Website terms and conditions template

About this document

This template provides T&C for a website that offers a membership based service to businesses. You could charge a subscription or provide some or all of the services for free.

Typically, member-based sites allow users a high level of interaction with the site, and with other members. This template includes extensive terms relating to acceptable use and removal of offensive content. These aim both to dissuade your members from misuse or malicious use of your site, and to give you additional protection from claims relating to the actions of, or content posted by, your members.

Examples of sites that would use this template include:

• introduction and connection sites

• trade associations and organisations

• support networks

• discussion boards

This template has been written to cover international use because sites that would use such a template are likely to attract visitors from across the world. It has been written to comply with UK law, but much is likely to be enforceable in many other legal jurisdictions as well.

The benefit of using clear terms

Using these terms will help you:

• set out clearly how your business works and what your members can expect

• present a professional image. Our use of plain English helps ensure members do not feel intimidated by overly formal or legalistic language

• prevent misunderstandings and make solving disputes easier

• protect your website from misuse (we include paragraphs that form an Acceptable Use Policy, essential if your visitors interact with your site, for example, by posting reviews or exchanging messages in a customer forum)

• protect your business from complaints about content that your subscribers posted – particularly important if your members can contribute content that you might not moderate in real time

Similar templates

We have another very similar template if you operate a membership or community site that may be used by consumers (private individuals) as well as businesses. It includes provisions relating to rights under the Consumer Contracts (ICAC) Regulations 2013.

If your site creates a marketplace for goods or services (where buyers connect and transact with sellers), one of our templates for this type of site might be more appropriate.

If you are in any doubt as to which T&C template you should choose, please contact us.

The law in this document

The law in this T&C template is largely common law that deals with the basics of contracts: offer, acceptance, price and payment, delivery, liabilities and risk. That means that, by and large, you can set the commercial terms you want. Our guidance notes will tell you what you can change safely.

The terms also provide intellectual property protection, both governing how your content is used by your visitors and members and how information posted to your site by your visitors can be used by you.

We have contracted out of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 so as not to obligate you in contracts made between your customer and any other party. This is usual in a document such as this one.

Contents

The document includes provisions relating to:

• definitions
• responsibility of the member to provide accurate information
• terms of membership
• prices
• acceptable use policy
• removal of offensive content
• security
• storage of data
• duration and termination
• disclaimers
• limitation of liability
• indemnities
• miscellaneous legal matters