Close The Gap Web — Terms & Conditions
Last updated: 24 September 2026
These Terms & Conditions apply to website design, development, website support and related services provided by Thomas Dobson trading as Close The Gap, operating Close The Gap Web.
Email: closethegap.official@gmail.com
United Kingdom
By accepting a quotation or project proposal, paying a deposit, instructing us to begin work, or subscribing to an ongoing Close The Gap Web service, you agree to these Terms & Conditions.
1. About these terms
These terms are intended for customers purchasing Close The Gap Web services for business purposes.
If you are purchasing a service wholly or mainly for purposes outside your trade, business, craft or profession, please contact us before placing an order, as additional consumer rights may apply.
References in these terms to:
“we”, “us” or “Close The Gap Web” mean Thomas Dobson trading as Close The Gap.
“you” or “the Client” mean the person or business purchasing our services.
“Project” means the website or other work agreed between us.
2. Our services
Close The Gap Web provides services including:
website design;
website development;
Squarespace website builds;
website restructuring and redesign;
content and copy refinement;
basic on-page SEO setup;
domain connection;
website launch support; and
ongoing website support through services such as Close The Gap Care.
The exact work included in your Project will be confirmed in writing before work begins.
Anything not included in the agreed scope is not automatically included in the Project price.
3. Project scope
Each Project will have an agreed scope based on the needs of the Client.
This may include matters such as:
website structure;
pages or sections;
functionality;
forms;
integrations;
content;
imagery;
calls to action; and
third-party services.
We do not restrict every Project to an arbitrary number of pages. However, the quoted price is based on the scope agreed before work begins.
Requests that materially increase the amount of work may be treated as additional work and quoted separately.
We will tell you before carrying out chargeable work that falls outside the agreed scope.
4. Founding Client Offer
Where applicable, the Close The Gap Web Founding Client Offer is priced at:
£499
Payment is split as follows:
£249 deposit before work begins
£250 final payment before launch
The Founding Client Offer is available only to the limited number of projects advertised as eligible for that offer.
In return for the reduced founding-client rate, the Client agrees that Close The Gap Web may feature the finished public website as part of its portfolio and case-study material.
We may also ask for an honest testimonial after completion. Providing a positive testimonial is not a condition of the discounted price.
5. Deposits and payment
A Project is not confirmed until the required deposit has been received unless we agree otherwise in writing.
The deposit reserves our time and allows work to begin.
The remaining balance must be paid before the completed website is launched or transferred into final Client control, unless another arrangement has been agreed in writing.
Invoices must be paid by the due date shown on the invoice.
Where both parties are acting in the course of business, statutory rights concerning interest and recovery costs on late commercial payments may apply. GOV.UK currently describes statutory interest on qualifying late commercial debts as the Bank of England base rate plus 8%.
We may pause work or withhold launch where an invoice is overdue.
6. Cancellation of a website Project
You may cancel a Project by contacting us in writing.
If cancellation occurs before work has begun, we will refund any deposit paid, less any non-refundable third-party costs already incurred specifically for your Project.
Once work has begun, the deposit may be retained to cover work already completed, time reserved and costs incurred.
If the value of work reasonably completed before cancellation exceeds the deposit already paid, we may invoice for that work up to the total agreed Project price.
If Close The Gap Web cancels a Project without the Client being in breach of these terms, we will refund any payment relating to work we have not carried out.
7. What we need from you
The Client agrees to provide information and materials reasonably required to complete the Project.
This may include:
business information;
service descriptions;
pricing;
branding;
logos;
photographs;
contact information;
testimonials;
account access; and
feedback or approvals.
You are responsible for ensuring the information you provide is accurate.
Delays in providing content, access or feedback may delay the Project.
8. Client delays and inactive Projects
Project timescales depend partly on Client communication and delivery of required materials.
If we are waiting for content, approval, account access or other information from you, the Project timeline will pause.
If a Project remains inactive because we are waiting for the Client for more than 30 days, we may archive the Project.
Restarting an archived Project will be subject to our availability and may result in a revised delivery date.
9. Estimated timescales
For straightforward small-business websites, we generally aim for a build period of approximately 2–4 weeks once we have received the information and content required to begin.
This is an estimate rather than a guaranteed completion date.
Timescales may change because of:
Client delays;
changes to scope;
third-party services;
technical issues;
illness or emergencies; or
events outside our reasonable control.
Where possible, we will keep the Client informed of material changes to the expected timeline.
