When was the last time you updated your website’s legal documents?
No doubt you added some T&Cs and privacy policy pages when your website first launched, hopefully you’ve been keeping them updated with your current company information and any changes in legislation.
It’s certainly not the sexy side of web design, but it’s important. Keeping the legal stuff on your website up-to-date may seem like an onerous task but it inevitably has to be done to protect your interests, as well as give your customers confidence in your products and services.
Some definitions…
Website Terms & Conditions
These set out the parameters of the usage of your website, outline who you are as an entity, can form the basis of a contract of sale and protect intellectual property and information. The T&Cs required depend on the nature of your website and are best tailored to your specific circumstances.
Privacy Policy
Transparency when it comes to the data collected and stored about individuals is a key part of any website. Your Privacy Policy is where you will outline how and when you handle data and protect people’s privacy, including details of the cookies you store. All privacy policies should now be GDPR-compliant.
Terms of Business
Whether you are B2B or B2C, outlining the way you do business and the rights and obligations of all involved parties is wise. Including these terms on your website means prospective clients can see what you’d be like to work with, and current clients have a quick point of reference.
Regulations
Are you regulated by a professional body? Many organisations, such as the Financial Conduct Authority, require set terms to be plainly stated on your website. Many qualifications and memberships also require statements to be published outlining the standards you adhere to.
What to keep in mind
- If you operate internationally you may need to have separate documents for each region as well as provide translated versions.
- Failing to keep details up-to-date on documents and web pages could invalidate any claims or recourse that you pursue. So, that address change needs to be updated everywhere.
- Depending on the nature of your website or business there could be very specific rules you need to follow, it is always wise to consult a legal professional to ensure you’ve covered all the bases.
- Any documents you decide to add to your website should be converted to HTML so that they can be accessible and easily read by anyone. Formatting is important to get right so we do recommend that web professionals like ourselves add important wording and documents.
What next?
We recommend an audit of your small print to ensure everything is up to date. At the very least check the following are correct:
- Legal name
- Registered address
- Company number
- Website URL
- Email address
- Phone number
If you originally downloaded your terms and policies from a legal services website we advise checking to see if there are any updates to the version, or perhaps new policies that better match your current circumstances. Websites like Simply Docs, for example, have a vast array of website documents for specific trades and scenarios, which they keep up-to-date in line with current legislation.
Disclaimer: Now for a little small print of our own… Do not act upon any information on this website without first seeking advice from a qualified legal professional. Ballyhoo accepts no liability for your actions nor do we directly endorse any website linked to from our own. Phew.
