Chelmsford Web Studio - Terms & Conditions

(Last Updated: 06/11/2025)

1. Payments

Invoices are payable within 7 days of issue.
If payment is not received by the due date, all future work will be paused until outstanding payments are cleared.
Ownership of design, code, and final deliverables transfers only once full payment has been received.

2. Scope of Work

Each project has a clearly defined scope (as set out in your proposal or quote).
Requests outside that scope (extra pages, new features, redesigns, etc.) will be charged at £60/hour.
Any additional costs will be agreed in writing before work begins.

3. Client Responsibilities

You will provide all required materials (content, images, logins, approvals) promptly.
You are responsible for the legality and ownership of all materials supplied.
You indemnify Chelmsford Web Studio against any claims or costs arising from materials you provide.
We cannot be held liable for missed deadlines or issues caused by late or inaccurate client information.

4. Timelines

Project timelines are estimates only.
While we aim to meet agreed schedules, we accept no liability for delays regardless of cause.

5. Website Hosting, Access & Third-Party Accounts

Hosting services are provided through Cloudways using Digital Ocean servers and other trusted third-party suppliers. These suppliers operate under their own service terms, which apply to you when using our hosting.
We manage hosting with care but do not own or control the servers and accept no liability for downtime, data loss, or service interruptions caused by Cloudways, Digital Ocean, or any other third-party provider.
Hosting term & cancellation: Hosting is no contract – cancel anytime. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing month. You are liable for hosting charges up to and including the final day of the month in which you cancel. Hosting payments cover the full billing month and are non-refundable once that month has started.
Billing: Hosting is billed monthly in advance. If invoices are unpaid, hosting may be suspended and/or permanently deleted after due notice.
Hosting and maintenance include only the services listed in your agreed plan (e.g., backups, plugin updates, uptime monitoring, technical support). Work outside that scope is charged at £60/hour.
If you ask us to access your own hosting, email, or other third-party systems, you acknowledge these remain your responsibility. We accept no liability for issues or loss resulting from access to or use of your systems, credentials, or software.
From time to time we may access your email provider, hosting provider, or Google accounts (Analytics, Search Console, Tag Manager, Ads) for setup or analysis. You remain responsible for those accounts and their data. We accept no liability for changes, loss, or errors within them.
We may set up analytics or tracking tools using either Chelmsford Web Studio accounts or your own. Data ownership rests with the account holder. We make no guarantee of accuracy or continuity of third-party data.
We may change hosting suppliers or configurations at any time to maintain or improve service.

6. Website Backups & Data Protection

We take reasonable measures to help protect your website and may include scheduled backups as part of your hosting or maintenance plan.
Backups provided by Chelmsford Web Studio are a courtesy service only and are not guaranteed to be complete, up to date, or recoverable.
You are solely responsible for maintaining your own independent, secure backups of all website files, databases, emails, and related content.
We accept no liability for any data loss, corruption, or downtime, regardless of cause.
Restoration or recovery work is billed at £60/hour.

7. Revisions & Change Requests

Each project includes the number of revision rounds stated in your proposal.
Revisions cover small design or content adjustments, not new features or major redesigns.
After the included rounds are used, further changes will be charged at £60/hour.
Please send revision requests within 10 working days of receiving each stage so the project stays on track.
Extra or delayed revisions may affect delivery times and costs.

8. Intellectual Property

After full payment, you own your website, design, and content.
A small footer credit (“Website by Chelmsford Web Studio”) appears by default and can be removed on request at no cost.
We may display completed projects in our portfolio unless you ask otherwise in writing.
Unless agreed otherwise, our design processes, strategies, frameworks, code libraries, documents, templates, and internal tools remain our intellectual property. These materials are for your use within the project scope only and may not be copied, resold, or reused without written consent.

9. Third-Party Costs & Licences

Any required stock images, plugins, or other third-party tools will be agreed in advance.
These costs are either passed directly to you or included in your invoice.
We accept no liability for the functionality, availability, or licensing of any third-party products or services.

