Terms and conditions

These general terms and conditions (the “Terms”) govern the rights and obligations between startIT s. r. o., as the provider of the Silný rod service (the “Provider”), and the client when ordering genealogical research and related outputs via the silnyrod.sk website, e-mail or the client area.

1. Provider

startIT s. r. o.
Registered office: Ožvoldíkova 4, 841 02 Bratislava – mestská časť Dúbravka
Company ID (IČO): 52 275 043, Tax ID (DIČ): 2120977507, VAT ID: SK2120977507
Registration: Commercial Register of the Bratislava III Municipal Court, Section: Sro, Insert No. 136212/B
Contact: Dominika Vovková, e-mail info@silnyrod.sk, phone +421 919 271 987

Supervisory authority: Slovak Trade Inspection (SOI), Inspectorate for the Bratislava Region, Bajkalská 21/A, 827 99 Bratislava, www.soi.sk.

2. Definitions

The client is the person who concludes a contract with the Provider. A consumer is a natural person who, when concluding and performing the contract, is not acting within their trade, business or profession. Provisions on withdrawal and consumer protection apply to consumers only.

The service is genealogical research and the processing of its results as described in Article 3. Outputs are the family tree, the family book (as a PDF and, where agreed, printed), the interactive online tree and other agreed materials. The client area is the protected part of the website where the client communicates with the Provider and receives outputs.

3. Subject of the service

The Provider carries out genealogical research for the client – searching for ancestors and related data in available sources (in particular parish registers, censuses, land registers, archival collections and digitised records) – and processes the results into outputs according to the chosen package and the individual offer:
– a family tree with dates, places and source references,
– a family book with stories, documents and photographs (PDF; with the relevant package also a printed copy),
– an interactive online tree available in the client area,
– optionally additional printed copies and land research (an informative overview of the ancestors' historical land records).

The exact scope (number of family lines, direction and depth of research, number of copies) is set by the offer confirmed by the client.

4. Conclusion of the contract

Submitting the intake questionnaire is not binding and is not an order. Based on it, the Provider prepares an individual offer stating the scope, price, deposit and estimated timeline. The offer is a proposal to conclude a contract.

The contract is concluded when the client expressly confirms the offer by e-mail or in the client area. Confirming the offer entails an obligation to pay. The Provider confirms the conclusion of the contract by e-mail without undue delay and attaches these Terms, including the withdrawal information and model form (durable medium).

The contract is concluded at a distance in Slovak (or English by agreement). The Provider archives the contract (offer, confirmation and Terms) and makes it available to the client on request.

5. Price

Package prices on the website and in the offer are fixed. The Provider is not a VAT payer; the prices shown are final.

The price may only increase with the client's prior express consent (by e-mail or in the client area) and always with the amount stated in advance, in particular if:
– the client requests additional family lines or generations beyond the agreed scope,
– records must be requested from archives, registry offices, parish offices or other institutions – their fees (extracts, copies, research fees) are charged at actual cost without mark-up,
– foreign sources or translations beyond the usual extent are needed,
– the client requests additional copies of the book, premium binding or delivery abroad.

Without the client's consent the Provider does not carry out such work and the price does not change; the research is completed in the originally agreed scope.

6. Payment terms

Before work begins, the client pays a deposit of 50 % of the price. The balance (the rest of the price and any approved costs under Article 5) is due before the final outputs are handed over – before the final book and tree are made available in the client area, or before the book is sent to print.

Payment is made by bank transfer on the basis of a payment request or invoice due within 7 days, unless agreed otherwise. The Provider issues a receipt for the payment.

7. Timeline

The Provider usually sends the first verified data within 3 days of receiving the deposit and the client's materials. The whole project usually takes 2 to 6 weeks depending on the scope and package; the estimated timeline is stated in the offer.

The timeline may be reasonably extended if requests must be made to archives or registry offices (their deadlines are set by these institutions), if the client does not provide the necessary materials, or for printing. The Provider informs the client of any extension without undue delay. A fixed deadline (e.g. for a gift) is binding only if confirmed by the Provider in writing.

8. Nature of the result

The outcome of genealogical research depends on whether sources have survived and are accessible and legible (fires, war losses, missing years, access restrictions). The Provider therefore does not guarantee finding a particular person, a specific number of generations or the confirmation of a family tradition (e.g. noble origin). The Provider undertakes to proceed professionally and honestly, to cite sources and to mark each item with its degree of certainty (verified in a source / probable / hypothesis).

The price is remuneration for the research and processing performed, not for a specific result. If it becomes clear that the agreed scope obviously cannot be achieved, the Provider informs the client in good time and proposes an adjustment of the scope or price.

