{"id":4435,"date":"2026-10-28T09:39:05","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T09:39:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/?p=4435"},"modified":"2026-10-28T09:47:58","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T09:47:58","slug":"website-development-agreement-12-clauses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/publikacje\/website-development-agreement-12-clauses\/","title":{"rendered":"Website Development Agreement. 12 Clauses That Determine Whether You Pay for a Finished Product or for Chaos."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Your software house has just emailed you to say that a stage of the website is ready. You were at a trade fair and did not reply for a week. You come back \u2013 the website looks different from the mock-up. The problem: the stage has been unconditionally accepted. Revisions? They are now additional work billed at z\u0142 250 per hour.<\/p>\n<p>This is how a <strong>deemed acceptance clause<\/strong> works \u2013 and it appears in most website development agreements.<\/p>\n<p>We analysed a real website development agreement. The result: 12 clauses that determine whether you pay for a finished product or for chaos. In this article, I break each of them down \u2013 using business language, not legal jargon. You will learn where clients most often lose money, control over the project and the rights to their own website. At the end, you will find a checklist that you can take to a meeting with the contractor.<\/p>\n<h2>Before you read on \u2013 a few terms you need to know<\/h2>\n<p>Polish law does not provide for a separate type of <strong>website development agreement<\/strong>. Web development contracts are classified either as a <strong>contract for specific work<\/strong> (Article 627 of the Civil Code) \u2013 an obligation to achieve a specific result \u2013 or as a <strong>service agreement<\/strong> (Article 750 of the Civil Code) \u2013 an obligation to exercise due care. This distinction affects the acceptance procedure, liability for defects and when payment becomes due.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Term<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">What it means for you<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Deemed acceptance<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Failure to respond within the agreed deadline = unconditional acceptance of the work \u2013 even if it is defective<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Assignment of copyright<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">The point at which the code and graphic design become your property \u2013 it does not always coincide with payment<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Scope review clause<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">A change management mechanism \u2013 it protects against uncontrolled expansion of the project scope and costs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Warranty SLA<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Response and repair times for defects during the warranty period \u2013 different for a critical failure and a cosmetic issue<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Additional work<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Anything beyond the agreed scope \u2013 billed separately, usually at a higher rate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Source code escrow<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Source code deposited with an independent third party \u2013 protection in case the contractor becomes insolvent or abandons the project<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>12 website agreement clauses that determine whether the project succeeds<\/h2>\n<h3>1. Scope of work and description of the subject matter of the agreement<\/h3>\n<p>This is the foundation of the entire agreement. If the scope is described in general terms (\u201ca modern website with a contact form&#8221;), every discrepancy between your vision and the contractor&#8217;s work will become a dispute over interpretation.<\/p>\n<p>What the description of the subject matter of the agreement should include:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>A list of features divided into phases (e.g. Phase 1: graphic design, Phase 2: front-end coding, Phase 3: integrations)<\/li>\n<li>Non-functional requirements \u2013 performance, responsiveness, supported browsers<\/li>\n<li>A list of technologies and tools (WordPress, ACF PRO, React, etc.)<\/li>\n<li>Clear exclusions \u2013 what is NOT included in the scope (e.g. WCAG 2.1, SEO, copywriting)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The lack of a precise description is an invitation to scope creep \u2013 the uncontrolled expansion of the project scope, which is discussed in more detail in section 9.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Schedule and division into stages<\/h3>\n<p>A project divided into phases with specific dates gives you control over its progress. Each stage should end with a measurable deliverable \u2013 e.g. a completed graphic design in Figma or a working front end in the development environment.<\/p>\n<p>Pay attention to two things:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Prerequisites on your side<\/strong> \u2013 if the agreement requires you to provide the graphic design in Figma (desktop + mobile) 2 business days before the start date and you fail to do so, the start date will be postponed through no fault of the contractor<\/li>\n<li><strong>Consequences of a pause in the work<\/strong> \u2013 a pause caused by you that lasts more than 30 days may trigger an additional \u201cproject resumption&#8221; fee charged at the rates for additional work<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>3. Fees and payment terms<\/h3>\n<p>A typical phased model links payments to project milestones. An example breakdown: 30% at the start, 30% after acceptance of the graphic design, and 40% after final acceptance.