Hi everyone,

 

My client wants total control over the files of the website I designed for him, in order to make it evolve as he wishes. The website in question is hosted on a shared hosting server : all my sites are hosted on the same server with the same FTP account for all of them, the company is justhostme.co.uk. I don't control the server, just my web space in it.

 

I'm not even sure if I can fulfill the request of my client (a FTP account with restricted permissions should be created I guess). But the thing is that I don't want to anyway, because this website is a 'portfolio site' showcased on my site and I don't want him to mess around with one of my portfolio pieces.

 

Have you ever been in such situation ? What did you do or what would you do if it was your client ?

If you build a site for a client and it's finished and you sign over the IP rights of the design then they can do what they please with it. Even without IP rights having been signed over, it's not worth trying to stop them. If he wants to ruin his website, that's his problem.

 

Doesn't need to ruin your portfolio, if you have a screenshot as it was when you finished it.

 

Also, I assume you are using reseller hosting? Never host clients websites on your own hosting, always use reseller, as that should allow you to separate them.

Edited March 8, 201214 yr by brightonmike

It depends what you sold him and what was in the contract before you started the site (You did have a contract right?).

 

Generally once i've completed a site, those files belong to the client (after all they pay for them). In your case i'd give the clients their files but refuse access to the hosting environment unless they cough up for proper hosting.

The way you've got this set up doesn't sound very workable to me.

But the thing is that I don't want to anyway, because this website is a 'portfolio site' showcased on my site and I don't want him to mess around with one of my portfolio pieces.

 

Have you ever been in such situation ? What did you do or what would you do if it was your client ?

 

..story of my life

I took the decision to stop being responsible for hosting clients sites a long time back. I recommend a host and help them with the process but it is ultimately up to the client to maintain the hosting account and the domain renewals.

 

I always hand over the files when a site has been signed off, the client has paid for them after all.

Well, yes I used a contract (I'm not that nut!) but I host my client websites on my own web hosting rather than on a reseller hosting package (OK, maybe I am in fact!).

 

I thought about it and I think I'm gonna follow Mike and GalaxyTramp in recommending hosts. Less headaches ! Thanks guys for the advice.

You did have a contract right?

This should be your member title, Mike!

Yep, it should go without saying when a piece of work is complete it is complete and charged. Any additional work (including clients breaking things) is chargeable.

 

If you don't have a contract (why not) a simple email will suffice, but get them to agree.

 

As for hosting, we don't shy away from it but then we have invested a lot of time and money in our infrastructure and ultimately want control over our clients to ensure the quality of service we promote is tenable.

Edited March 8, 201214 yr by MMMedia

Let the client have whatever they want. Just make sure you always have a back up for when they inevitably blow their site up and it needs to be fixed by you.

 

Then you can swoop in to save the day...with very little effort and of course charge them more to quickly fix their problem

And then of course there is the "did you do this" question to which the clients answer is "oh yes" when in fact you know that another "web designer/company" has been tinkering.

When you purchase a car and put it in a hedge, you can't drag it back to the dealership and demand they fix it for free!

I suggest you move onto a reseller account , we are using this method and its working really well also gives the clients access to cPanel and we have total control on the WHM.