Payment Policy

2. Payment Policy

2.1 Introduction

This Payment Policy sets out the terms and conditions under which Smart Digital Tech Access ('we', 'us', 'our') accepts and processes payments for our digital services. By engaging our services, you agree to comply with this Payment Policy, which forms part of our overall Terms and Conditions.

Our services include Website Design, Graphic Design, Ads Management, Virtual Assistant (VA) Services, and Mobile App Development. Payment terms may vary by service type and will be specified in your service agreement or invoice.

2.2 Currency & Pricing

All prices quoted are in Great British Pounds Sterling (GBP, £) and are exclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT) unless expressly stated otherwise.

We are a growing business and are not currently VAT-registered. Should our turnover reach the current VAT threshold (£90,000 as of the date of this policy), we will register for VAT and notify all clients accordingly. