Legal
Terms of Service
Website design & build, website maintenance and AI automation retainer services.
These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern the provision of website design, website build, website maintenance, hosting-facilitation and AI automation services by Hackney Lane Group Ltd (“HLG”, “we”, “us”) to the client named in the applicable Proposal, Quote or Order Form (“Client”, “you”). By signing an Order Form, paying a deposit, or instructing HLG to begin work, the Client agrees to be bound by these Terms.
1. Definitions
- “Order Form” means the signed quote, proposal, or written confirmation setting out the specific Services, Fees, and milestones agreed for a Project.
- “Project” means a one-off website design and build engagement described in an Order Form.
- “Retainer Services” means the ongoing monthly services described in Schedule A (Website Maintenance) and/or Schedule B (AI Automation Retainer).
- “Deliverables” means the website, pages, code, designs, and other materials produced by HLG for the Client under a Project.
- “Go-Live” means the date the Deliverables are published to a live, publicly accessible domain.
2. Scope of one-off website build services
2.1HLG will design and build a website for the Client as described in the applicable Order Form, which will set out the number of pages, functionality, design scope, and any integrations (e.g. booking forms, chat widgets, AI features) included.
2.2Any work requested outside the scope of the Order Form (additional pages, redesigns after sign-off, new functionality) will be quoted and agreed separately as a Change Request before work begins.
2.3HLG is not responsible for third-party services the Client chooses to use in conjunction with the website (e.g. domain registrars, payment processors, third-party plugins), beyond configuring them as agreed in the Order Form.
3. Fees & payment — one-off website builds
3.1Payment for one-off website build Projects is structured as a deposit payable before work begins, followed by milestone payments (for example on approval of the design mock-up and on completion of the build) and a final payment due on Go-Live. The exact percentages, amounts and triggers for each stage are set out in your Order Form.
3.2The Total Project Fee is set out in the Order Form. This figure supersedes any verbal or indicative quote.
3.3Invoices are payable within the period stated on the invoice or in the Order Form. Work on the next milestone will not begin, and Go-Live will not occur, until the corresponding payment has been received in full.
3.4Late payment may incur interest at the rate stated in the Order Form or, failing that, the statutory rate under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, where applicable.
3.5All Fees are quoted exclusive of VAT unless stated otherwise. VAT will be added at the prevailing rate if HLG is VAT-registered at the time of invoicing.
4. Client obligations
The Client agrees to:
- Provide website copy, images, logos, and branding materials within the timeframe requested by HLG.
- Respond to review and approval requests within the timeframe agreed in the Order Form, to avoid delaying the Project timeline.
- Provide accurate business information and ensure all content supplied is lawfully owned or licensed by the Client.
- Provide access to any third-party accounts required (domain registrar, hosting, analytics) where relevant.
5. Timescales
5.1Estimated timescales are set out in the Order Form and are dependent on the Client meeting the obligations in Section 4. Delays caused by late content, late feedback, or late payment will extend the timeline accordingly and are not the responsibility of HLG.
6. Revisions & change requests
6.1The Order Form specifies the number of design revision rounds included in the Total Project Fee.
6.2Revisions requested beyond the included rounds, or after a stage has been formally approved, will be charged at HLG’s standard hourly rate (as stated in the Order Form), or quoted as a fixed-fee Change Request.
7. Intellectual property
7.1Upon receipt of the Final Payment in full, ownership of the bespoke Deliverables (excluding third-party assets, stock imagery, licensed fonts, and pre-built frameworks) transfers to the Client.
7.2HLG retains the right to display the completed website in its own portfolio and marketing materials unless the Client requests otherwise in writing.
7.3Any underlying code libraries, templates, or reusable components developed by HLG that are not unique to the Client’s Project remain the property of HLG and are licensed, not sold, to the Client for use on the delivered website.
8. Acceptance & sign-off
8.1The Client will be asked to formally approve the website prior to Go-Live. Written approval (including email) constitutes acceptance of the Deliverables as fulfilling the Order Form.
8.2If the Client does not respond to a request for sign-off within the number of business days stated in the Order Form, and has been given reasonable notice, the Deliverables will be deemed accepted.