10. Confidentiality & Data Protection

We’ll treat any information you share with us as confidential and won’t share it with anyone else without your permission, unless we’re legally required to do so.
You are solely responsible for compliance with data-protection laws (including GDPR) relating to any personal data you collect or store.
If we process personal data on your behalf, it is only under your instruction and you remain the data controller.
We accept no liability for breaches of data protection or confidentiality arising from third-party providers, your systems, or circumstances beyond our control.
You agree to respect the confidentiality of our pricing, processes, and materials.

11. Client Content

You are responsible for the accuracy, legality, and appropriateness of all content provided.
We accept no liability for errors, omissions, or claims arising from client-supplied content.

12. Website Security

While we apply reasonable measures to help maintain security, we cannot guarantee protection against malware, hacking, or unauthorised access.
We accept no liability for data loss or disruption caused by malicious activity or software vulnerabilities.

13. Third-Party Integrations & APIs

Third-party integrations (e.g., payment gateways, CRM systems, APIs, plugins) are implemented at your request.
We are not responsible for their availability, compatibility, or ongoing maintenance and accept no liability for losses caused by their failure or discontinuation.

14. Client Access & Modifications

Once delivered, you are responsible for any changes made by you or others.
We accept no liability for issues arising from unauthorised or unapproved modifications.
Fixing such issues will be charged at £60/hour.

15. Marketing & SEO Services

Marketing, SEO, and advertising services are provided on a best-effort basis.
We make no guarantees regarding rankings, traffic, leads, or sales and accept no liability for business or financial outcomes.

16. Limitation of Damages

Under no circumstances will Chelmsford Web Studio be liable for any consequential, incidental, indirect, exemplary, or punitive damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.

17. Client Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and defend Chelmsford Web Studio, its directors, and employees against all claims, liabilities, damages, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from your content, instructions, or breach of these Terms & Conditions.

18. Third-Party Suppliers

We work with trusted third-party suppliers to deliver services including hosting, domains, analytics, software licences, and integrations.
These suppliers have their own terms. We are not liable for their actions, updates, or policies.
We may change suppliers at any time to improve reliability.
Our assistance in liaising with suppliers does not transfer liability or create a guarantee of their performance.

19. Liability

We accept no liability whatsoever for any direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage, including but not limited to lost sales, profits, opportunities, contracts, data, or reputation.
Our responsibility ends with providing the agreed services.
We do not guarantee specific outcomes such as search-engine rankings or traffic levels.

20. Cancellation

Hosting: You may cancel hosting at any time by email. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing month, and all hosting payments for that month must be cleared. Hosting payments cover the full billing month and are non-refundable once that month has started.
Other ongoing services (e.g., SEO/support): Require 30 days’ notice before cancellation.
Data after cancellation: Following cancellation or non-payment, hosting services may be suspended or deleted. We recommend maintaining independent backups. We accept no liability for any data loss after cancellation.

21. Suspension & Termination

We may suspend or terminate services if invoices remain unpaid or if a client behaves abusively or unlawfully.
We accept no liability for any loss or damage resulting from suspension or termination.

22. Force Majeure (Uncontrollable Events)

We are not liable for delays or failure to deliver services caused by events beyond our control (natural disasters, internet outages, strikes, pandemics, etc.).

23. Governing Law

These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales.
Any disputes will fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

24. Variation and Interpretation of Terms

We will occasionally update these Terms & Conditions to reflect changes in our services, pricing, or legal requirements.
Updates will be published on our website and apply to new projects and ongoing services from the date posted.
We encourage clients to review the latest version before new work begins — and we’re always happy to clarify anything if needed.
These Terms replace all previous agreements or communications.
Nothing here creates a partnership, joint venture, or employment relationship.
To avoid misunderstandings, only written agreements or proposals confirmed by us in writing are legally binding.

25. Acceptance of Terms & Communication

By instructing Chelmsford Web Studio to begin any work, whether verbally, by email, text message, WhatsApp, or other written communication, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms & Conditions.
You also agree that any approvals, confirmations, or requests sent via these communication channels will be treated as valid written instructions.
We will communicate primarily by email but may also use phone, WhatsApp, or other methods for convenience.
It is your responsibility to ensure that we have the correct and current contact details for project communication.
We are not responsible for delays, errors, or missed information resulting from undelivered messages, miscommunication, or failure to respond in a reasonable timeframe.

26. Respect & Collaboration

We believe in fairness, openness, and helpful communication and expect the same from our clients.