Terms & Conditions

These terms and conditions are given as basic guidelines towards any project between you, “The Client”, and ourselves “, The Supplier”, aiming towards a smooth development and transition of the assignment “The Project”.

Services & Development

Services Rendered

We will deliver the said services or project within the timeframe mentioned in the Job Description section within the Project Proposal.

Additional services may be provided with your approval or at your request for a fee. Any changes to the scope of services or the project, outside of what was agreed upon, will not be considered, except if we both agreed to it. See Charges For Additional Services.

Revisions

Each project has three (3) revisions by default. You are required to make the maximum of each revision within the time allocated. Additional edits may be requested for a fee. You will have two (2) or more weekly opportunities to review our work and provide adequate feedback. If you are not happy with the direction that the project is taking at any stage, you will pay us in full for everything we have produced up to that point and cancel this agreement. See Terms for Termination.

Timing, Timeframe and Milestones

We understand the importance of adhering to timeframes for ensuring the project’s quality and timely delivery. However, we are not liable for any delays in delivery due to a lack of communication or failure to respond within the allocated time for reviews. We will provide you with access to our timeframe through our online project management tool, where you can see the timing allocated for each revision. Failure to deliver on time will result in the project being paused. See Paused Projects.

At each review point, you agree to approve and accept the deliverables by written confirmation on our project management tool, Slack or by email, which will become the final deliverables. You may also provide written comments or corrections sufficient to identify your concerns, objections, and corrections through our project management tool.

We will make reasonable efforts to contact you and remind you of any deadlines and (or) milestones. After three (3) reminders, we will assume that the project has been halted or completed, except if otherwise stated by email.

Communication

The preferred method of communication for the project is through the Agency’s online project management portal, Slack channel, or via email at fds.pm@fourlinesdesign.studio. The Client is advised to avoid using voicemail, SMS, or WhatsApp for project-related requests, as these will not be considered valid forms of communication. The Agency will make reasonable efforts to respond to Client communications within 24 hours on business days during the following regular business hours:

  • Mauritius: 9:30am to 5pm
  • The Netherlands: 10am to 5pm
  • South Africa: 8:30am to 4pm
  • The United Kingdom: 10am to 4pm

We do not work on weekends or public (bank) holidays, and we do not expect you to do the same either. We also do not expect you to reply or review our work within the hour of our delivery, and we believe that you do not expect us to respond or deliver work within the hour of your request. Any comments or reviews for changes sent by WhatsApp or other means of communication tools other than Nifty, Slack or email will not be considered.

At each review point, you agree to approve and accept the deliverables by written confirmation on our project management tool, Slack or by email, which will become the final deliverables. You may also provide written comments or corrections sufficient to identify your concerns, objections, and corrections through our project management tool.

We will make reasonable efforts to contact you and remind you of any deadlines and (or) milestones. After three (3) reminders, we will assume that the project has been halted or completed, except if otherwise stated by email.

Mutual Co-operation

We agree to use our best efforts to fulfil your expectations of the Project Proposal’s deliverables.
You agree, before we start, to aid in making available to us all needed information about your project or task and co-operating with us in expediting the work. See Responsibilities of The Client (you) and The Supplier (us) for more information.

Third-Party Involvement

There may be a situation where we will require third-party services to provide a finished product. In those cases, we agree to use our best efforts to ensure the quality of said finished products. However, you should note that we are not liable for any delays during the project’s lifespan by the said third-party supplier(s). We shall ensure that the process is smooth and bring you up-to-speed on any issues, should they arise. Worst-case-scenario, we will provide you with an alternative solution.

Changes to the Scope-Of-Work

Any additional changes to the scope of services outside the final Proposal and (or) not agreed upon after we have started the project, will not be considered except otherwise approved and accepted by both of us at an additional set fee.

However, in the case where we have been (sub)contracted by you to perform specific duties offered by you to your clients, whereas such services were not mentioned in the initial agreement or are out-of-scope, but is imperative to the smooth development of the project, we reserve the right to not seek pre-approval to the additional cost and will include the said additional cost in our final invoice.

