Do I Need Terms and Conditions on My Website?
7th February 2023
Creating a stylish new website for your business should be fun and exciting, so do you really need all those dull terms and conditions?
In this article, we dive into the detail to consider the purpose behind the legal language you sometimes read and probably ignore when you visit a website. This will help you decide what text to include when updating your online presence.
Admittedly, this might not be the most entertaining thing you’ll read today, but it might save you money…
What are website terms and conditions?
Firstly, there is no law that says that you must have terms and conditions on your website. Before you say “that’s all I need to know”, you must realise that you require some form of protection from legal action.
Whether your website reports on the local weather or sells boating equipment, you need the protection of a legal umbrella to limit your liability should a customer take you to court. Terms and conditions can also protect your rights and the content published on your website.
If the worst happens and you get involved in a legal dispute, the court will review your website terms to assess the contract between you and the other party. When creating the text, be thorough as it will need to hold up in court.
Please note that UK law requires any website that collects personal data from visitors to publish a Privacy Policy on the site.
What should terms and conditions contain?
This depends on the purpose of the website in question, but most website terms and conditions contain information on the following areas:
Contact details of the company
Permitted uses of website content
Registration requirements and security measures
Fees required to use the website
Disclaimer of liability for content on linked sites
Policy for submitted comments or user-generated content
Website availability
VAT registration
Links to privacy or cookies policies.
Do I need terms and conditions for selling products online?
Yes. Your terms and conditions act as a contract between you and the customer, as they need to agree to your terms to view the site, buy stuff and use your services. They can be super detailed or can simply outline your guarantees and refund policies.
If you are an online retailer, your terms and conditions must comply with the UK Government’s distance selling regulations.
Thanks for the free legal advice!
Hang on, not so fast. Nothing in this article should be construed as legal advice. To get it right, we suggest you consult a professional who can assess your precise needs.
Although there are free online services that will generate terms and conditions for you, it's a risky way to go.
We're huge fans of BEB Contract and Legal Services who can provide you with all the bespoke contracts you require to protect your business. All their legal contracts are written in plain English and are prepared to a high standard by qualified professionals.
Want to know more?
Here at it’seeze Website Design, we build sites to help your business grow while also containing all the important legal stuff too. Whatever your industry, we can design, build and optimise websites with content that will make your phone ring and your email ping.
Just contact us to get the ball rolling.
Tagged as: Best Practices, risk management
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