person who registers for an organiser’s service or signs up for activities offered by an organiser through the Hob platform.
Hob environment means the space managed by an organiser on the platform where the organiser’s services, prices and terms are visible.
Interface (API) means programmatic access to the Hob platform provided by the Service Provider.

Target audience

Who the service is for

Hob is intended for entities that organise hobby activities and their participants.

Organisers. Any organisation or private individual can create a Hob environment. An organiser is typically an association, club or other association-based entity, but the service is not limited to registered associations only.

Participants. A participant is a natural person who uses the Hob platform to register or sign up for activities offered by an organiser.

Geographic availability

The Hob platform is available globally. However, an organiser’s activities on the Hob platform are limited to the European Union: the organiser must offer their services and operate within the EU.

Language

The Hob platform user interface is available in Finnish and English. Each organiser defines which languages they use for their own services and content in their Hob environment.

Minors

Minors may use the Hob platform only under the supervision of a parent or other adult. Use by a minor requires the consent and supervision of a guardian or other legal representative.

Acceptance

The organiser’s representative accepts these terms of service when creating a Hob environment. A participant accepts the terms when registering or signing up for an organiser’s service.

Services between an organiser and a participant (for example a course, event or payment) are agreed between the organiser and the participant. Hob acts as the technology provider and is not a party to the agreement between the organiser and the participant unless otherwise stated.

Excluded uses

The Hob platform may not be used for commercial resale. Use of the service through commercial intermediaries, resellers or similar parties without the Service Provider’s separate written permission is prohibited.

Content rights

Intellectual property of the Hob platform

The Hob platform, its software, brand, documentation and other material created by the Service Provider are the property of the Service Provider or its licensors. By complying with these terms, the Service Provider grants the user a limited, non-exclusive and revocable right to use the Hob platform for purposes consistent with these terms.

Organiser content

The organiser retains ownership of content uploaded to or written in their Hob environment, such as logos, event descriptions, prices, images and other materials.

By uploading or publishing content on the Hob platform, the organiser grants the Service Provider a limited, non-exclusive and royalty-free licence to use, store, display and otherwise process the content solely for providing and maintaining the Hob platform. The Service Provider does not own organiser content.

The organiser is responsible for ensuring that content provided to the Hob platform is lawful and that the organiser has the right to use and share that content.

The Service Provider may use the organiser’s name, logo or other brand material in marketing (for example testimonials or customer listings) only with the organiser’s separate consent.

Participant content

The participant retains ownership of registration form responses, profile information, attachments and other content they provide to the Hob platform.

A participant’s registration or sign-up is treated as consent for the Service Provider and the organiser to process content provided by the participant to deliver the service offered through the Hob platform. Rules on processing personal data are described in the privacy policy.

Feedback

If a user sends the Service Provider feedback, development suggestions or other proposals, the Service Provider may use them freely without separate compensation or attribution.

Content removal

When an organiser closes their Hob environment or a participant deletes their account, the Service Provider’s right to use that user’s content ends, except where legislation or contractual obligations require longer retention. Billing records and system logs are retained as required by law.

Account registration

Hob account

The Hob platform is used with a Hob account. The same Hob account can act as both organiser and participant in different Hob environments.

Registration

You can create a Hob account or access the service in the following ways, among others:

with an email address and password or email verification (magic link)
with a phone number
with a third-party login service (for example Google or Apple)
via a registration link or invitation without a separate Hob account, if the organiser offers such an option

The organiser creates a Hob environment and accepts these terms when creating the environment. A participant accepts the terms when registering or signing up.

Information

The Service Provider does not require verification of the accuracy of Hob account contact details. You may use a Hob account without your real name if that is sufficient for the Hob platform. However, an organiser may require identifiable information for their own service.

A guardian or other legal representative may provide a minor’s details and manage registrations on the minor’s behalf.

Security

Passwords are stored salted and are not kept in readable form. Connections to the Hob platform are protected with encrypted transfer (TLS). Login credentials must not be shared with others.

Further information on processing and protecting personal data is in the privacy policy.

The holder of a Hob account is responsible for keeping their login credentials confidential and for all activity on their Hob account. A Hob account must not be transferred to another person.

Access rights in the organiser team

An organiser may grant other people access to their Hob environment in different roles. The organiser who created the Hob environment is responsible for what users in their environment do within the rights granted to them.

Suspending and closing accounts

The Service Provider may suspend or close a Hob account or Hob environment if:

the terms of service are breached
an authority or legislation requires it
the Service Provider has unpaid debts

Deleting an account

You may request deletion of your Hob account at any time by contacting support@solute.fi or through the Service Provider’s support system. Requests are handled within a reasonable time. Some data may be retained for billing and accounting obligations.

An organiser can stop using their Hob environment by terminating the agreement (see Term of the agreement).

Inactive accounts

Long-unused participant Hob accounts may be deleted automatically. Before deletion, we aim to notify the user by email if contact details are available.

Payments and user rights

The Hob platform has two separate payment relationships. They must not be confused with each other.

Merchant roles

Between organiser and participant the organiser is the merchant. The organiser sells participants, for example, registration rights, season fees or other hobby services. Hob is not a payment intermediary and is not the merchant for participant payments. Payment processing is handled by the payment service chosen by the organiser (for example Stripe, PayPal or a similar service).

Between Service Provider and organiser the Service Provider is the merchant. The Service Provider sells use of the Hob platform to the organiser:

Solute Oy
2067981-5

Participant payments

The participant pays for the organiser’s services according to the prices stated in the organiser’s Hob environment. Available payment methods depend on the organiser’s choices and may include online banking and card payments, MobilePay, bank transfer or other methods offered by the organiser.

Receipts. The organiser or payment intermediary provides the receipt or invoice for a participant payment. The organiser is responsible for the receipt and invoicing being appropriate.

