Terms & Conditions

1. Agreement to Terms

By subscribing to Trade Sites' website services ("Services"), you ("Client" or "you") agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not subscribe to our Services.

2. Services Provided

For the agreed monthly subscription fee, Trade Sites will provide the following:

2.1 Website Services

• A professionally designed website hosted on our platform
• A custom domain name registered on your behalf (up to £15 per year in value)
• Premium web hosting services
• SSL security certificate
• Mobile-responsive design

2.2 Unlimited Updates

You are entitled to unlimited updates to your website, including:

• Text content changes
• Image replacements
• Brand theming and colour adjustments
• Showing or hiding sections of the website

Updates will be completed within a reasonable timeframe, typically within 24–48 hours of request.

2.3 Limitations

The following are NOT included in unlimited updates:

• Complete website redesigns or structural changes
• Custom functionality or features requiring development work
• Third-party integrations requiring additional costs
• Changes requiring purchase of premium plugins or tools

3. Pricing and Payment

3.1 Subscription Fee

The current standard monthly subscription fee is £15 per month, payable in advance.

3.2 Payment Terms

• Payment is due on the same day each month as your initial subscription date
• Payment will be automatically charged to your provided payment method
• Failure to pay may result in suspension or termination of Services

3.3 Price Changes

We reserve the right to change our pricing due to inflation, increased business costs, or changes in service provision. You will be notified of any price changes at least 30 days in advance via email. Continued use of the Services after the notice period constitutes acceptance of the new pricing.

3.4 Domain Registration Costs

The subscription includes domain registration up to £15 per year. If you select a premium domain or domain extension exceeding £15 per year, you will be responsible for paying the difference.

4. Minimum Term and Cancellation

4.1 Minimum Subscription Period

There is a minimum subscription period of 3 months from your start date. This minimum term allows us to recover setup costs, including:

• Domain registration
• Initial website build

You may not cancel your subscription during this 3-month minimum period.

4.2 Cancellation After Minimum Term

After the 3-month minimum period, you may cancel your subscription at any time by providing written notice via email to 'hsawyer2020@gmail.com'. Cancellation will take effect at the end of your current billing period. You will continue to have access to the Services until the end of the paid period.

4.3 No Refunds

All payments are non-refundable. If you cancel your subscription immediately after a payment has been processed, no refund will be provided. Your website will remain active until the end of the paid billing period.

5. Intellectual Property and Website Code

5.1 Website Code Ownership

Trade Sites retains full ownership of all website code, design templates, frameworks, and proprietary systems used to build and maintain your website. You do NOT acquire ownership of the website code or underlying technology.

5.2 Your Content Ownership

You retain full ownership of all content you provide, including:

• Text and written content
• Photographs and images
• Your business name, logo, and branding
• Customer reviews and testimonials

5.3 Upon Cancellation

If you cancel your subscription:

• Your website will be taken offline at the end of your final paid billing period
• You will NOT receive access to the website code or files
• We will provide you with all your content (text, images, etc.) upon request within 30 days of cancellation
• Your custom domain will expire unless you choose to transfer it (see Section 6)

6. Domain Name

6.1 Domain Registration

We will register a domain name on your behalf as part of the Services. The domain is registered in our name but used exclusively for your website.

6.2 Domain Renewal

We will renew your domain annually as part of your ongoing subscription. If the renewal costs exceed £15 then you will be requeired to pay the difference. Failure to pay this will result in us cancelling the domain subscription resulting in the domain possibly becoming available for public registration.

6.3 Domain Transfer Upon Cancellation

If you cancel your subscription and wish to keep your domain name:

• You must request domain transfer within 30 days of cancellation
• We will provide you with the necessary authorisation code and transfer instructions
• You are responsible for setting up hosting and transferring the domain to a new registrar
• There is no charge for domain transfer, but you must have an account with a domain registrar to receive the transfer

6.4 Domain Expiry

If you do not request domain transfer within 30 days of cancellation, we are not obligated to renew or maintain the domain. The domain may expire and become available for public registration.

7. Website Updates and Maintenance

7.1 Update Requests

You may request unlimited updates to text, images, colours, and visibility of website sections by emailing 'hsawyer2020@gmail.com'.