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Item<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">What to watch out for<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Instalments linked to stages<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Check whether each instalment corresponds to a specific deliverable \u2013 do not pay for \u201cwork in progress&#8221;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Payment deadline<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Typically 7 days from the invoice date \u2013 a short deadline may catch you by surprise<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Delay &gt; 14 days<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">The contractor may suspend the work, with the deadline extended proportionately, OR terminate the agreement with immediate effect<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Rate for additional work<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Check whether the agreement provides for an \u201cafter-hours&#8221; rate \u2013 it can be twice the standard rate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>For a project worth z\u0142 27,400 net, an additional work rate of z\u0142 500\/h means that 55 hours of out-of-scope work will double the project budget.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Deemed acceptance of stages<\/h3>\n<p>This is one of the riskiest clauses for the client. The mechanism works as follows: the contractor notifies you that a stage is ready, and you have, for example, <strong>5 business days<\/strong> to submit comments. No response = unconditional acceptance.<\/p>\n<p>Polish case law confirms the enforceability of such clauses. The Warsaw Regional Court (XXIII Ga 978\/20) held that a clause stating \u201c5 business days to submit objections; no objections = the work is accepted&#8221; is valid and effective in business-to-business relationships. The court linked the client&#8217;s silence to its actual use of the work.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How to protect yourself:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Decide internally who in the company is responsible for reviewing each stage<\/li>\n<li>Set calendar reminders for 2 days before the acceptance deadline<\/li>\n<li>Negotiate a deadline appropriate to the complexity of the project \u2013 5 business days to review a website with 15 subpages and integrations is not enough<\/li>\n<li>Make sure that the clause does not deprive you of the right to report defects discovered after acceptance<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The final acceptance deadline may be longer \u2013 e.g. 10 business days. But the mechanism works in the same way: no response = unconditional acceptance of the entire project.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/contact\/\">Contact us<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>5. Copyright \u2013 when the website truly becomes yours<\/h3>\n<p>Under the provisions of the <a href=\"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/publikacje\/copyright-law-it-industry-poland\/\">Copyright and Related Rights Act<\/a>, an agreement requiring the assignment of economic copyright transfers those rights <strong>upon acceptance of the work<\/strong> \u2013 unless the parties have agreed otherwise. And this \u201cotherwise&#8221; is standard in web development agreements.<\/p>\n<p>A typical clause states: <strong>copyright is not transferred to the client until the final instalment has been credited<\/strong>. Until then, you only have a limited licence \u2013 for example, to conduct testing in the development environment.<\/p>\n<p>What this means in the event of a dispute:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>You have paid Instalments I and II (a total of approx. z\u0142 16,000 net)<\/li>\n<li>The website is running in the development environment<\/li>\n<li>There is a dispute over the scope of the final phase \u2013 you withhold Instalment III<\/li>\n<li>You do not own the copyright to the code \u2013 you only have a testing licence<\/li>\n<li>The contractor may prevent the production launch<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>Two things to negotiate:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The assignment of copyright requires <strong>written form to be valid<\/strong> \u2013 oral agreements to assign copyright are invalid<\/li>\n<li>Consider an <strong>emergency licence (escrow)<\/strong> in the event of a dispute \u2013 the code is deposited with an independent third party, with the release conditions specified in the agreement<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Good practice when negotiating IT agreements: follow the principle of \u201conly as many rights as are genuinely needed&#8221;. You do not always have to demand a full assignment of rights \u2013 sometimes an exclusive licence with the right to modify and sublicense is sufficient. Clearly distinguish between the rules for custom components (your code), standard components (the contractor&#8217;s libraries) and open-source components.<\/p>\n<h3>6. Acceptance procedure and acceptance reports<\/h3>\n<p>Final acceptance is the point at which you formally approve the result of the work. A well-designed acceptance procedure includes:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Notice of readiness<\/strong> from the contractor \u2013 together with documentation (test environment, instructions)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Acceptance testing<\/strong> on your side \u2013 based on the criteria set out in the agreement<\/li>\n<li>An <strong>Acceptance Report<\/strong> (if you accept) or a <strong>Discrepancy Report<\/strong> (if you do not)<\/li>\n<li>A <strong>deadline for the contractor to analyse discrepancies<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. 4 business days to classify reported defects<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>right to challenge the classification<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. 2 business days to object to a defect being classified as \u201ccosmetic&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The key problem: if the contractor unilaterally classifies defects (critical \/ standard \/ cosmetic \/ new requirement), you lose control over repair priorities. Negotiate a <strong>joint table of criteria<\/strong> as an appendix to the agreement.<\/p>\n<h3>7. Quality warranty and its limitations<\/h3>\n<p>Typical warranty period: <strong>12 months from the production launch<\/strong>. However, the scope of the warranty may be narrower than it appears.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">What the warranty covers<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">What the warranty does NOT cover<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Errors in code written by the contractor<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Problems resulting from your modifications to the code<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Critical failures \u2013 response time e.g. 8 h, repair within 2 business days<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Expired third-party licences (e.g. ACF PRO)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Standard and cosmetic defects \u2013 with longer repair deadlines<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Changes to the APIs of third-party tools<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Conflicts caused by plugins installed by you or third parties<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><strong>Warranty invalidation scenario:<\/strong> after launch, you install a new WordPress plugin yourself. The plugin conflicts with the contractor&#8217;s code. You submit a warranty claim. The response: \u201cunauthorised modification \u2013 not covered by the warranty&#8221;. Repair cost: additional work.