Terms of service
Last updated: 6 October 2026. These terms apply when you book a call with Open Ear ("we", "us"), operated from the United Kingdom.
1. What the service is
We offer scheduled calls where a person listens to you. That is all. We do not give advice, and we do not provide therapy, counselling, medical, legal, financial, or crisis support. Our listeners are not licensed mental health professionals.
2. Not for emergencies
This is not an emergency or crisis service. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact your local emergency services. Helplines are listed at our help page.
3. Who can use it
You must be 18 or over. By booking you confirm that you are. We may end a call and refund you if we have reason to think you are under 18.
4. Confidentiality and its limits
We do not record calls and we keep nothing you say. We will keep what you tell us private, except where we believe there is a serious and immediate risk to your life or to someone else's, or where we are legally required to disclose information. In that case we may contact emergency services.
5. Prices and payment
Prices are shown at the time of booking, in GBP, and are paid in advance through our payment provider. We do not store your card details.
5a. Paying with Bitcoin
We accept Bitcoin over the Lightning network, taken through our payment provider at checkout. The price is set in GBP and converted at the time you pay. Lightning payments are final and cannot be reversed by a bank, so refunds under section 6 are made by us sending the GBP value back, at the exchange rate on the day, to a Lightning invoice you give us, less any network fees. We do not accept payments from sanctioned persons or addresses.
6. Cancellations and refunds
You can cancel or reschedule up to 24 hours before your call for a full refund. Within 24 hours, we may not be able to refund you. If we cancel or miss a call, you will get a full refund or a new slot.
If you book online, you normally have 14 days to cancel under UK consumer law. By booking a call, you ask us to start the service at the booked time and you accept that you lose this right once the call has started.
6a. Call length
Each call ends at the end of the booked time. If you join late, the call still ends on time and no extra time or refund is due. If we are the cause of a late start or a technical failure, we will add the lost time or refund you.
7. Behaviour
We may end a call if it becomes abusive, threatening, or unlawful. No refund is due in that case.
8. No guarantees
We can't promise any particular outcome from a call. To the extent the law allows, we are not responsible for decisions you make after a call. Nothing here limits any liability that cannot legally be limited, including for death or personal injury caused by our negligence.
9. Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.