When rewards unlock, and how credits apply

The trigger is the new neighbor’s first paid service. Not the signup, not the first visit — the first invoice actually marked paid. Until then, the referral shows as pending and no credit exists.

When it unlocks, both sides get theirs at the same time: $25 to the customer who referred, $25 to the neighbor who came in.

What the credit is

• It’s an account credit against their bill with you — it comes off a future invoice.
• It is not cash, and it isn’t paid out. If a customer with a credit balance leaves, the credit leaves with them.
• A credit will never push a bill below zero. If the credit is larger than the invoice, the invoice goes to zero and stops there — PoolHelm doesn’t write a negative bill.
• Credits are applied to draft invoices, so the credit lands before the invoice goes out rather than after.
• The credit appears as its own line on the invoice — a negative one — rather than being quietly subtracted from the total. Your customer can see where their discount came from, and so can you.

More than one credit can apply. A customer who refers several neighbors builds up credit against their bill. That’s the point — it’s cheaper than buying the same customers through advertising.

If a referral turns out to be fraudulent, the credit can be reversed. Reversal is tied to the money actually coming back: it happens when the referred customer’s payment is fully refunded or disputed. A partial refund doesn’t trigger it. This is rare, and it exists so the program can stay generous without being exploitable.