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, after launch, keep a <strong>record of all modifications<\/strong> to the website. Every change to the code or plugins made by you or a third party should be documented \u2013 so that you do not lose the warranty because of a minor modification.<\/p>\n<h3>8. Limitation of the contractor&#8217;s liability<\/h3>\n<p>A standard clause limits the contractor&#8217;s liability to the <strong>net amount of the fees<\/strong>. In addition, it excludes liability for <strong>loss of profits<\/strong> (lucrum cessans).<\/p>\n<p>This is standard market practice from the contractor&#8217;s perspective, but you can negotiate exceptions. Good practice: leave infringements of <a href=\"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/publikacje\/protecting-intellectual-property-it-companies\/\">intellectual property rights<\/a> and serious breaches of confidentiality or security <strong>subject to unlimited liability<\/strong>. Even if the general liability cap is limited to the amount of the fees, these categories of breaches should be excluded from the cap.<\/p>\n<h3>9. Scope review clause \u2013 protection against uncontrolled cost increases<\/h3>\n<p>This is a mechanism for managing changes during the project. Without it, every change in scope must be negotiated from scratch \u2013 or, worse still, the contractor implements it \u201ctheir way&#8221; and issues an invoice for additional work.<\/p>\n<p>A well-designed clause works as follows:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The contractor identifies a discrepancy between the scope of the agreement and the actual complexity of the work<\/li>\n<li>The contractor reports it in writing within <strong>3 business days<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The parties have <strong>7 business days<\/strong> to negotiate<\/li>\n<li>Until an agreement is reached, work on the disputed scope is suspended<\/li>\n<li>Additional work requires a written work order specifying the budget<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Without this clause: the graphic design in Figma turns out to be more complex than assumed in the estimate. The contractor either delivers a simplified version or demands an additional payment without a formal procedure. With the clause: you have time to make a decision and retain control over the budget.<\/p>\n<h3>10. Consequences of termination and contractual penalties<\/h3>\n<p>Contractual penalties should be a tool that genuinely keeps both parties accountable. A problem arises when they are <strong>asymmetrical<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>An example from the agreement analysed: the penalty for the contractor abandoning the project is only <strong>z\u0142 5,000<\/strong> \u2013 for a project worth z\u0142 27,400 net, this is less than 20% of the contract value. Restarting with a new contractor usually costs 30\u201350% of the project value (onboarding, recreating the work, code analysis).<\/p>\n<p><strong>What to negotiate:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>A penalty of at least 15\u201320% of the agreement value for termination due to reasons attributable to the contractor<\/li>\n<li>A source code escrow mechanism \u2013 so that if the project is abandoned, you have access to the work completed to date<\/li>\n<li>An obligation to hand over documentation and source code regardless of the reason for terminating the agreement<\/li>\n<li>The right to claim additional damages exceeding the contractual penalties<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3>11. Renegotiation clause in the event of project delays<\/h3>\n<p>IT projects run over schedule. The question is: who pays for it?<\/p>\n<p>A typical clause states that a <strong>project delay of more than 4 months<\/strong> for reasons not attributable to the contractor entitles the contractor to renegotiate the price. If you do not agree within 7 days, the contractor has the right to withdraw from the agreement while retaining payment for the work completed.<\/p>\n<p>It is worth noting that Article 357\u00b9 of the Civil Code (the rebus sic stantibus clause \u2013 an extraordinary change in circumstances) is exceptional in nature. A delay in an IT project does not in itself provide automatic grounds for a court-ordered price renegotiation. There must be an objective, extraordinary change in circumstances and a risk of gross loss. This is why a contractual renegotiation clause is more important than the statutory provision \u2013 because it gives both parties a predictable procedure to follow.<\/p>\n<h3>12. Confidentiality and data protection<\/h3>\n<p>A confidentiality clause usually remains in force for <strong>5 years after the agreement ends<\/strong>. The content of the agreement is confidential information by definition.<\/p>\n<p>A separate issue is the <strong>GDPR<\/strong> \u2013 if the website collects personal data (contact forms, analytics, newsletter), the agreement should include:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>A definition of roles: who is the data controller and who is the processor<\/li>\n<li>A <a href=\"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/publikacje\/rodo-i-ochrona-danych-najczestsze-bledy-w-sklepach-internetowych\/\">personal data processing agreement<\/a> (Article 28 of the GDPR)<\/li>\n<li>An obligation for the contractor to delete the data after the work is completed<\/li>\n<li>Procedures for responding to a data security breach<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>Digital accessibility \u2013 a new obligation from 28 June 2025<\/h2>\n<p>From <strong>28 June 2025<\/strong>, the Act of 26 April 2024 on Ensuring Compliance with Accessibility Requirements (the Polish Accessibility Act, implementing <a href=\"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/publikacje\/polish-digital-content-services-rules\/\">EU Directive 2019\/882<\/a>) applies. If your website is an interface for <strong>e-commerce<\/strong> services (an <a href=\"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/publikacje\/obsluga-prawna-procesu-zalozenia-i-organizacji-miedzynarodowego-sklepu-internetowego\/\">online store<\/a>, an e-commerce platform, online sales of services), it must comply with the requirements of EN 301 549 and the <strong>WCAG 2.1 Level AA<\/strong> standard.