1. Acceptance of these terms
By requesting, accepting, permitting or continuing to receive assistance from Chaverim Melbourne, you acknowledge and agree to these Terms of Service. If you request assistance for another person or property, you represent that you have authority to do so and that these terms are brought to that person’s attention where practicable.
If you do not accept these terms, do not request or accept assistance. In any life-threatening, dangerous or time-critical situation, call Triple Zero (000).
2. No guarantee that calls will be answered
Chaverim Melbourne operates within the Melbourne Eruv area. Calls and requests are monitored and responded to only when suitable volunteer members are available. Coverage, operating hours, member availability, safety, location, traffic, weather, equipment and the nature of the request may affect whether and when a response is possible.
We make no guarantee that any telephone call, voicemail, message or request will be answered, returned, accepted, dispatched, attended within any time, or successfully completed. Never wait for Chaverim where delay could place a person or property at risk. Contact Triple Zero (000), police, fire, ambulance or an appropriate commercial or qualified professional service.
3. Nature of our volunteer assistance
- Assistance is provided by unpaid community volunteers and is always subject to individual volunteer discretion.
- Volunteers generally receive limited, basic or minimum practical training relevant to common assistance tasks. They may not be licensed mechanics, automotive technicians, locksmiths, electricians, gasfitters, tradespeople, medical practitioners or emergency responders.
- Chaverim Melbourne is not a substitute for emergency services, a qualified tradesperson, a commercial towing or roadside provider, an insurer or professional advice.
- We do not promise diagnosis, repair, a particular outcome, or that a vehicle or property will be safe, secure, roadworthy or fit for use.
- We may refuse, pause or stop assistance whenever circumstances appear unsafe, unlawful, unsuitable, beyond a volunteer’s ability or equipment, or more appropriate for a professional or emergency service.
Chaverim Melbourne is an independent organisation and is also a member of Interstate Chaverim. That membership does not make another member responsible for Chaverim Melbourne, does not create an agency or partnership, does not guarantee a response by any organisation, and does not expand any organisation’s responsibility or liability.
4. Caller and recipient responsibility
You remain fully responsible for your decisions, conduct, safety, vehicle, keys, property, animals, passengers, belongings and any decision to drive, enter, occupy, operate or continue using a vehicle, appliance or property after assistance.
You must:
- provide complete and accurate information about the situation, location, hazards, vehicle or property and relevant safety concerns;
- confirm that you own, control or are authorised to access and request work on the relevant vehicle, premises or property;
- follow lawful safety directions, keep children and bystanders clear, and not request unlawful or unsafe work;
- inspect the result and obtain qualified professional inspection, repair, towing or other service before relying on or using the affected vehicle, equipment or property; and
- contact emergency services immediately if circumstances become dangerous or time-critical.
Any assessment or suggestion by a dispatcher or volunteer is informal only and must not be treated as professional advice.
5. Acknowledgement of risk and permission
Roadside and practical assistance can involve inherent and unexpected risks, including traffic, weather, unstable vehicles, batteries, fuel, heat, tools, sharp objects, electrical systems, locks, doors, gas controls, unfamiliar locations and pre-existing defects.
You voluntarily accept the risks of requesting and receiving assistance. You authorise an attending volunteer to take reasonable practical steps that the volunteer considers appropriate, but you may withdraw permission before a step is taken. You understand that an attempted solution may not work and may reveal, worsen or coincide with pre-existing damage or failure.
6. Exclusion and limitation of liability
Chaverim Melbourne is not liable for anything connected with the service to the maximum extent permitted by law. This includes direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential loss; property or vehicle damage; personal injury or death; loss of use, income, opportunity, data or belongings; towing, repair, accommodation or alternative-transport costs; and loss arising from delay, non-attendance, incomplete assistance, advice, an act or omission, or reliance on a volunteer.
This exclusion applies to Chaverim Melbourne, its committee members, officers, dispatchers, volunteers, representatives and service partners, whether a claim is framed in contract, negligence, tort, statute or otherwise.
Nothing in these terms excludes, restricts or modifies a consumer guarantee, statutory right, duty or liability that cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted or modified. Where liability cannot be excluded but may lawfully be limited, it is limited to the minimum remedy permitted by law.
7. Your liability and indemnity
To the maximum extent permitted by law, you are responsible for loss, damage, injury, claims, costs and expenses arising from your inaccurate or incomplete information, lack of authority, unsafe or unlawful instruction, breach of these terms, or conduct by you or people under your control.
You agree to indemnify Chaverim Melbourne and its volunteers against third-party claims arising from those matters, except to the extent a liability cannot lawfully be excluded or was caused by conduct for which the law does not permit Chaverim Melbourne to be indemnified.
8. No warranties
Except for rights that cannot be excluded by law, assistance is provided “as is” and “as available”, without any warranty or representation about availability, timing, skill level, diagnosis, outcome, safety, roadworthiness, security, fitness for purpose or freedom from damage.
9. Third-party services
External donation, mapping, telephone, towing, repair, emergency and other third-party services operate under their own terms and policies. Chaverim Melbourne is not responsible for their availability, acts, omissions, content, charges or information handling.
10. Privacy
Our Privacy Policy explains how we handle personal information connected with calls, dispatch, assistance, volunteers, applicants, donors and website use.
11. General terms
These terms are governed by the laws of Victoria, Australia. If a provision is invalid or unenforceable, it is to be read down to the minimum extent necessary or severed without affecting the remainder. A delay in enforcing a right is not a waiver.
We may update these terms. The version in effect when assistance is requested will apply, to the extent permitted by law.
12. Contact
For questions, call 03 8609 9246. For emergencies, call Triple Zero (000).