Most disputes between businesses and web designers are not about quality. They are about things nobody wrote down: who owns the code, who controls the domain, what a revision is, and what happens when the relationship ends. Twelve clauses cover almost all of it, and a straightforward supplier will answer every one without hesitation.
Ownership and control
1. Who owns the code and design on completion?
Should transfer to you on final payment, stated explicitly. In the absence of a clause, the default in many jurisdictions favours the creator retaining rights, which is not what most clients assume they are buying.
2. Who is the registrant on the domain?
You, in an account you can log into. A domain registered by a supplier on your behalf is the single most common source of difficulty when a relationship ends. See who owns your website.
3. Whose name is the hosting account in?
If hosting is resold to you, establish whether the site can be moved and what that process involves. There is nothing wrong with resold hosting; there is something wrong with not knowing.
4. Who owns the content and photographs?
Copy written for you and photographs taken for you should be yours. Separately, check what licences apply to anything third-party such as themes, stock images, or fonts, since some are licensed to the developer rather than to you.
Scope and process
5. What exactly counts as a revision?
The most frequent cause of friction. Establish whether a revision is a round of consolidated feedback or an individual change, and how many are included before additional charges apply.
6. Who supplies content, and what happens if it is late?
Content delays are usually the client's doing and are the most common cause of overrun. A contract that addresses this protects both sides rather than only the supplier.
7. What is the payment schedule, and what triggers the final payment?
Deposits are normal. What matters is what constitutes completion, since "final payment on launch" and "final payment on approval" behave very differently when a project stalls.
8. What is the timeline, and what are the dependencies?
A date with no stated dependencies is not a commitment either party can rely on.
After launch
9. What support is included, and for how long?
A defined period for fixing defects is standard and worth having in writing, along with what distinguishes a defect from a change request.
10. What does maintenance actually cover?
Itemised rather than described. See website maintenance for what belongs on that list.
11. How do either of us end this?
Notice period, what you receive on exit, and whether there is a charge for handover. Agreeing this while everyone is amicable is considerably easier than agreeing it later.
12. What happens if you stop trading?
The question people feel awkward asking, and the one that matters most. Small suppliers close, retire, and become unreachable. If everything runs on their accounts, you discover this when the site stops loading. See why your web designer disappeared.
How to use this
Not as a negotiation. As a conversation.
Send the twelve questions before signing and read the replies. A supplier who answers directly, even where the answer is not what you hoped, is telling you how the project will go. Vagueness on ownership or exit is not a paperwork problem; it is a preview.
And keep the replies. Most disputes are resolved by whoever can produce what was agreed in writing.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns a website after it is built?
It depends on the contract. Ownership of code and design should transfer to the client on final payment and be stated explicitly, because in the absence of a clause the default in many jurisdictions favours the creator retaining rights, which is rarely what clients assume they are buying.
Should my web designer register my domain for me?
They can handle the process, but the registrant should be your business in an account you can access. Domains registered under a supplier's account are the most common source of difficulty when a working relationship ends.
What counts as a revision in a web design contract?
It varies, which is why it needs defining. A revision may be one round of consolidated feedback or a single individual change, and the difference materially affects cost. Agree the definition and the number included before work begins.
What should happen at the end of a web design relationship?
The contract should state notice periods, what you receive on exit including files and access credentials, and whether any handover charge applies. Agreeing this while relations are good is considerably easier than negotiating it during a dispute.
What if my web designer stops trading?
This is the question worth asking before signing. If the domain, hosting, and code all sit under the supplier's accounts, their departure can leave you without access to your own site. Holding the domain and hosting in your own name prevents most of this.
Do I own the photographs and copy on my website?
Content created specifically for you should be yours under the contract. Third-party elements such as themes, stock photography, and fonts are separate and may be licensed to the developer rather than to you, so those licences are worth checking individually.
West Coast Media Solutions Inc. builds and maintains websites for businesses across Canada. This article reflects patterns we see in practice. Contract and ownership questions vary by jurisdiction and agreement; where money or rights are at stake, take legal advice on your own documents.
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