Terms of Service

1. Services & Scope

Ryan Dot Dev provides remote web design and development services from the United Kingdom.

Services are delivered according to the selected website tier:

• Starter Website
• Professional Website
• E-Commerce (Launch / Scale)
• Custom Web Solution

Requests beyond the selected tier — including additional functionality, structural expansion, or platform upgrades (e.g. adding an e-commerce to a Starter Website or expanding a Professional Website to Scale E-Commerce functionality) — require a separate quotation and written agreement.

Projects may include:

• API integrations (basic or advanced)
• CMS setup
• Database integration (for admin usage)
• Animations and special effects
• Shopify and Stripe integration (where applicable)
• Custom UX/UI design within tier scope

Custom Web Solutions are individually scoped and agreed in writing prior to commencement.

All e-commerce stores are built using Shopify and/or Stripe where applicable to the selected plan. Ryan Dot Dev does not build fully custom e-commerce stores outside of the listed scope due to the complexity and potential legal requirements involved.

2. Project Timeline & Communication

Standard project timelines are approximately 4–6 weeks, depending on scope and complexity.

Clients will receive weekly or fortnightly updates regarding:

• Progress
• Next steps
• Required client input
• Potential delays

Delays caused by late content delivery, lack of approvals, third-party outages, or circumstances beyond Ryan Dot Dev’s control may extend the timeline without penalty.

3. Payment & Deposits

Deposit Requirements

Starter Website:

• 50% non-refundable deposit upfront.

Professional Website, E-Commerce Plans & Custom Web Solution:

• 25%–50% deposit upfront (as specified in the quotation)

The remaining balance is due prior to deployment, file transfer, or website launch.

Deployment or transfer will not occur until full payment has been received.

Refund Policy

• Deposits are non-refundable once work has commenced.
• Cancellation after work begins: deposit retained; completed work exceeding the deposit may be invoiced.
• Cancellation before work begins: partial refund may be issued minus planning and administrative costs.
• Refunds are not issued for subjective preference changes after deliverables have been produced.
• Payment disputes must be communicated in writing. Failure to resolve may result in suspension of website access or hosting services.

4. Maintenance Services

Coverage

Maintenance clients are entitled to:

• Bug fixes and security updates
• Performance monitoring and uptime checks
• Redesigns and layout adjustments within original tier scope
• Minor content updates
• API maintenance within original build scope

Exclusions

Maintenance does not include:

• Features outside the contracted tier
• Full rebuilds or major redesigns
• Tier upgrades
• Third-party subscription or transaction fees (including Shopify or Stripe fees)

Six-Month Term Structure

Maintenance plans operate on a minimum six (6) month term.

The “first month free” offer applies only to the first 6-month contract under the maintenance + hosting plan. All renewals as well as other plans are billed at the full monthly rate.

Payments are due on the 1st of each month.

Renewal notice will be issued 30 days prior to term expiration. If not renewed, maintenance ends automatically and responsibility transfers fully to the client.

Non-Maintenance Clients

All clients receive 30 days of complimentary post-launch maintenance.

After this period, maintenance may be purchased as:

• 10-day block
• 30-day block
• 6-month block

Single-day maintenance is not offered.

5. File Transfer & Self-Hosting

Project files, source code, and deployment packages may only be requested after:

• Full payment has been made
• Any active maintenance term has concluded

Upon file transfer:

• Ryan Dot Dev is no longer responsible for hosting, security, updates, or performance.
• Post-transfer support is considered new billable work unless a new agreement is signed.

Maintenance agreements may not be used to obtain files and immediately cancel to bypass payment obligations.

6. Legal & Compliance Documents

Clients must provide:

• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Cookie Policy (where applicable)

Ryan Dot Dev does not provide legal advice. Legal compliance remains the sole responsibility of the client.

Where legally required, deployment will not proceed without appropriate documentation.

7. Industry & Content Restrictions

Ryan Dot Dev reserves the right to refuse or terminate services involving content including but not limited to:

• Adult content, sexually explicit material, or services of a sexual nature
• Smoking, vaping, tobacco, or drug-related products or services
• Cannabis-related businesses without proper legal documentation
• Weapons, violence, or extremist material
• Gambling platforms
• Content inappropriate or harmful to children
• Hate speech, discrimination, or defamatory content
• Any activity violating UK or applicable international law

Ryan Dot Dev retains sole discretion to decline projects conflicting with ethical standards or legal obligations.

If a project has already commenced

If a client requests services or features that fall within prohibited or restricted categories after a project has begun, Ryan Dot Dev reserves the right to terminate the project.

