Website Hosting Terms & Conditions
1. Acceptance of Terms
By making payment for website hosting services, the client agrees to the following Website Hosting Terms & Conditions.
2. Hosting Services
Polkadot Digital provides website hosting services through third-party hosting infrastructure providers.
Hosting services may include:
- website server hosting
- email hosting
- DNS configuration
- SSL installation
- backups
- basic server monitoring
unless otherwise specified in writing.
Hosting packages are subject to the agreed package specifications, storage limits, bandwidth allowances, and usage policies.
3. Third-Party Hosting Infrastructure
Polkadot Digital utilises third-party hosting providers and infrastructure.
While we aim to provide reliable hosting services, Polkadot Digital cannot guarantee:
- uninterrupted uptime;
- server availability;
- hosting speeds;
- third-party infrastructure stability;
- uninterrupted access to websites or emails.
Polkadot Digital shall not be held liable for downtime, outages, server failures, cyberattacks, data loss, email interruptions, or technical issues caused by:
- third-party hosting providers;
- data centres;
- DNS providers;
- domain registrars;
- external infrastructure;
- internet service providers;
- force majeure events.
4. Website Backups
Backups may be performed periodically as part of the hosting service; however:
- backups are not guaranteed;
- backup frequency may vary;
- backup retention periods may vary;
- backups may fail or become corrupted.
Polkadot Digital does not guarantee that backup copies will always be available, recoverable, complete, or up to date.
Clients remain responsible for maintaining their own independent backups of all website data, emails, databases, and content.
Polkadot Digital shall not be liable for any loss of data, files, emails, databases, or website content.
Restoration of backups may incur additional fees.
5. Security & Malware
While reasonable security measures may be implemented, Polkadot Digital cannot guarantee that hosted websites, servers, or email services will be free from:
- hacking;
- malware;
- viruses;
- ransomware;
- spam attacks;
- cybersecurity breaches;
- vulnerabilities;
- unauthorised access.
The client is responsible for:
- maintaining strong passwords;
- protecting login credentials;
- ensuring authorised access only;
- updating third-party software where applicable.
Polkadot Digital will not be liable for damages, losses, downtime, or data breaches resulting from hacking, malware infections, phishing attacks, or compromised credentials.
Where malware cleanup, website restoration, emergency recovery, or security repair work is required, additional charges may apply.
6. Client Content & Usage Responsibility
The client remains fully responsible for all content hosted on their website and server space.
Clients may not use hosting services for:
- unlawful content;
- spam;
- phishing;
- malware distribution;
- copyright infringement;
- illegal downloads;
- offensive or abusive material;
- activities that violate South African law.
Polkadot Digital reserves the right to suspend, restrict, or terminate hosting services immediately where hosted content or website activity:
- poses a security risk;
- consumes excessive server resources;
- breaches applicable laws;
- impacts server stability;
- causes blacklisting issues;
- damages third-party infrastructure.
7. Copyright & Licensed Content
The client confirms that all hosted content, including but not limited to:
- images;
- videos;
- fonts;
- trademarks;
- downloads;
- software;
- documents;
- written content;
is either owned by the client or properly licensed for use.
Polkadot Digital shall not be held liable for any copyright infringement claims, licensing disputes, legal action, penalties, or damages arising from content hosted on the client’s website.
The client indemnifies and holds harmless Polkadot Digital against any claims relating to unlicensed or unauthorised hosted content.
8. Email Hosting Disclaimer
Where email hosting is provided, Polkadot Digital does not guarantee:
- email deliverability;
- inbox placement;
- spam filtering accuracy;
- uninterrupted email access;
- compatibility with all devices or applications.
Email services may be affected by:
- third-party mail servers;
- spam blacklisting;
- DNS propagation;
- internet outages;
- software conflicts;
- mailbox limits.
Clients are responsible for maintaining mailbox storage limits and regularly archiving emails where necessary.
Polkadot Digital shall not be liable for lost emails, delayed emails, spam filtering issues, mailbox corruption, or email downtime.
9. Domain Names
Where Polkadot Digital assists with domain registrations or renewals:
- the client remains responsible for domain renewal fees unless otherwise agreed;
- domain ownership remains subject to the registration information provided.
Failure to renew domains may result in:
- website downtime;
- email downtime;
- domain loss.
Polkadot Digital shall not be liable for expired domains or losses caused by failed domain renewals where payment was not received timeously.
10. Resource Usage
Hosting services are intended for normal business website usage.
Polkadot Digital reserves the right to suspend, throttle, or request upgrades for websites that:
- excessively consume server resources;
- negatively impact other hosted websites;
- generate abnormal traffic loads;
- utilise excessive storage or bandwidth.
Additional charges may apply for excessive resource usage or specialised hosting requirements.
11. Website Maintenance & Updates
Unless included within a maintenance agreement, hosting does not include:
- website edits;
- plugin updates;
- software updates;
- bug fixes;
- security monitoring;
- malware cleanup;
- troubleshooting;
- website support.
Clients remain responsible for maintaining their website software unless an active maintenance package is in place.
12. Migrations & Transfers
Where Polkadot Digital assists with website migrations:
- migration timelines are estimates only;
- compatibility issues may occur;
- temporary downtime may occur during migration.
Polkadot Digital cannot guarantee that all files, emails, databases, or configurations will transfer perfectly between hosting providers.
The client remains responsible for verifying website functionality after migration completion.
13. Suspension & Termination
Non-payment of hosting invoices may result in suspension or termination of hosting services.
Polkadot Digital reserves the right to suspend or terminate hosting services where:
- invoices remain unpaid;
- abusive behaviour occurs;
- security risks arise;
- unlawful content is hosted;
- excessive server usage occurs;
- these terms are breached.
Suspended or terminated hosting accounts may result in permanent deletion of website files, databases, emails, and backups after a reasonable period.
Polkadot Digital is under no obligation to retain backups or hosting data after termination.
14. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, Polkadot Digital shall not be liable for:
- downtime;
- data loss;
- hacking;
- malware;
- lost profits;
- business interruption;
- loss of sales;
- reputational damage;
- email failures;
- indirect or consequential damages.
The client agrees that Polkadot Digital’s total liability relating to hosting services shall not exceed the total hosting fees paid by the client over the preceding 3-month period.
15. Changes to Hosting Terms
Polkadot Digital reserves the right to update or amend these hosting terms at any time.
The latest version published on the Polkadot Digital website shall apply.
16. Acceptance
By proceeding with hosting services and/or making payment, the client confirms that they have read, understood, and agreed to these Website Hosting Terms & Conditions.