10. Revisions
Unless otherwise agreed, a standard website Project includes:
one structured revision round.
The revision round is intended for reasonable amendments to the work already agreed.
It is not intended to cover:
a complete redesign;
a new creative direction;
substantial new content;
additional pages not previously agreed;
new functionality;
additional integrations; or
work outside the original scope.
Additional revisions or work can be quoted separately.
11. Client-supplied content
You retain ownership of content you provide to us, including your:
logo;
photographs;
text;
branding;
videos;
graphics; and
other materials.
By supplying content to us, you confirm that you either own it or have the necessary permission to use it.
You give Close The Gap Web permission to use that material as reasonably necessary to deliver your Project.
You are responsible for claims arising from material supplied by you where you did not have permission to use it.
UK copyright guidance confirms that copyright material belonging to somebody else normally requires permission, a licence or another lawful basis before it can be used.
12. Ownership of the completed website
Once all amounts due for the Project have been paid in full, the Client will have the right to use and control the completed website for their business.
To the extent that Close The Gap Web owns copyright in original bespoke material created specifically for the final Client website, we agree to assign those rights to the Client upon full payment, subject to the exclusions below.
Where reasonably required, we will cooperate in documenting that transfer.
This does not transfer ownership of:
Squarespace or other website-platform technology;
third-party themes or templates;
licensed fonts;
stock photography;
plugins;
third-party software;
third-party code;
material licensed rather than owned by Close The Gap Web;
our pre-existing templates, systems or processes;
reusable design techniques;
business methods;
know-how; or
generic components we use across Projects.
Those items remain subject to their existing ownership or licence terms.
This distinction is important because UK guidance states that commissioned work is normally initially owned by its creator unless the parties agree otherwise.
13. Portfolio use
Unless confidentiality has been expressly agreed, we may identify a completed publicly launched website as work created by Close The Gap Web and display reasonable screenshots or links in our portfolio.
For Founding Client projects, portfolio permission forms part of the Founding Client Offer.
We will not intentionally disclose confidential Client information merely for portfolio purposes.
14. Domains and third-party subscriptions
Unless specifically stated otherwise, fees for services such as:
Squarespace subscriptions;
domain registration;
business email;
paid plugins;
stock assets;
booking systems;
payment processors; and
other third-party services
are not included in our website-build fee.
We generally recommend that these accounts are held in the Client's own name wherever practical so that the Client retains control of their business infrastructure.
The Client is responsible for ongoing third-party subscription and renewal costs.
Close The Gap Web is not responsible for changes to third-party prices, services, functionality or terms.
15. Third-party services and availability
Websites rely on services outside our direct control.
We cannot guarantee uninterrupted operation of:
Squarespace;
domain providers;
email systems;
payment providers;
third-party integrations;
internet infrastructure; or
external services.
We are not responsible for outages or failures caused by third-party providers, although where we provide ongoing support we may assist with diagnosing or resolving issues where reasonably possible.
16. Search engines and SEO
Where basic SEO setup is included, this may involve matters such as:
page titles;
meta descriptions;
sensible heading structure;
image descriptions where appropriate;
URL structure; and
general on-page setup.
We do not guarantee search-engine rankings, website traffic, enquiries, sales or commercial results.
Search-engine performance is affected by many factors outside our control.
Advanced SEO strategy, ongoing SEO campaigns, content marketing and paid advertising are not included unless separately agreed.
17. Accessibility and legal compliance
We aim to build clear, usable and responsive websites using reasonable good practice.
Unless specifically included in the Project scope, we do not provide specialist legal, accessibility, regulatory or industry-compliance certification.
The Client remains responsible for ensuring that their business and website content comply with laws and regulations applicable to their particular business, industry and customers.
Where specialist compliance is required, independent professional advice may be appropriate.
18. Close The Gap Care
Where purchased, Close The Gap Care is an optional ongoing website-support service.
The current standard price is:
£59 per month
unless another price is agreed in writing.
Care may include:
routine website checks;
basic functionality checks;
form checks;
minor text or image updates;
basic performance monitoring;
general website support; and
up to 30 minutes of minor website changes per month.
Unused editing time does not roll over into future months.
19. What Close The Gap Care does not include
Close The Gap Care does not include unlimited website development.
Unless separately agreed, it does not include:
full redesigns;
new websites;
major new pages;
extensive copywriting;
complex new functionality;
major integrations;
e-commerce development;
professional photography;
branding projects;
large content migrations; or
work substantially outside routine website maintenance.
