What you should own when someone builds for you

Whoever builds your website or systems, a few things should always stay in your name. Here are the five, and the questions to ask before you sign.

Agency OS

2 min read

A ring of old iron keys hanging against weathered wood

In short

Whoever builds for you, five things should stay yours: the accounts, the data, the work made for you, plain documentation and the freedom to leave. Ask for them in writing before work starts.

Why it matters

A growing business outgrows tools and, sometimes, the firms that set them up. When that day comes, the decision should be about what comes next, not about getting your own information back. The time to settle that is before anything is built, while everyone is glad to say yes.

The five things to keep

  • Every account in your name. The domain, the hosting, the email, any app store listing and every admin login. Add the firm as a user; never let them own the account.
  • Your data, in a form you can open. Customers, orders, jobs and records should come out in a common format without the firm’s help.
  • The work made for you. The files, designs and code written for your business should be yours as delivered.
  • Plain documentation. What was built, how it works and what to do when something changes, written for the people who use it.
  • The freedom to leave. No penalty and no waiting period. The handover should be part of the agreement from the start.

What a fair firm keeps

Most firms reuse their own tools from one project to the next: components, templates, ways of working. That is reasonable, and it is often why a build starts further ahead. The fair arrangement is that the firm keeps its toolkit and licenses it to you for good, so what was built for you keeps working whether you stay with them or not.

Questions to ask before you sign

  1. Whose name is on every account?
  2. How do I get my data out, and in what form?
  3. What do I own outright, and what do you license to me?
  4. What documentation do I get at handover?
  5. What happens if we part ways?

Clear answers, in writing, are a good sign. Hesitation on any of them is worth a second conversation before you commit.

How we handle it

Every key stays in your name. The system, the data and everything made for you are yours, whether we stay on or not, and we license our own toolkit to you for good. If you would like a second opinion on an agreement you already have, bring it to a free consultation.