Outputs are not official documents or a legal assessment. Land research provides only informative historical materials (e.g. entries from land registers and maps); it is not legal advice, an assessment of inheritance or ownership claims, an expert opinion or a verification of the current state of the land cadastre. To pursue any claims, we recommend consulting an attorney or a notary.

9. Withdrawal from the contract (consumers)

Under Act No. 108/2024 Coll. on Consumer Protection, a consumer has the right to withdraw from a distance contract without giving any reason within 14 days of the day it was concluded.

To withdraw, send an unequivocal statement by e-mail to info@silnyrod.sk or by letter to the registered office; you may use the model form in Annex 1. The deadline is met if you send the notice before it expires. We will refund payments received within 14 days of receiving the withdrawal, using the same means of payment, unless agreed otherwise.

Starting before the withdrawal period ends: If the consumer expressly requests that the service begin before the withdrawal period expires and then withdraws, the consumer pays an amount proportionate to the service provided up to the moment of withdrawal. If, on the basis of such a request, the service has been fully provided and the consumer acknowledged before it began that full provision means losing the right of withdrawal, the right of withdrawal lapses. The same applies to digital content (the PDF book, the online tree) whose supply began with the consumer's express consent and acknowledgement of losing the right of withdrawal. The consumer makes the request and acknowledgement when confirming the offer; the Provider confirms them by e-mail.

Exception: The consumer may not withdraw from a contract for goods made to the consumer's specifications – in particular a personalised family book or additional copies produced (printed) to order.

10. Liability for defects and complaints

The Provider is responsible for providing the service with professional care and in the agreed scope, and for the outputs being free of defects – e.g. an item transcribed contrary to the source, a printing or binding defect, a non-functional online tree. It is not a defect if sources do not exist or do not contain the data sought, or if the findings differ from family tradition but correspond to the sources.

Submit complaints by e-mail to info@silnyrod.sk or by letter to the registered office; describe the issue and, for a printed book, attach a photo of the defect. The Provider confirms receipt of the complaint (by e-mail), decides how to handle it and resolves it without undue delay, at the latest within 30 days. Defects are remedied by correcting or completing the output, a reprint, an appropriate discount or a refund. Consumers have rights under the Slovak Civil Code; for a printed book, defects may be claimed within 24 months of receipt.

The Provider is not liable for decisions made by the client or third parties on the basis of the outputs (e.g. in inheritance proceedings or when buying land). This does not limit statutory liability towards consumers; towards businesses, compensation for damage is limited to the price of the service.

11. Client cooperation

The client provides truthful and, as far as possible, complete data and materials. The client provides photographs and documents only if entitled to do so, gives data on living relatives only to the extent needed for the family tree, and protects the client-area login details from misuse.

12. Copyright and licence

The texts, book design, online tree and other outputs are works of the Provider. Upon full payment, the client receives a non-exclusive licence, unlimited in territory and time, to use the outputs privately – in particular to copy them for themselves and their family, share them with relatives and print further copies for private purposes. Public distribution (e.g. publishing the book for sale or online) is possible only by agreement with the Provider. The online-tree software remains the property of the Provider.

Copies and images of documents from archives, registry offices and other institutions are subject to the terms of those institutions (e.g. crediting the source, restrictions on further publication); the client may use them only in accordance with those terms.

Photographs and documents supplied by the client remain the client's property; the Provider uses them only to perform the contract. The Provider uses samples from a project (e.g. in a portfolio) only with the client's express consent and without data on living persons.

13. Confidentiality and client area

The Provider keeps all data about the client and their family confidential, also after the contract ends. Data is disclosed only to persons involved in performing the contract who are bound by confidentiality (e.g. the printer, the accountant), only to the extent necessary, or where required by law.

Outputs remain available in the client area for at least 12 months after handover; we recommend downloading them. Further retention is governed by the privacy policy.

Privacy policy

14. Dispute resolution

If a consumer is not satisfied with how a complaint was handled or believes that the Provider has violated their rights, they may ask the Provider for redress at info@silnyrod.sk. If the Provider rejects the request or does not reply within 30 days of it being sent, the consumer may file a proposal for alternative dispute resolution under Act No. 391/2015 Coll. The competent body is the Slovak Trade Inspection (www.soi.sk) or another authorised entity listed by the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic. This does not affect the right to go to court.

15. Final provisions

The contract and these Terms are governed by the law of the Slovak Republic. A consumer residing in another country does not lose the protection afforded by the mandatory provisions of the law of their country of residence.

The Provider may amend these Terms; contracts already concluded are governed by the version valid at the time of conclusion. If any provision is invalid, the remaining provisions remain in force.

These Terms are effective from 15 Nov 2026.