> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://features.scnd.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://features.scnd.com/v2.0/front-office/claim-a-user-account.md).
# Claim a user account
Taking ownership of an account created for you by the platform operator
{% hint style="info" %} Path: Claim invitation email > Claim your account
{% endhint %}
* [Definition](#id-1.16.x-login-and-register-definition)
* [The claim invitation email](#the-claim-invitation-email)
* [Claim your account](#claim-your-account)
* [Decline the account claim](#decline-the-account-claim)
* [Expired and already used links](#expired-and-already-used-links)
* [Special rules](#special-rules)
* [Related resources](#related-resources)
## Definition
Some vendor accounts are not created by the vendors themselves: the platform operator creates them beforehand, so that the marketplace has visible supply from the start. See [Account claiming](/v2.0/core-concepts/account-claiming.md) for the overall principle.
Claiming is how the vendor takes ownership of such an account. He sets his own login email and password, and from then on the account is his — with the listings, the requests and the history already attached to it.
WHO CAN USE THIS FEATURE?
Vendors who have received a claim invitation from the platform. The pages are accessible without being logged in, and can only be reached through the link contained in that email.
## The claim invitation email
The invitation is sent to the claim contact email declared by the operator. The vendor receives it either because the operator sent it manually, or because an event on the platform concerns his account: an asker has sent him a booking or a quote request, or a call for tenders matching his profile has been published.
The email contains:
* a summary of the event that triggered the invitation, so that the vendor knows what he is being invited for;
* a call to action leading to the claiming page;
* a link for vendors who do not wish to join the platform;
* the validity period of the link — 7 days.
## Claim your account
The claiming page welcomes the vendor with the name of the platform and the name of his company, as declared by the operator (figure 1). The company name is informative only and cannot be edited here.
Figure 1
The vendor fills out:
* **New login email** — the address he will use to sign in. It is pre-filled with the address the invitation was sent to and can be changed. It must be a valid address that is not already used on the platform.
* **Password** and **Password confirmation** — the two entries must match.
The password policy is displayed under the fields (figure 1):
* 14 characters minimum
* At least 1 lowercase letter
* At least 1 uppercase letter
* At least 1 numerical number
* At least 1 special character
Both checkboxes are mandatory: "I accept the terms and conditions" and "I accept the privacy policy". Each links to the corresponding page of the platform.
Clicking "Claim my account" completes the claim. The vendor is logged in automatically and redirected to his vendor dashboard, and a confirmation email is sent to his new login email.
Validation errors — an address already in use, two passwords that do not match, a password that does not meet the policy, an unchecked box — are displayed on the form and no change is applied to the account.
## Decline the account claim
A vendor who does not wish to join can decline, either from the "I do not wish to join the platform" link of the invitation email, or from the same link at the bottom of the claiming page (figure 1).
The decline page states plainly what declining implies: the account created for him, and all the data attached to it, can be deleted (figure 2). Two actions are offered — "Confirm the deletion of my account" and "Cancel and go back to the account claim", which returns to the claiming page and leaves the account untouched.
Figure 2
After confirmation, a "Request recorded" page acknowledges the request and indicates that the account will be deleted shortly (figure 3). A "Contact us" button is available for any further question.
Figure 3
The deletion is not immediate: the request is transmitted to the operator, who carries it out manually. The claim link is invalidated straight away, so the account can no longer be claimed.
## Expired and already used links
A claim link is valid for 7 days and can only be used once. It is also invalidated when a new link is sent for the same account, or when the vendor has requested the deletion of the account.
A vendor who reaches the claiming page with a link that is no longer valid cannot claim the account. He should contact the platform: the operator can send him a new link from the back office (see [Account claiming management](/v2.0/superadmin/users/account-claiming-management.md)).
## Special rules
* The claiming pages are the only way to take ownership of a pre-created account. The standard registration form creates a new, separate account.
* Claiming does not change the company information, the listings or the categories set by the operator. They remain as they are and can be edited afterwards from the vendor dashboard.
* Declining does not delete the account by itself: it records a deletion request for the operator to process.
## Related resources
**Core concepts:**
* [Account claiming](/v2.0/core-concepts/account-claiming.md)
**SBO:**
* [Importing claimable users](/v2.0/superadmin/users/importing-claimable-users.md)
* [User claiming management](/v2.0/superadmin/users/account-claiming-management.md)
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