[1]      There are two main purposes of website terms and conditions: first, they set out the contractual framework for the use of the website; second, they fulfil some of the legal obligations placed upon some kinds of businesses and websites.  Our terms and conditions template is intended for use on websites focused on England and Wales; it can, however, be adapted for use in other jurisdictions – although this should only be done by someone with the requisite familiarity with the relevant law of the other jurisdiction.  The template is designed for some of the most common kinds of websites: information sites, online brochures/adverts for products and services, personal websites, and similar kinds of sites.  It contains optional provisions for websites with restricted access and/or user generated content.  It is not on its own sufficient for use on websites which collect personal information (which will also require a privacy policy of some kind) or for ecommerce sites (i.e. those involving payment in relation to goods or services - which will also require legal provisions relating specifically to the goods or services that can be bought on the website).  Websites with unusual or non-standard features should always use bespoke terms and conditions.  The website terms and conditions template will need to be edited before it is ready for use.  Square brackets in the document indicate the sections which need or are likely to need to be edited.  However you should carefully review the whole document to ensure that it meets with your requirements.  If you have any doubts, you should seek professional advice.

[2]      The completed website terms and conditions should be easily accessible on your website, preferably from every page.  Ideally, from a legal perspective, users should be asked to expressly agree to these terms (e.g. by clicking an “I agree” button).  This is rarely done in relation to general website terms and conditions.  If however users have to register to enter a restricted area of the website or to use functionality in the website, you should ensure that they accept the terms and conditions – e.g. by clicking “I accept” on an electronic version of the terms and conditions.  You should retain evidence of the acceptance of the terms by each user.

[3]      The use of websites by minors can be legally problematic.  There are a number of different legal issues.  For example, under English law contracts may be unenforceable against minors.  Another issue concerns data protection.  The law of data protection imposes additional burdens in relation to the processing of any personal data of a minor and in relation to the processing of personal data provided by a minor.  The effects of the law of indecency may also depend upon whether a website is accessible by minors.  Obviously, the inclusion of a requirement in your terms and conditions that minors refrain from using a website is no guarantee that they will do so.  Where your website is directed at, or likely to be used by, minors, we recommend that you seek specialist legal advice.

[4]      Please note that it is a condition of the use of this template that you either: (i) retain this credit and these links; or (ii) pay the appropriate licence fee in relation to each website on which the document is used.

[5]      The scope of the licence to use will vary with the site.  Consider carefully exactly what your users should be allowed to do with your website and material on your website. 

[6]      Where you have content which is specifically available for redistribution, it is usually a good idea to have a more detailed licence setting out the redistribution rights.

[7]      This section should be included if your website or parts of your website have (or will in future have) restricted access – e.g. a password-protected area for members.

[8]      This section should be included if your website has a bulletin board, chat room, comments feature, or similar user generated content functionality.  You will need to think carefully about, first, the terms of the licence which the user grants to you, and second, the restrictions you propose to place upon users.

[9]      This provision is intended to disclaim editorial responsibility for user content.  This should (it is thought) give you a better chance of gaining the protection of the general defences in Regulations 17-19 of the Ecommerce Regulations and the libel-specific defence in Section 1 of the Defamation Act 1996.

[10]    Limitations and exclusions of liability are regulated and controlled by law, and the courts often rule that particular limitations and exclusions of liability are unenforceable.  The courts are particularly likely to intervene where a party is seeking to rely on a limitation or exclusion of liability in a consumer contract or in its standard T&Cs, but will also sometimes intervene where a term has been individually negotiated.  You should take legal advice if you may wish to rely upon a limitation or exclusion of liability, or if you want to exclude or limit - or purport to exclude or limit - any liability to a consumer.  Please note that the guidance notes to this Section provide only an incomplete and basic overview of this complex subject.

       Exclusions and limitations of liability in UK B2B and B2C contracts are regulated by The Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 (“UCTA”).  Relevant legislation in the case of B2C contracts also includes The Consumer Protection Act 1987 and The Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999.

       The courts may be more likely to rule that provisions excluding liability – as opposed to those merely limiting liability - are unenforceable.

       If there is a risk that any particular limitation or exclusion of liability will be found to be unenforceable by the courts (for example, because it may be unreasonable under UCTA), that provision should be drafted as an independent term, and be separately numbered from the other provisions. 