Where termination occurs due to prohibited content or unlawful activity:

• any paid deposits will remain non-refundable
• completed work may be invoiced where applicable
• Ryan Dot Dev will not be required to deliver work that violates these restrictions

This policy exists to ensure compliance with legal, ethical, and professional standards.

8. Client Responsibilities

Clients are responsible for:

• Accuracy and legality of provided content
• Compliance of business operations
• Timely payments
• Providing necessary hosting or platform access
• Prompt approvals and communication

Failure to meet responsibilities may impact delivery timelines.

9. Client Assets & Materials

The Client is responsible for providing all necessary assets required for website development, including but not limited to:

• Logos and brand files
• Images and photography
• Graphics and design elements
• Videos
• Lettermarks and favicon assets (tab icons)
• Written content and copy
• Legal policies and compliance documentation
• Domain name registration and ownership

All assets must be supplied in usable, high-quality formats suitable for professional web deployment.

Ryan Dot Dev is not responsible for sourcing, purchasing, licensing, or creating assets unless expressly agreed in writing.

Where assistance is provided (including basic graphics created using platforms such as Canva), this is done at Ryan Dot Dev’s discretion and does not form part of the core development obligation unless separately agreed.

The Client warrants that they have full legal rights, ownership, or appropriate licenses for all materials supplied.

Ryan Dot Dev accepts no liability for copyright infringement, trademark disputes, or legal claims arising from assets provided by the Client.

Failure to provide required assets in a timely manner may delay project timelines.

9A. Portfolio & Showcase Rights

Ryan Dot Dev may request permission to showcase completed projects within its professional portfolio, including on its website, social media, or marketing materials.

No client work will be publicly displayed without the client’s prior consent.

Where permission is granted, Ryan Dot Dev may display:

• The website design
• Screenshots or visual excerpts
• A brief description of the project and services provided

Confidential information, private data, or restricted content will never be disclosed.

Clients may withdraw permission for portfolio display at any time by submitting a written request.

9B. Source Code & Development Infrastructure

Ryan Dot Dev uses private development infrastructure including version control systems (such as GitHub) for project management, version history, deployment, and maintenance.

All client projects are stored in private repositories by default and are not publicly accessible.

These repositories may be used for:

• Version control
• Deployment pipelines
• Maintenance updates
• Backup and recovery
• Development collaboration

Ownership of the project code remains with the client once full payment has been completed.

Ryan Dot Dev will not publish or open-source client project code without the client’s explicit written consent.

10. Tier & Scope Philosophy

For clarity:

• Maintenance = updates, stability, redesigns within tier limits
• Upgrades or new functionality = separate quotation
• Additional pages = 15% per page
• Files transferable only after obligations are met
• Scope expansion requires new agreement

11. Platform Partnerships

Ryan Dot Dev is a registered partner of Shopify. For all live Shopify stores created by Ryan Dot Dev, a 20% commission may be received from Shopify based on the store’s monthly subscription fee.

This partnership does not imply ownership, liability, or control over Shopify’s policies, pricing, or service availability.

All Shopify services remain subject to Shopify’s own Terms of Service.

12. Amendments & Service Modifications

Ryan Dot Dev reserves the right to amend:

• These Terms & Conditions
• Pricing structures
• Hosting arrangements
• Infrastructure
• Third-party API integrations
• Service offerings

For active clients, material changes will be communicated in writing and will take effect at the start of the next billing cycle or renewal term.

Changes will not apply retroactively to active signed agreements.

Continued use of services following notice constitutes acceptance of updated terms.

13. Third-Party Services & Infrastructure

Ryan Dot Dev utilises third-party providers including hosting services, APIs, payment processors, and e-commerce platforms.

Ryan Dot Dev is not liable for outages, service interruptions, policy changes, pricing increases, or feature changes caused by third-party providers.

Where a Client is covered under an active maintenance agreement, Ryan Dot Dev will make reasonable efforts to maintain compatibility with third-party APIs and services used within the original build scope, including updates required due to API version changes or deprecations.

In certain cases, third-party services such as email APIs, payment processors, CRM systems, databases, or external integrations may require accounts to be created in the Client’s name. Where this is necessary, the Client agrees to create the required account(s) and provide appropriate access to Ryan Dot Dev for the purpose of development, integration, deployment, or maintenance of the website.

The Client remains responsible for all billing, subscription fees, and terms associated with these third-party services.

Where third-party costs materially increase, service pricing may be adjusted with reasonable notice.

14. Limitation of Liability

Ryan Dot Dev shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages arising from the use of services or delivered websites, including but not limited to:

• Loss of revenue or profits
• Loss of business opportunities
• Data loss
• Service interruptions
• Third-party platform failures

Ryan Dot Dev is not responsible for issues caused by:

• Third-party providers (including hosting platforms, APIs, payment processors, or software services)
• Client modifications made after delivery
• Misuse or improper maintenance of the website
• Inaccurate or unlawful content supplied by the client

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the total liability of Ryan Dot Dev for any claim related to services provided shall not exceed the total amount paid by the client for the specific project in question.