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Who is covered<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Who is exempt<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Online stores and e-commerce platforms<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Micro-enterprises (&lt; 10 employees, turnover below the EU threshold)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Websites selling services online<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Purely informational websites (company brochure websites with no option to enter into contracts)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Retail banking and telecommunications services<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Maps and geoportals (if address details are available digitally)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Supervision is exercised by the President of PFRON, the President of UKE, the Minister of Digital Affairs (for e-commerce) and the Financial Ombudsman. Sanctions include orders to remedy a breach, bans on providing services and <strong>administrative fines<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>If you are commissioning a website with e-commerce features, <strong>include WCAG 2.1 AA requirements in the project scope<\/strong>. Deliberately excluding accessibility from the scope of the agreement exposes you to the risk of sanctions \u2013 and the need for an expensive website rebuild after launch.<\/p>\n<h2>Checklist before signing a website development agreement<\/h2>\n<p>Before signing an agreement with a software house or web agency, go through these points:<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">No.<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">What to check<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Why it matters<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">1<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Is the scope of work described in terms of features rather than generalities?<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">A general description = disputes over interpretation and uncontrolled additional work<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">2<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Does the schedule include specific dates and measurable deliverables for each stage?<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Without milestones, you have no control over progress<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">3<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Are instalments linked to the acceptance of specific deliverables?<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Paying for \u201cwork in progress&#8221; without formal acceptance is risky<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">4<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Is the deadline for accepting a stage realistic given the complexity of the project?<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">5 business days to review a complex website may not be enough<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">5<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Is copyright transferred to you no later than upon payment of the final instalment?<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Delayed assignment of rights = no control over the code<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">6<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Is the IP clause in writing and does it specify the fields of exploitation?<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">An assignment of rights that is not made in writing is invalid<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">7<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Do you jointly determine the classification of warranty defects?<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Unilateral classification by the contractor = loss of control over repair priorities<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">8<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Does the agreement contain a scope review clause with deadlines and a procedure?<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Without it, every change must be negotiated from scratch<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">9<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Is the contractual penalty for abandoning the project proportionate to the contract value?<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">z\u0142 5,000 for a project worth z\u0142 27,000 will not cover the cost of restarting it<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">10<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Have you prepared a list of materials to provide to the contractor?<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">A delay in providing materials = a project delay at your expense<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">11<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Does the agreement specify what happens after the warranty period?<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">The warranty expires after 12 months \u2013 you need a maintenance agreement or internal resources<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">12<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Have GDPR and \u2013 where applicable \u2013 WCAG 2.1 AA requirements been included?<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left;\">Non-compliance with the law creates a risk of sanctions and an expensive rebuild<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>How we can help you with an IT agreement<\/h2>\n<p>Reviewing agreements with software houses or web agencies is something we do regularly. We know the common pitfalls because we see them in dozens of contracts every year \u2013 from projects worth tens of thousands of z\u0142oty to implementations worth hundreds of thousands.