Terms & Conditions

1. Parties to This Agreement

This agreement is between the freelance web designer named below ("Designer") and the small business or individual engaging their services ("Client").

2. Payment Terms

2.1  Full Payment Upfront

All project fees are due in full prior to the commencement of any design or development work. Work will not begin until cleared payment has been received.

2.2  Accepted Payment Methods

Accepted payment methods will be confirmed in the project proposal. Invoices are issued in the currency specified in the proposal.

2.3  Late or Failed Payments

If a payment fails or is reversed, the Designer reserves the right to suspend all work and withhold deliverables until payment is resolved. Any bank fees or charges resulting from failed payments are the Client's responsibility.

2.4  Taxes

All quoted fees are exclusive of applicable taxes. The Client is responsible for any taxes, duties, or levies imposed by their jurisdiction.

3. Project Scope & Revisions

3.1  Scope of Work

The scope of each project will be defined in a written project proposal or statement of work agreed upon by both parties. Work outside this defined scope constitutes a change request.

3.2  Revision Rounds

Each project includes the number of revision rounds specified in the project proposal. A "revision" is a minor change within the agreed-upon scope. Revisions are not:

•      Redesigns or significant changes to direction, layout, or structure

•      New features or pages not originally specified

•      Changes to content or copy (unless content work is included in the scope)

3.3  Additional Revisions & Scope Changes

Any revisions beyond the included rounds, or changes that fall outside the agreed scope, will be quoted separately at the Designer's standard hourly or fixed rate and must be approved in writing before work commences.

3.4  Client Delays

If the Client fails to provide required content, feedback, or approvals within 14 days of a request, the project may be placed on hold. Resumption of a paused project is subject to the Designer's availability and may incur a restart fee.

4. Intellectual Property & Ownership

4.1  Transfer of Rights

Full ownership and intellectual property rights for all final deliverables transfer to the Client upon receipt of payment in full. Until that point, all work remains the exclusive property of the Designer.

4.2  Designer's Right to Portfolio Use

The Designer reserves the right to display completed work in their professional portfolio, website, and marketing materials unless the Client requests in writing that the work remain confidential prior to project commencement.

4.3  Third-Party Assets

Any third-party assets used in a project (stock images, fonts, plugins, themes, or licensed software) remain subject to their respective license agreements. The Client is responsible for maintaining any required ongoing licenses after handoff.

4.4  Open-Source Components

Where open-source software or frameworks are used, ownership and usage is subject to the applicable open-source license (e.g., MIT, GPL). The Designer will disclose significant open-source components upon request.

5. Cancellations & Refunds

5.1  Cancellation by the Client

Because payment is required in full upfront, the following refund schedule applies if the Client cancels a project:

•      Cancellation before work begins: 100% refund, less any transaction fees

•      Cancellation after work has begun: Refund of fees for incomplete work, at the Designer's reasonable discretion, less a minimum administration fee of 20% of the total project value. Fees calculated at £50 per hour.

•      Cancellation after 50% of the project is complete: No refund

Cancellations must be submitted in writing via email. The cancellation date is the date the written notice is received by the Designer.

5.2  Cancellation by the Designer

The Designer reserves the right to cancel a project at any time due to non-cooperation, abusive conduct, or material misrepresentation by the Client. In such cases, a pro-rata refund for uncompleted work will be issued at the Designer's discretion.

5.3  No Refund After Delivery

No refunds will be issued after final files or access credentials have been delivered to the Client.

6. Confidentiality

6.1  Designer's Obligations

The Designer agrees to keep all non-public business information, data, and materials provided by the Client confidential and will not disclose them to third parties without prior written consent, except as required by law.

6.2  Client's Obligations

The Client agrees not to share, distribute, or disclose any proprietary design processes, templates, workflows, or tools belonging to the Designer without written permission.

6.3  Duration

Confidentiality obligations remain in effect for 2 years following the completion or termination of a project.

6.4  Portfolio Exception

The confidentiality clause does not restrict the Designer from displaying completed deliverables in their portfolio unless the Client has specifically requested otherwise in writing (see Section 4.2).

7. Warranties & Representations

The Client warrants that:

•      All materials, content, and assets provided to the Designer are owned by the Client or the Client has the legal right to use them

•      The use of Client-supplied materials will not infringe any third-party intellectual property, privacy, or other rights

•      The Client has the authority to enter into this agreement

The Designer warrants that the work will be performed with reasonable skill and care and will substantially conform to the agreed scope.

8. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Designer's total liability to the Client for any claim arising from this agreement shall not exceed the total fees paid by the Client for the project in question.

The Designer is not liable for:

•      Any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, including loss of profits or data

•      Issues arising from third-party platforms, plugins, hosting providers, or software not directly supplied by the Designer

•      Client modifications to delivered work after handoff

9. Dispute Resolution

In the event of a dispute, both parties agree to attempt resolution through good-faith negotiation before pursuing any formal legal action. Any legal disputes will be governed by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the Designer is based.

10. Amendments

These Terms & Conditions may be updated periodically. The version in effect at the time of a project's commencement applies for that project. Updated terms apply to new projects only.