       It may improve the chances of a limitation or exclusion of liability being found to be enforceable if the party seeking to rely upon it specifically drew it to the attention of the other party before the contract was entered into.

[11]    Do not delete this paragraph (except upon legal advice).  Without this paragraph, the specific limitations and exclusions of liability will not usually be enforceable.

[12]    This sort of exclusion is most unlikely to be enforceable.

[13]    You should consider carefully the particular kinds of loss you want to try to limit or exclude. 

       If you wish to try to limit/exclude for liability in respect of reckless, deliberate, personal and/or repudiatory breaches of contract, you should specify this in relation to the relevant paragraph (for example, using the following wording: “The limitations and exclusions of liability in this paragraph will apply whether or not the liability in question arises out of any [reckless, deliberate, personal and/or repudiatory] conduct or breach of contract”).  In some circumstances the courts will find these types of limitations and exclusions to be unenforceable (e.g. because unreasonable under UCTA). 

[14]    “Consequential loss” has a special meaning in English law: it means losses that, whilst not arising naturally from the breach, were specifically in the contemplation of the parties when the contract was made.

[15]    This additional wording is useful, although users may think it unfair to demand an indemnity where liability has not been proven – and in many circumstances, for example in relation to consumers, it will probably not be enforceable.

[16]    Changes to the notices will not be retrospectively effective. 

[17]    This provision is designed to exclude any rights a third party may have under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.

[18]    If you collect personal data from users, you should have a privacy policy as well as terms and conditions.  You should also refer here to (for example) any terms of sale or terms of subscription which relate to your website.

[19]    The questions of what law governs a contract, and where disputes relating to the contract may be litigated, are two distinct questions.

[20]    These terms and conditions have been drafted to comply with English law, and the governing law provision should not be changed without obtaining expert advice from a lawyer qualified in the appropriate jurisdiction.  (NB in some circumstances the courts will apply provisions of their local law, such as local competition law or consumer protection law, irrespective of a choice of law clause specifying that a different law applies.)   

[21]    Choose “non-exclusive” jurisdiction if you may want to enforce the terms and conditions against users outside England and Wales.  Otherwise, choose “exclusive jurisdiction”.  (NB in some circumstances – particularly where you are contracting with a consumer - your jurisdiction clause may be overridden by the courts.)

[22]    This section can be deleted where The Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 (aka the Ecommerce Regulations) do not apply.  Generally, the Regulations will apply unless a website is entirely non-commercial - i.e. where a website does not offer any goods or services and does not involve any remuneration (which includes remuneration for carrying AdSense or other advertising). 

[23]    The Ecommerce Regulations provide that where you are “registered in a trade or similar register available to the public” you must provide “details of the register in which the service provider is entered and his registration number, or equivalent means of identification in that register”.

[24]    The Ecommerce Regulations provide that “where the provision of the service is subject to an authorisation scheme” you must provide “the particulars of the relevant supervisory authority”.

[25]    The Ecommerce Regulations provide that where “the service provider exercises a regulated profession”, it must provide “(i) the details of any professional body or similar institution with which the service provider is registered; (ii) his professional title and the member State where that title has been granted; (iii) a reference to the professional rules applicable to the service provider in the member State of establishment and the means to access them”.

[26]    The Ecommerce Regulations provide that “a service provider shall indicate which relevant codes of conduct he subscribes to and give information on how those codes can be consulted electronically”. 

[27]    Under the Ecommerce Regulations, where the service provider undertakes an activity that is subject to value added tax, the relevant identification number must be disclosed.

[28]    UK companies must provide their corporate names, their registration numbers, their place of registration and their registered office address on their websites. 

       Sole traders and partnerships who carry on a business in the UK under a “business name” (i.e. a name which is not the names of the trader/partners or certain other specified classes of name) must also make certain website disclosures: (i) in the case of a sole trader, the individual’s name; (ii) in the case of a partnership, the name of each member of the partnership; and (iii) in either case, in relation to each person named, an address in the UK at which service of any document relating in any way to the business will be effective.

       All websites covered by the Ecommerce Regulations must provide a geographic address (not a PO Box number) and an email address.