Website development agreements

This is a comprehensive agreement for writing or editing a technologically simple website.

It is suitable whether the work involves customised coding or simpler configuration of third party content management systems or add-ons.

The client may be based in any country.

You can use this document as your standard contract, or you can use it as the basis for a negotiated contract for each client.

The document covers all areas of most frequent misunderstanding, including:

• approval and payment for work in stages
• procedure for changes requested by the client, so that you get paid for additional work
• responsibilities for organisation of related tasks such as domain registration
• testing and acceptance
• identification and protection of intellectual property

This is a comprehensive agreement, suitable for any software house to reuse with clients in any country.

It will protect you from many legal pitfalls and provide you with a thorough framework for the legal relationship and the progress of the work.

You may use this document as your standard contract that all clients must accept, or you may vary the terms on a client by client basis as you negotiate details.

The document covers all stages of website development, from graphic design to testing. It does not cover on-going hosting provision, or services such as marketing.

The customer approves the work in stages and pays for additional work on an agreed basis.

Some of the more important matters covered in this agreement include:

• the procedure for writing a specification that covers all elements of the website design and development work, to provide a precise instruction to you and a record of the work for your client
• how the customer may change to specification, so that it is clear what work is additional to the original agreement
• testing and acceptance
• payment for work
• identification and protection of your intellectual property

This is a contract for a prospective client of a developer to have a new website written or to order substantial software work - a comprehensive framework you can use to negotiate with your contractor.

This contract has been drawn to give you, the client, greater legal protection rather than the developer.

It is suitable for both the writing of a complex web site where work needs to be performed to time, specification and budget, and for a small works where you need a single contractor for a short time.

It addresses the problems that may arise between you and your development, including those relating to approval of work, payment and changes to the specification.