7.2 Update Turnaround Time

We aim to complete all update requests within 24–48 hours during business days (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm GMT, excluding UK public holidays). Complex requests may require additional time.

7.3 Content Responsibility

You are responsible for:

• Providing accurate and legal content
• Ensuring you have rights to use all images and text provided
• Compliance with UK advertising and trading standards
• Accuracy of business information (phone numbers, addresses, services, prices)

We are not responsible for reviewing the legality or accuracy of content you provide.

8. Service Availability and Uptime

8.1 Uptime Commitment

We strive to maintain 99.9% uptime for your website. However, we do not guarantee uninterrupted access and are not liable for downtime due to:

• Scheduled maintenance (with reasonable notice)
• Third-party hosting provider outages
• Internet service disruptions
• Circumstances beyond our reasonable control

8.2 Maintenance Windows

We may perform scheduled maintenance with at least 24 hours' notice where reasonably possible. Emergency maintenance may be performed without notice.

9. Prohibited Uses

You agree NOT to use the Services for:

• Any illegal activity or purpose
• Transmitting harmful, offensive, or defamatory content
• Infringing intellectual property rights of others
• Distributing malware, viruses, or harmful code
• Phishing, scamming, or fraudulent activities
• Adult content, gambling, or illegal services (unless properly licensed)
• Excessive bandwidth usage that impacts other users

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate Services immediately if we determine you are engaging in prohibited uses.

10. Limitation of Liability

10.1 Service Provided "As Is"

The Services are provided "as is" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.

10.2 Limitation of Damages

To the maximum extent permitted by UK law, Trade Sites shall not be liable for:

• Loss of profits, revenue, or business opportunities
• Loss of data or content
• Indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
• Damages arising from third-party actions or services

10.3 Maximum Liability

Our total liability to you for any claim arising from these Terms or the Services shall not exceed the total amount you have paid to us in the 3 months preceding the claim.

10.4 Consumer Rights

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for:

• Death or personal injury caused by our negligence
• Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
• Any other liability that cannot be excluded under UK law

11. Data Protection and Privacy

11.1 Data Processing

We process personal data in accordance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

11.2 Your Responsibilities

If your website collects personal data from visitors (e.g., through contact forms), you are responsible for:

• Complying with UK GDPR requirements
• Securing appropriate legal basis for processing data
• Responding to data subject requests

We provide the technical tools (contact forms, etc.) but you are the data controller for any data collected through your website.

12. Termination by Trade Sites

12.1 Right to Terminate

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your Services immediately without refund if:

• You breach these Terms
• You engage in prohibited uses (Section 9)
• You fail to pay subscription fees
• You provide false or misleading information
• We are required to do so by law

12.2 Notice of Termination

Where possible, we will provide you with notice of termination and an opportunity to remedy any breach, except in cases of serious violation.

13. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in our Services, legal requirements, or business practices.

We will notify you of material changes at least 30 days in advance via email. Your continued use of the Services after the effective date of revised Terms constitutes acceptance of those changes.

14. Disputes and Governing Law

14.1 Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

14.2 Dispute Resolution

In the event of any dispute arising from these Terms:

• We encourage you to contact us first at 'hsawyer2020@gmail.com' to resolve the matter informally
• If informal resolution is unsuccessful, you may pursue mediation or other alternative dispute resolution
• Any legal proceedings must be brought in the courts of England and Wales

14.3 Consumer Rights

If you are a consumer, nothing in these Terms affects your statutory rights under UK consumer protection law.

15. General Provisions

15.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Trade Sites regarding the Services.

15.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

15.3 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.

15.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms or your subscription without our written consent. We may assign our rights and obligations under these Terms without restriction.

15.5 Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, war, terrorism, pandemics, government actions, or failures of third-party services.

16. Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us:

17. Acknowledgment

By subscribing to Trade Sites, you acknowledge that:

• You have read and understood these Terms and Conditions
• You agree to be bound by these Terms
• You are at least 18 years old and have the legal capacity to enter into this agreement
• All information you provide is accurate and complete