14A. Force Majeure

Ryan Dot Dev shall not be liable for failure or delay in performing obligations where such failure results from events beyond reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, power outages, internet failures, governmental actions, or other unforeseen circumstances.

15. Scope Changes & Additional Work

Any requests that extend beyond the originally agreed project scope — including new features, structural changes, integrations, or functionality not included in the selected tier — will be treated as additional work.

Such work will require a separate quotation and written approval before development begins.

Ryan Dot Dev reserves the right to pause work on additional requests until scope and pricing adjustments have been formally agreed.

16. Revisions & Approval Process

Reasonable revisions within the original design and functionality scope are included during the development process.

Revisions must relate to the agreed project scope and tier limitations.

Requests that substantially alter previously approved work, introduce new functionality, or require structural redesign may be treated as additional work and quoted separately.

Failure to provide feedback or approval within a reasonable timeframe may delay project delivery.

17. Project Inactivity

If the client becomes unresponsive for a period exceeding 30 days, the project may be placed on hold.

If communication is not re-established within 60 days, Ryan Dot Dev reserves the right to:

• Close the project
• Retain any paid deposits
• Require a new agreement to resume work

This clause exists to prevent indefinite project delays and scheduling conflicts.

18. Non-Circumvention

The Client agrees not to circumvent, bypass, or attempt to obtain services directly from Ryan Dot Dev outside of the formal business relationship established under this Agreement.

Where Ryan Dot Dev introduces or collaborates with third-party contractors, developers, designers, or service providers during the course of a project, the Client agrees not to directly solicit, hire, or engage those individuals for related services without prior written consent.

This clause exists to protect the professional business structure and collaborative relationships established by Ryan Dot Dev.

19. Professional Conduct & Cooperation

Ryan Dot Dev maintains a professional working environment and expects the same standard from all clients.

The following behaviour may result in immediate suspension or termination of services:

• abusive, threatening, or disrespectful communication
• harassment or discriminatory language
• repeated refusal to cooperate with reasonable project requirements
• deliberate obstruction of agreed project processes
• requests that conflict with legal or ethical obligations

Where such behaviour occurs, Ryan Dot Dev reserves the right to suspend or terminate the project at its sole discretion.

If termination occurs due to client conduct:

• all deposits remain non-refundable
• completed work may be invoiced where it exceeds the deposit amount
• project materials may be withheld until outstanding invoices are settled

Hosting Following Termination

Where a project or service is terminated due to client misconduct, Ryan Dot Dev reserves the right to suspend maintenance services immediately.

The Client will then be given a period of 14 days to arrange migration to alternative hosting or request a full file transfer.

During this period, Ryan Dot Dev is not obligated to provide maintenance, support, or troubleshooting services.

After this period, Ryan Dot Dev reserves the right to suspend hosting services and remove the website from its infrastructure.

Rules regarding full payments before file transfers in Section 5 still apply.

Ryan Dot Dev will always attempt to resolve issues professionally before termination where reasonably possible.

20. Business Closure

In the event that a Client’s business ceases operations, enters insolvency, or is formally closed:

• Where the project has been paid in full, the Client retains full ownership of the final deliverables and source code. Upon request, Ryan Dot Dev will provide a copy of the project files in accordance with Section 5.
• Where the Client wishes to discontinue hosting or related services, the project deployment will be removed upon written confirmation from the Client.
• Where the Client has any outstanding payments (including but not limited to project build instalments, maintenance plans, hosting, or approved scope upgrades), such amounts may be waived in full or in part at the sole discretion of Ryan Dot Dev as an act of goodwill, provided that reasonable proof of business closure is supplied.
• Acceptable proof may include (but is not limited to): official dissolution documentation, insolvency notices, or formal confirmation of business closure.
• Any third-party services (including but not limited to domain registration, external hosting providers, or subscriptions) remain the responsibility of the Client unless otherwise agreed in writing.

21. Acceptance & Acknowledgement

By signing, confirming via email, or paying a deposit, the Client confirms:

• They have read and understood these Terms in full
• They have had the opportunity to ask questions
• They agree to be legally bound
• They understand deposit and payment obligations
• They understand maintenance scope and exclusions
• They acknowledge file transfer and hosting conditions

Payment of any deposit constitutes formal acceptance of this Agreement.

22. Contact

Any queries regarding these Terms may be directed to: [email protected]

Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed and interpreted under the laws of England and Wales.