Paused Projects

If a project is paused due to the Client’s failure to respond in a timely manner, provide critical information, or submit necessary collateral within the agreed-upon timeframe, the Agency will take decisive action. This includes situations where the Client does not respond to queries, reviews, comments, requests for information, or provide collateral such as images, videos, logos, or text within a maximum of 3 weeks. As outlined in the Timing, Timeframe, and Milestones section, the Agency will issue three reminders to the Client.

In the event that the Client fails to respond after receiving these reminders, the Agency will halt the project immediately. This policy also applies if the Client takes longer than the allocated time for gathering resources and information, and the Agency has no other alternative but to pause the project due to other commitments..

Upon halting a project, the Agency will require a Project Restart Fee, which may amount to up to 10% of the project’s total cost. The Agency retains the sole authority to decide whether to waive this fee on a case-by-case basis.

If the Client declines or is unable to pay the Project Restart Fee, the Agency reserves the right to terminate the project without further discussion and issue a final invoice for the work completed thus far. This is applicable if the work completed has not been covered by payments made for either the milestone or the 50% down payment.

Payment

Billing Schedule

We are sure that you understand how important it is for a small business, such as us, to pay the invoices we send you promptly. We are also confident that you will want to maintain a positive working relationship and keep your projects moving forward. Hence, you agree to stick tight to the payment schedule.

Invoicing and Payment Terms

The Agency offers two invoicing methods for the Client: per milestone or a 50-50 payment structure. The Client will be made aware of these options, and the selected method will be outlined in the project proposal or scope of work.

  • Per Milestone Invoicing: The normal invoicing method will be per milestone, including all third-party costs required to start the project. All milestone invoices must be paid in advance within 5 days of receipt and not after. The final milestone invoice may be paid upon delivery with prior agreement between the Client and the Agency.
  • 50-50 Payment Structure: The Agency reserves the right to request a 50% down payment before commencing work on the project, with the remaining 50% payable upon delivery.

Advance payment for all third-party costs may include but not limited to: hosting, domain names, WordPress plugins, themes, Royalty Images, fonts and any other resources needed before starting the project.

For both invoicing methods, late payments may result in the suspension or termination of the project at the Agency’s discretion. The Client shall pay all invoices promptly to ensure the smooth progression and timely completion of the project.

Client Agreement to Pay

You agree to settle the first invoice within five (5) working days before starting the project or services, which will act as the deposit for the project. After the first one, the final or every other invoice will have fifteen (15) to thirty (30) calendar days payment terms. See Payment Credit Terms.

Late Payment Terms

If the payment is not made within the delay given, we will charge a late payment fee of five per cent (5%) per month on any overdue and unpaid balance not in dispute to cover the workforce, interest and other costs we pay for carrying outstanding invoices from you. We also reserve the right to stop working on any projects until we receive the payment.

Retainer & Recurring Fees

Should you enter on a monthly package or subscribe to any of our monthly services where a recurring fee exists, all payments will be made on the first (1st) of the month and payable in advance, except if we have a prior arrangement regarding the payment schedules.

The schedule of payments will be finalised upon the signature of the agreement.

Payment Credit Terms

You agree that payment credit will only be given to existing clients with an excellent payment record of six (6) months which counts as a probation period.

The payment credit extends from fifteen (15) to thirty (30) calendar days, depending on any prior agreement.

You are required to settle the payment by the last day of the credit and not after.

Any delays in the payment, will not only ensure the late payment fees, but you will also lose the agreed credit arrangement on any future projects.

Digital Invoice

We strongly believe in saving the environment by any means possible; that is why all our proposals, contracts and invoices are digital (computer-generated and automated). We do not print or post our invoices. Should you want a printed and posted invoice, we will be glad to oblige at a one-time fee of $5 (USD) or equivalent currency per invoice.

The final invoice, once generated and sent, cannot be modified or cancelled.

Payment Method

You may opt-in for online payment through our online payment gateway or by bank transfer.

Payment by cheque can be accepted on a case to case basis and by prior agreement.

Charges For Additional Services and Expenses

Additional services may be provided at your request at a pre-approved fee.

All out-of-scope agreed requests will be invoiced separately.

Projects that go dormant for longer than twenty-five (25) calendar days will incur a fee to resume work at our discretion.

A rush fee will apply for any last-minute requests or if the Client requires that their ongoing project be delivered faster than within the agreed-upon timeframe.

All expenses should be reimbursed. Those expenses will need to be pre-approved by you in writing.

