Website Maintenance Terms & Conditions
1. WordPress Core Updates
WordPress core software updates will be performed routinely to help maintain website stability, compatibility, and security. Critical security updates may be applied sooner where required.
2. Plugin Updates
Installed plugins will be routinely updated to maintain compatibility, functionality, and best-practice security standards. Plugin updates are subject to compatibility with the website’s theme, hosting environment, and third-party integrations.
3. Theme Updates
Website themes will be routinely updated where appropriate to maintain compatibility and security. Major theme updates that may affect website layout or functionality may require additional testing or quoted work.
4. Monthly Website Backup
Routine website backups will be performed and stored securely where applicable. Backup restoration requests may incur additional charges depending on the severity and complexity of the issue.
5. Website Health Checks
Routine website health checks will be carried out to identify obvious issues affecting website functionality, visibility, or performance.
6. Basic Security Monitoring
Routine monitoring tools and preventative measures may be implemented to help identify common vulnerabilities, suspicious activity, malware risks, or security concerns.
While preventative measures are taken, no website, plugin, hosting server, or third-party software can ever be guaranteed completely secure or immune from vulnerabilities, malware, hacking attempts, outages, or external attacks.
7. Spam Monitoring & Prevention
Anti-spam measures may be implemented and monitored to help reduce spam comments, submissions, and unwanted website activity.
8. Routine Plugin & Security Patch Updates
Routine security patches and maintenance updates may be applied to supported plugins, themes, and WordPress components where available.
9. SSL Monitoring
SSL certificates and HTTPS functionality may be routinely monitored where applicable. SSL renewals managed through third-party providers or hosting companies may remain the responsibility of the client unless otherwise agreed.
10. Social Feed & Integration Reconnection Support
Basic troubleshooting and reconnection support may be provided for supported social feeds and third-party integrations where disconnections occur due to expired tokens, platform updates, or integration errors.
11. Front-End Website Check
Routine visual checks may be completed to identify obvious front-end display issues, broken layouts, or visible functionality concerns on the live website.
Additional Inclusions – ‘The Works’ Package Only
12. Website Form Testing
Routine testing may be completed on website forms to help ensure enquiries and submissions are functioning correctly.
13. Broken Link Checks
Routine checks may be completed to identify obvious broken internal links across the website.
14. Performance & Speed Checks
Basic best-practice performance and speed checks may be completed where applicable. Performance results can vary depending on hosting, plugins, third-party software, media sizes, traffic, and external services.
15. Monthly Website Security Scans
Routine security scans may be completed using third-party monitoring tools to help identify potential malware, vulnerabilities, suspicious files, or unusual website activity.
16. Plugin Conflict Checks
Basic troubleshooting may be completed to identify common plugin conflicts affecting website functionality or display.
17. Minor Content Updates
The Works package includes up to 5 minor website updates per month, including small text edits, image replacements, or simple content adjustments.
Unused updates do not roll over to future months. Major redesigns, additional pages, copywriting, advanced development, custom functionality, or structural changes may incur additional quoted charges.
18. Image Replacements
Minor image replacements and uploads may be completed where requested. Images supplied by the client should be web-ready unless otherwise agreed.
19. Integration Monitoring
Routine checks may be completed on supported third-party integrations connected to the website where applicable.
20. Priority Support
Clients on The Works package will receive prioritised support response times during standard business hours where possible.
21. Email Support
Support is available via email during business hours for maintenance-related enquiries and minor troubleshooting requests.
General Terms & Conditions:
22. Third-Party Software & Vulnerabilities
Websites built on platforms such as WordPress rely on third-party plugins, themes, integrations, hosting providers, APIs, and external services. Fifth Studio Design Co. cannot guarantee the ongoing security, reliability, compatibility, or availability of any third-party software or services.
23. Malware Removal & Emergency Support
Website maintenance packages are preventative maintenance services only and do not guarantee immunity from hacking, malware infections, vulnerabilities, server issues, outages, or malicious attacks.
Emergency malware cleanup, hacked website restoration, advanced troubleshooting, or server-level recovery work may require additional quoted support depending on the severity of the issue.
24. Service Limitations
Maintenance services are limited to the inclusions listed within the selected package. Requests outside of package inclusions may incur additional quoted charges.
25. Payment Terms
Maintenance fees are payable monthly or yearly in advance depending on the selected billing option. Late payments may result in suspension of services until the account is brought up to date.
26. Termination & Cancellation
Either party may terminate the maintenance agreement with 30 days written notice. Upon cancellation, ongoing maintenance services and monitoring will cease.
27. Liability
Fifth Studio Design Co. will not be held liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from the use of the services provided, including but not limited to website downtime, data loss, third-party vulnerabilities, malware attacks, plugin failures, or hosting/server issues.
By engaging in website maintenance services, the client acknowledges and accepts the inherent risks associated with websites, hosting environments, and third-party software platforms.
