Terms of Service
1. Introduction
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern all web design, development, branding, and related services ("Services") provided by Digital Dogz Ltd ("Digital Dogz", "we", "us", "our") to any client ("Client", "you", "your"). By engaging our Services — whether by signing a proposal, paying a deposit, or instructing us to begin work — you agree to be bound by these Terms.
These Terms apply alongside any project proposal, quotation, or statement of work we issue. If there is a conflict, the project-specific document takes priority.
2. Quotations & Project Scope
2.1. All quotations are valid for 30 days from the date of issue unless stated otherwise.
2.2. The project scope is defined in the written proposal or statement of work agreed before commencement. Work falling outside the agreed scope will be quoted separately and may affect delivery timelines.
2.3. We reserve the right to adjust timelines where the Client causes delays, including late delivery of content, feedback, or milestone payments.
3. Deposits & Payment
3.1. Deposit. A deposit of 50% of the total project value is required before any work begins. Work will not be scheduled or commenced until the deposit has been received in full.
3.2. Milestone payments. The remaining balance is payable in stages tied to agreed project milestones, as set out in the project proposal. Each milestone invoice is payable upon completion of that milestone.
3.3. Payment terms. Invoices are payable within 7 days of the invoice date, interest-free.
3.4. Late payment. If an invoice remains unpaid after 7 days:
- Interest will be charged on the outstanding balance in accordance with the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, at 8% per annum above the Bank of England base rate, accruing daily until payment is received in full; and
- All further work on the project will be suspended until the outstanding milestone payment is received. We accept no liability for delays caused by such suspension.
3.5. Final delivery. Final files, code, and site handover (including deployment to the Client's hosting where agreed) will only take place once all invoices have been paid in full.
4. Refunds & Cancellation
4.1. Before work begins. If you cancel the project before any work has commenced, you are eligible for a full refund of any monies paid, including the deposit.
4.2. After work begins. Once work has commenced:
- The deposit is non-refundable; and
- No refunds will be issued for any payments made, whether in whole or in part, regardless of the stage of completion.
4.3. Cancellation by the Client after commencement. If you cancel a project after work has begun, all monies paid are retained, and any completed milestones that have been invoiced but not yet paid remain payable.
4.4. Cancellation by us. We reserve the right to cancel a project where the Client breaches these Terms, behaves abusively toward our team, or requests content we decline to produce (see Section 9). In such cases, monies paid for work already completed are non-refundable.
5. Abandoned Projects
5.1. If the Client becomes unresponsive — failing to provide content, feedback, approvals, or payment — for a period of 15 days despite reasonable attempts to make contact, we may treat the project as abandoned.
5.2. Upon abandonment, we reserve the right to close the project and retain all monies paid. Any milestones completed but not yet invoiced may be invoiced and remain payable.
5.3. Reviving an abandoned project may be subject to a re-engagement fee and re-scheduling at our discretion, and may be re-quoted at current rates.
6. Revisions & Post-Launch Support
6.1. Included support. For 30 days following launch, we provide free support covering bug fixes and reasonable minor revisions to the delivered work.
6.2. After 30 days. Once the 30-day period ends, all further maintenance, updates, and revisions require a paid maintenance retainer or will be quoted as separate work.
6.3. Revisions during the project must fall within the agreed scope. Requests that materially change the design direction, functionality, or content volume beyond the agreed scope will be treated as additional work and quoted accordingly.
6.4. Support does not cover issues caused by third parties, the Client, or anyone other than Digital Dogz modifying the site, nor issues arising from hosting environments, third-party services, or software updates outside our control.
7. Intellectual Property
7.1. Client ownership. Upon receipt of full payment for the project, the Client owns the full code and design deliverables of their website.
7.2. Our retained rights. We retain the right to reuse generic code snippets, libraries, frameworks, techniques, and know-how developed during the project in future work. This does not include Client-specific branding, content, or proprietary business material.
7.3. Third-party assets. Any third-party assets (fonts, stock imagery, plugins, licences) remain subject to their own licence terms, which the Client is responsible for maintaining after handover.
7.4. Until full payment is received, all deliverables remain the property of Digital Dogz Ltd.
8. Portfolio & Credit
8.1. Portfolio use. We reserve the right to display completed work in our portfolio, on our website, and in marketing materials (including social media and showreels), unless:
- The work is covered by a non-disclosure agreement (NDA); or
- The Client submits a written request that the work not be used.
8.2. Site credit. Where the Client agrees, a discreet "Site by Digital Dogz" credit with a link to ddogz.com will be included in the site footer. Clients may opt out of this credit by written request at any time.
9. Right to Refuse Content
9.1. We reserve the right to refuse to produce, publish, or host any content that we consider, at our sole discretion, to be unlawful, defamatory, discriminatory, misleading, obscene, or otherwise objectionable or damaging to our reputation.
9.2. Refusal of specific content does not constitute cancellation of the wider project and does not entitle the Client to a refund.
10. Domains & Hosting
10.1. Unless expressly agreed in writing, the Client is responsible for purchasing, renewing, and maintaining their own domain name(s) and hosting, including all associated fees and account credentials.
10.2. Where we assist with domain or hosting setup, we do so on the Client's behalf; ownership and billing responsibility remain with the Client.
10.3. We are not responsible for downtime, data loss, email issues, or any other failures arising from the Client's hosting provider, domain registrar, or DNS configuration, except where directly caused by our own error.
10.4. The Client is responsible for maintaining backups after handover unless a maintenance retainer covering backups is in place.
11. Client Responsibilities
11.1. The Client is responsible for supplying accurate content (text, imagery, branding) in a timely manner, and warrants that all supplied material does not infringe any third party's rights.
11.2. The Client is responsible for the legal compliance of their own website content, including their own privacy policy, cookie compliance, and any industry-specific regulations applicable to their business.
12. Liability
12.1. Nothing in these Terms excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.
12.2. Subject to 12.1, our total liability arising from any project is limited to the total fees paid by the Client for that project.
12.3. We are not liable for any indirect or consequential losses, including loss of profit, revenue, data, or business opportunity.
13. General
13.1. These Terms constitute the entire agreement between the parties in relation to the Services, alongside any agreed proposal or statement of work.
13.2. We may update these Terms from time to time. The version in force at the time a project is agreed applies to that project.
13.3. These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute.
Questions? Contact us at owain@ddogz.com.