Rushed, Delayed and Past Deadline Charges

We will charge a rush fee for any project that needs to meet a deadline but got delayed by no fault of ours. Said price will be equal to double (2x) our hourly rate.

For retainers or monthly paying clients with monthly allocated hours, we will deduct an additional two (2) hours from your monthly allowance.

Suppliers Costs

We will ensure that you receive the best estimates and provide you with all the original quotes from the suppliers. We shall not add any markup on said quotes, nor shall we request any commissions. All third-parties’ or suppliers’ costs shall be paid directly by you, free from our interference, except if you specifically asked us to do so, in which case, those costs will be included in the invoice, commission-free. However, an Administration Fee will be included.

Payment for Non-Cancellable Materials

Any non-cancellable materials, services, etc., we have appropriately committed ourselves to purchase for your account (either individually or as part of a plan such as modules, photography and(or) external services), shall be paid for by you by the provisions of this Agreement.
We agree to use our best efforts to minimise such liabilities immediately upon written notification from you.

We will provide written proof, upon your request, that any such materials and services are non-cancellable.

Materials Unpaid For

If upon termination there exist any materials furnished by us or any services performed by us for which you have not paid us in full, you agree not to use any part of those materials until you have paid us in full.

Transfer of Materials

Upon termination of this agreement, provided that there is no outstanding indebtedness owed by you to us, we shall transfer, assign and make available to you all properties and materials in its possession or control belonging to you. You agree to pay for all costs associated with the transfer of materials.

Collection Costs

If we incur legal fees, expenses and disbursements to collect our invoices, in addition to the interest on the unpaid balance, you agree to reimburse us for these expenses.

Project Restart Fee

In the event that a project is paused due to the Client’s failure to provide requested resources or respond in a timely manner, the Agency reserves the right to impose a Project Restart Fee. This fee, which may amount to up to 10% of the project’s total cost, will be applicable if the project remains dormant for over two months or if the Client exceeds the allotted time for response or resource provision and the Agency has no other alternative but to pause the project due to other commitments. See Paused Projects.

Responsibilities of The Client (you) and The Supplier (us)

Our Responsibility for Releases

We shall obtain releases, licences, permits or other authorisations to use testimonials, copyrighted materials, photographs, artworks or any other property or rights belonging to third-parties obtained by us to perform services for you (if applicable).

Your Responsibility for Releases

You guarantee that all elements of texts, images, or other artworks you provide are either owned by your good selves or that you have permission to use them, except if it has been supplied by us.

See Ownership and Licences Clauses.

Your Responsibility for Accuracy

You shall be responsible for the accuracy, completeness and propriety of information concerning your products and services, which you furnish to us in writing in connection with the performance of this Agreement.

You acknowledge that you are responsible for performing the following in a reasonable and timely manner:

  • Coordination of any decision-making with parties other than ourselves;
  • Provision of contents in a form suitable for reproduction or incorporation into the deliverables without further preparation; such as,
    • All texts are proofread and delivered in a document without any additional formatting.
    • All images do not need any additional image manipulation to be used.
  • It is your responsibility to know when you are requesting additional services which are out-of-scope and that all required services are well listed.

Ownership and Licences Clauses

We will own the unique combination of these items that constitute a complete design. We will licence that right to you exclusively and in perpetuity for this project only unless we agree otherwise, to which we can provide a separate estimate.

After your final payment has cleared, copyright will be automatically assigned as follows:

  • You will own the visual elements that we created for this project.
  • We will give you the source files and finished work files should you request them at an additional fee, which you should store somewhere safe as we are not required to keep a copy.
  • You own all elements of text, images and data you provided unless someone else owns them.

Ownership & Usage

Client’s Content, including all pre-existing Trademarks and Copyright material, shall remain your sole property, and you shall be the sole owner of all rights in connection to that. You grant us a non-exclusive and non-transferable licence to use, reproduce, and modify the Client Content solely connected with our services for the deliverables production.

All third-party materials are the exclusive property of their respective owners. We shall inform you of all third-party materials required to perform the services or otherwise integrated into the project. Under such circumstances, we shall notify you of any need to licence.