Cancellations and refunds. The organiser defines their own cancellation and refund terms in their Hob environment. For refunds and cancellations, the participant must contact the organiser directly.

Consumer protection. Hobby services offered by an organiser do not automatically include the 14-day withdrawal right for distance selling. Applicable rights depend on the nature of the service and the organiser’s terms. More information on hobby services is available from the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (in Finnish).

Payment disputes. The organiser handles disputes, complaints and refund requests related to participant payments. The Service Provider is not the merchant for participant payments and is not responsible for payment disputes between organiser and participant.

Taxes. The organiser is responsible for taxation of their own activities related to participant payments, including applicable value added tax.

Hob service fees

The organiser pays the Service Provider for use of the Hob platform. Pricing is based on usage-based invoicing without fixed monthly fees. Current pricing is described on the pricing page.

The Service Provider invoices the organiser. No Hob service fee is charged for free events.

The Service Provider may change pricing. Pricing changes are announced at least three (3) months before they take effect.

Unpaid invoices may lead to suspension of the Hob account or Hob environment until payment is made.

Taxes. The Service Provider is responsible for taxation of Hob service fees on its own part.

Acceptable use

General

The Hob platform may only be used for lawful purposes and in accordance with these terms. The user is responsible for their actions on the Hob platform.

The organiser is responsible for participant behaviour in their own Hob environment and for ensuring that instructions given to participants comply with these terms.

Prohibited activity

The Hob platform must not be used for the following or similar purposes:

distributing illegal, misleading, offensive or otherwise unlawful content
harassing, threatening or discriminating against others
sending spam or unsolicited marketing
distributing malware or compromising security
unreasonably overloading the Hob platform or related systems
unauthorised scraping, collection or automated extraction of data
unauthorised use of another person’s Hob account
misuse of personal data, such as downloading participant lists for marketing or other unauthorised use
other unlawful activity

Automation and bots

The Hob platform must not be used for bots, scripts or other automation without the Service Provider’s prior written permission.

Measures

The Service Provider may remove content, restrict access or suspend a Hob account or Hob environment without separate court proceedings if a user breaches these terms or if activity jeopardises the Hob platform, other users or third-party rights.

Limitation of liability and indemnity

Disclaimer of warranties

The Hob platform is provided as is and as available. The Service Provider gives no express or implied warranty regarding the Hob platform, including warranty of fitness for a particular purpose, uninterrupted availability or error-free operation.

The Service Provider is not responsible for the content, quality, availability or legality of services offered by organisers, nor for agreements between organisers and participants.

Limitation of liability

The Service Provider is not liable for indirect damages such as lost revenue, profit, reputation, data or other similar loss.

The Service Provider’s total liability for claims under these terms is limited to the amount the user has paid in Hob service fees during the twelve (12) months before the event giving rise to the claim.

Indemnity

The organiser agrees to indemnify the Service Provider against all third-party claims, costs and damages arising from:

content provided by the organiser to the Hob platform
the organiser’s use of the Hob platform
participant activity in the organiser’s Hob environment
the organiser’s breach of these terms

A participant is not liable to indemnify the Service Provider under these terms.

Force majeure

The Service Provider is not liable for delays or failure to perform caused by reasons beyond its reasonable control, such as natural disasters, acts of war, epidemics, actions by authorities, power or telecommunications failures, or interruptions to third-party services.

Interface (API)

The Service Provider may offer interfaces (API) to the Hob platform for integrations and automation. API availability, scope and technical terms are defined by a separate API access grant.

Access

Use of the API always requires the Service Provider’s prior written permission and a separate API agreement or equivalent access grant.

Currently the API is intended for authorised use by organisers. The Service Provider may later offer the API more broadly; in that case these terms and separate API terms will apply, as announced separately.

Use and restrictions

API use is governed by these terms, a separate API agreement and any technical documentation. The Service Provider may set usage limits, such as rate limiting, as agreed in a separate agreement.

The organiser is responsible for API use, protecting API keys and third-party integrations connected to the Hob platform. The organiser is responsible for ensuring integrations comply with these terms and applicable law.

Changes and discontinuation

The Service Provider may change, suspend or discontinue the API or parts of it without separate compensation liability. The Service Provider aims to announce material changes in advance unless security or legal reasons prevent advance notice.

Accessibility

The Service Provider strives to make the Hob platform as accessible as possible for all users. Accessibility is developed continuously, but the Hob platform is not fully accessible in all situations.

The organiser is responsible for the accessibility of content in their own Hob environment, including images, attachments, PDF files and other material published by the organiser.

If you encounter an accessibility issue on the Hob platform, you can report it to support@solute.fi or through the Service Provider’s support system.

Privacy, tracking and cookies

The Service Provider does not sell your personal data. The Hob platform is not tracked for advertising or profiling purposes. Further information on processing personal data is in the privacy policy.

Analytics for service improvement

Anonymised data is collected on the Hob platform (hob.fi) and the marketing website (www.hob.fi) to improve service quality. Analytics is not used for advertising.

Plausible — visitor analytics on a server maintained by the Service Provider. Traffic is anonymised before storage.
Hotjar — third-party service (Hotjar Ltd) that collects anonymised data on user experience and site usability.

Cookies

The Hob platform and marketing website use cookies necessary for operation, such as session, language preference and analytics cookies. Blocking cookies in the browser may limit use of the service or prevent some features.

General terms

Term of the agreement

The agreement based on these terms is valid until further notice. It continues until either party terminates it.

The organiser may stop using the Hob platform by terminating the agreement with thirty (30) days’ notice. The Service Provider may terminate the agreement with the same notice, except when the terms have been breached — in that case termination or suspension may be immediate.

Hob service fees accrued until termination are invoiced as normal.