Additional work can be quoted separately.
20. Close The Gap Care payments and cancellation
Close The Gap Care is normally provided on a monthly rolling basis and paid in advance.
You may cancel the service by giving written notice before the next monthly renewal.
Unless required otherwise by law or agreed by us, payment for a month already begun is not refunded on a pro-rata basis.
The service will continue until the end of the period already paid for.
We may suspend or terminate Care if payments remain overdue or if the Client seriously breaches these terms.
21. Website responsibility after launch
Once the website has launched and been handed over, the Client is responsible for its ongoing operation unless Close The Gap Care or another ongoing support arrangement has been purchased.
If the Client or another third party changes the website after launch, we cannot be responsible for problems caused by those changes.
Any work required to repair issues caused by Client or third-party modifications may be chargeable.
22. Post-launch support
Unless otherwise agreed, standard website builds include 30 days of post-launch support.
This support is intended to cover reasonable questions and correction of issues relating to the website we delivered.
It does not include:
redesigns;
additional functionality;
substantial new content;
changes in business direction; or
ongoing maintenance.
After the support period, additional work may be chargeable or covered through Close The Gap Care.
23. Confidentiality
Each party agrees to treat genuinely confidential business information received from the other party with reasonable care.
We will not intentionally disclose confidential information to third parties except where:
necessary to deliver the Project;
the information is already public;
permission has been given; or
disclosure is required by law.
24. Data protection
Each party is responsible for complying with applicable data-protection law in relation to personal information it controls.
Our handling of personal information collected directly through the Close The Gap Web website is explained in our Privacy Policy.
If a Project requires Close The Gap Web to process significant personal information on behalf of a Client, additional data-processing terms may be required.
25. Limitation of liability
Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability where it would be unlawful to do so, including liability for:
death or personal injury caused by negligence;
fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; or
any liability that cannot legally be excluded.
Subject to the above, Close The Gap Web will not be liable for indirect or consequential losses arising from the services.
To the extent permitted by law, we will not be responsible for loss of:
profits;
anticipated savings;
revenue;
business opportunity;
goodwill; or
data
where that loss was not a direct and reasonably foreseeable consequence of our breach.
Subject to liabilities which cannot lawfully be limited, our total aggregate liability arising from a particular Project or ongoing service will normally be limited to the amount paid to Close The Gap Web for the relevant Project or service during the 12 months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim.
UK law restricts the extent to which standard business terms can exclude or limit certain liabilities, and relevant clauses remain subject to applicable reasonableness requirements.
26. Events outside our control
Neither party will be responsible for delay or failure caused by circumstances genuinely outside their reasonable control.
Examples may include:
major internet or service-provider outages;
severe illness;
natural disasters;
government action;
widespread infrastructure failures; or
other exceptional circumstances.
The affected party should communicate the situation where reasonably possible.
27. Suspension or termination for breach
We may suspend work or terminate an agreement where the Client:
fails to make required payments;
repeatedly fails to provide information necessary to complete the Project;
materially breaches these terms; or
asks us to carry out unlawful or inappropriate work.
Where reasonably possible, we will give the Client an opportunity to resolve the problem before terminating the agreement.
Termination does not remove the Client's responsibility to pay for work already properly completed.
28. Changes to these terms
We may update these Terms & Conditions from time to time.
The terms applying to a particular fixed-price Project will normally be the version agreed when that Project was confirmed unless both parties agree otherwise.
Updated terms may apply to future Projects and future renewal periods of ongoing services.
The latest general version will be published on the Close The Gap Web website.
29. Entire agreement
The agreed Project scope, quotation or proposal together with these Terms & Conditions form the agreement between Close The Gap Web and the Client.
Where a written Project proposal expressly conflicts with these general terms, the specific written Project agreement will take priority for that issue.
30. Severability
If any provision of these terms is found to be unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to apply so far as legally possible.
31. No waiver
If either party does not immediately enforce a right under these terms, that does not mean the right has been permanently waived.
32. Governing law and jurisdiction
These Terms & Conditions and any dispute arising from them are governed by the laws of England and Wales.
The courts of England and Wales will have jurisdiction over disputes arising from the agreement, subject to any mandatory legal rights that apply.
33. Contact
Questions about these Terms & Conditions can be sent to:
Thomas Dobson trading as Close The Gap
Close The Gap Web
United Kingdom