<\/p>\n<p>Our support includes:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Pre-signing agreement review<\/strong> \u2013 we identify clauses that need to be changed, propose specific wording and assist you in negotiations with the contractor<\/li>\n<li><strong>Audit of existing IT agreements<\/strong> \u2013 if you have already signed an agreement, we will check where the gaps are and how to close them with an amendment<\/li>\n<li><strong>Preparation of agreement templates<\/strong> \u2013 if you regularly commission IT services, we build a consistent system of agreements tailored to your business model<\/li>\n<li><strong>Support in disputes with contractors<\/strong> \u2013 from amicable negotiations to representation in legal proceedings<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>We do not create documents \u201cjust in case&#8221; \u2013 we design rules where risks actually arise. We combine contract law with copyright, the GDPR and the specific characteristics of the IT industry because these areas overlap in web development agreements.<\/p>\n<h2>Website development agreement \u2013 summary and next steps<\/h2>\n<p>A website development agreement is not a formality to be signed \u201cso the project can begin&#8221;. It is a tool that determines whether you retain control over the budget, schedule and rights to the work product.<\/p>\n<p>The 12 clauses described in this article cover six categories of contractual risk: technical, organisational, legal, financial, operational and relational. Each of them requires an informed decision \u2013 not the contractor&#8217;s default settings.<\/p>\n<p>Before you sign your next agreement with a software house, send it to us for review. Specific comments, no legal jargon, and a turnaround time tailored to your schedule. <a href=\"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/contact\/\">Contact us<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Can I use my own lawyer to review an agreement with a software house?<\/strong> Yes \u2013 and that is good practice. Professional contractors treat legal review as a normal part of the process. If a software house reacts negatively to the suggestion that your lawyer review the agreement, that is a red flag. Reviewing an IT agreement usually takes 2\u20135 business days and can identify clauses that may cost you many times more than the legal service itself.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is deemed acceptance legal, and can I challenge it after the fact?<\/strong> A deemed acceptance clause is permissible in B2B relationships between professionals \u2013 this is confirmed by case law (judgment of the Warsaw Regional Court, XXIII Ga 978\/20). Once the deadline has passed, you can still report <strong>material defects<\/strong> discovered after acceptance \u2013 the clause cannot deprive you of this right. However, non-material (cosmetic) defects reported after deemed acceptance become additional work. It is therefore better to negotiate a realistic review deadline than to try to challenge the clause after the fact.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How much should I budget for additional work beyond the amount stated in the agreement?<\/strong> There is no single rule, but with a well-defined scope, a contingency of 15\u201320% of the agreement value is reasonable. With a poorly defined scope, additional work may exceed the value of the original agreement. Check the hourly rate for additional work in the agreement \u2013 if it is z\u0142 250\u2013500\/h, calculate how many hours of additional work your budget can accommodate.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is a 12-month warranty standard in the market?<\/strong> 12 months from the production launch is a common period in web development agreements. However, the scope of the warranty may be narrower than you expect \u2013 it covers errors in the contractor&#8217;s code, but not problems resulting from your modifications, expired third-party licences or changes to the APIs of third-party tools. Once the warranty ends, you need a separate maintenance agreement or internal resources to maintain the website.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What happens to my website if the software house goes bankrupt during the project?<\/strong> If copyright has not been assigned to you (because you have not paid all the instalments), you may lose access to the code. The safeguard is <strong>source code escrow<\/strong> \u2013 a deposit with an independent third party (a notary, a specialist escrow company or a safe deposit box) subject to specified release conditions (e.g. the contractor being declared bankrupt). In Poland, source code escrow is an innominate agreement (Article 750 of the Civil Code), used mainly in larger projects, but it is worth considering even for smaller implementations \u2013 particularly if the website is critical to your business.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How can I negotiate an agreement with a software house without damaging the relationship?<\/strong> Contract negotiations are a normal part of working together \u2013 not a sign of distrust. Focus on mechanisms, not emotions: propose a jointly agreed table of defect criteria instead of unilateral classification, propose a scope review clause with deadlines for both parties, and propose realistic acceptance deadlines. A professional contractor will appreciate a partner who knows what they want \u2013 because clear rules reduce the risk of disputes for both parties.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Review 12 clauses in a Polish website development agreement, from deemed acceptance and extra work to copyright, warranties and data protection.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":2811,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","sip_alt_url":"","sip_en_pl_url":"","sip_pair_uuid":"25ce75fa-774f-4e47-8744-0b8dc8568452","sip_pair_state":"verified"},"categories":[1577],"tags":[1535,1538,1446,1543,1645,1588],"specialization":[1211],"practice_area":[],"class_list":["post-4435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-it-ai-ip-law","tag-contractual-penalties","tag-copyright-law","tag-gdpr","tag-it-ai-and-ip-law","tag-it-implementation-agreement-en","tag-sla-en","specialization-it-ai-ip-law"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4435","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4435"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4435\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4442,"href":"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4435\/revisions\/4442"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2811"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4435"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4435"},{"taxonomy":"specialization","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/specialization?post=4435"},{"taxonomy":"practice_area","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sawaryn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/practice_area?post=4435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}