9. Schedule A — monthly website maintenance retainer
9.1The Website Maintenance Retainer is an optional, separate ongoing service covering hosting-facilitation, security updates, minor content edits, and uptime monitoring. It is billed monthly in advance and is not included in the one-off Project Fee unless stated in the Order Form. It is offered in tiers:
- Essential — hosting-facilitation, security and plugin updates, uptime monitoring, and a set allowance of minor edit hours per month.
- Growth — everything in Essential, plus additional edit hours per month and a monthly performance report.
- Priority — everything in Growth, plus priority turnaround (to the SLA stated in the Order Form) and further edit hours per month.
The monthly fee and the specific allowances for each tier are set out in your Order Form.
9.2Minor edit hours do not roll over month to month unless otherwise agreed in writing. Work beyond the included hours is billed at HLG’s standard hourly rate.
9.3The Maintenance Retainer renews automatically each month and continues until cancelled per Section 11.
10. Schedule B — AI automation retainer
10.1The AI Automation Retainer covers the ongoing operation, monitoring, and refinement of AI-driven automation systems built for the Client (e.g. the AI Inbound Response System), including model/API costs up to the usage threshold stated in the Order Form. It is offered in tiers:
- Standard — inbound response automation, a monthly performance review, and a set allowance of inbound interactions per month.
- Advanced — everything in Standard, plus additional automation workflows and a higher allowance of interactions per month.
The monthly fee and interaction allowances for each tier are set out in your Order Form.
10.2Usage beyond the stated monthly interaction threshold, or requests for new automation workflows outside the agreed scope, will be quoted separately.
10.3The one-off build/setup fee for the AI Inbound Response System (if not already covered under a Project Order Form) is set out in the Order Form and is payable before the system goes live, separate from the monthly Retainer Fee.
10.4The AI Automation Retainer renews automatically each month and continues until cancelled per Section 11.
11. Cancellation & termination
11.1One-off Projects: Either party may terminate a Project before completion by giving written notice. The Client remains liable for all Fees corresponding to work completed and milestones reached up to the date of termination, plus any non-recoverable third-party costs already incurred by HLG.
11.2Retainer Services (Schedules A and B): Either party may cancel a Retainer with the written notice period stated in the Order Form (typically 30 days’). Fees already paid for the current billing month are non-refundable. No partial-month refunds are given on cancellation.
11.3HLG reserves the right to suspend or terminate any Services immediately if an invoice remains unpaid beyond the number of days stated in the Order Form after the due date.
12. Warranties & limitation of liability
12.1HLG will perform the Services with reasonable skill and care. HLG does not warrant that the website will be uninterrupted, error-free, or achieve any specific business outcome (e.g. rankings, lead volume, conversion rate).
12.2To the maximum extent permitted by law, HLG’s total aggregate liability arising out of or in connection with the Services, whether in contract, tort, or otherwise, is limited to the total Fees paid by the Client under the relevant Order Form or Retainer in the 12 months preceding the claim.
12.3HLG is not liable for indirect or consequential loss, including loss of profit, loss of business, or loss of data, save where such exclusion is not permitted by law (e.g. liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, or fraud).
13. Data protection & direct marketing
13.1Each party will comply with its obligations under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 in respect of any personal data processed in connection with the Services.
13.2Where HLG’s Services involve automated inbound response handling, lead capture, or outbound communications on the Client’s behalf, the Client is responsible for ensuring their own compliance with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), including consent requirements for electronic marketing to individuals and sole traders. HLG will configure systems as instructed but does not provide legal advice on PECR compliance.
14. Force majeure
14.1Neither party is liable for delay or failure to perform obligations resulting from causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to third-party hosting outages, internet infrastructure failures, or acts of God.
15. Entire agreement & variation
15.1These Terms, together with the applicable Order Form, constitute the entire agreement between the parties and supersede all prior discussions, quotes, and correspondence relating to the Services.
15.2Any variation to these Terms must be agreed in writing and signed by an authorised representative of both parties.
16. Governing law & jurisdiction
16.1These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms or the Services.
Last updated: 6 July 2026. Questions about these Terms? Email ra@hackneylanegroup.com.
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