Upon completion of the services and conditioned upon full payment of all fees, costs and out-of-pocket expenses due, we shall assign to you all ownership rights, including any copyrights, in and to any artworks or designs comprising the works created by us as part of the project for use by you.

We shall co-operate with you and shall execute any additional documents reasonably requested by you to evidence all such assignments of intellectual property.

Rights of Display

We retain the right to reproduce, publish and display the final deliverables in our portfolios, websites, galleries, design periodicals and other media or exhibits, for the sole purpose of recognition of creative excellence or professional advancement, and to be credited with authorship of the final deliverables in connection with such uses. Subject to your written approval, but not required, we may include a link to your website or social network.

We agree to give you the competitive edge by displaying the portfolio only after being realised, released or launched.

Confidential Information and Non-Disclosure Agreement

Non-Disclosure and Confidentiality

We acknowledge our responsibility, both during and after the term of its appointment, to use all reasonable efforts to preserve the confidentiality of any proprietary, confidential information or data developed by you on behalf of your company/agency or disclosed by you to your company/agency.

Also, each Party acknowledges that in connection with this Terms & Conditions, it may receive specific confidential or proprietary technical and business information and materials of the other Party, including, but not limited to, Preliminary Works (“Confidential Information”).

Each Party, its agents and employees shall hold and maintain in the strictest confidence all Confidential Information, shall not disclose Confidential Information to any third party, and shall not use any Confidential Information except as may be necessary to perform its obligations under this Terms & Conditions, except as may be required by a court or governmental authority.

Notwithstanding the preceding, Confidential Information shall not include any information in the public domain or becomes publicly known through no fault of the receiving Party or is otherwise adequately received from a third party without an obligation of confidentiality.

Terms for Termination

Period of Agreement and Notice of Termination

This Agreement shall take effect as of the date the contract has been generated and signed by both parties and shall continue until terminated by either Party upon not less than sixty (60) calendar days notice in writing given by either Party to the other.

Cancellation of Plans

You have the right to modify, reject, cancel or stop any and all plans or work in process. However, you agree to reimburse us for all costs and expenses we incurred before your change in instructions related to non-cancellable commitments, defend, indemnify, and hold us harmless from any liability relating to such action. We agree to use our best efforts to minimise such costs and expenses.

Termination for Cause

Any one of us can terminate this Agreement if the other Party defaults regarding this mutual agreement. Meaning the lack of performance of any material duties and obligations such as continuous missing of deadlines or any other cause that may be harmful to any of our businesses.

However, the defaulting Party should be given thirty (30) calendar days from the day of notice to fix the issue.

Also, either Party may immediately terminate this Agreement by:

  • Giving written notice to the other Party if the other Party is insolvent,
  • Or has a petition brought by or against it under the insolvency laws of any jurisdiction,
    • If the other Party makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors,
    • If a trustee or similar agent is appointed on any property or business of the other Party,
  • In the Client’s case, the Client materially breaches its obligations to make payment under this Agreement.

General Provisions

Entire Agreement and Waiver

Except if there is any other agreement that supersedes this agreement, this Terms and Conditions will be the only agreement between us. If a new agreement is drafted, agreed upon and signed, only then will this agreement be null and voided.

Each of us has the right to waive any part of this Terms and Conditions with the knowledge that the other Party may take necessary precautions to protect their rights.

Any breach in this agreement by any Party does not constitute a waiver, nor shall it be considered as one.

Authority To Sign Representations and Warranties

The Parties, each and individually, represent and warrant that each Party has full power and authority to enter into an agreement with this Terms and Conditions and perform all of their obligations hereunder, without violating any third-party’s legal or equitable rights.

Amendments to Terms and Conditions

The Agency reserves the right to modify these terms and conditions at any time. While it is at our discretion to inform the Client of such changes, we are under no obligation to do so. As a result, the Client bears the responsibility to stay up-to-date with our terms and conditions, irrespective of whether their projects are ongoing, completed, or forthcoming. It is essential for the Client to periodically review our terms and conditions to ensure they are aware of any adjustments that may affect their relationship with the Agency.

Notice

All notices regarding the terms, contracts, invoices, changes in the scope of duties, timeline, etc., should and will be sent by email within a reasonable timeframe. All email communication will be done through and by fds.pm @ fourlinesdesign.studio except if we otherwise give you a notice for an address change.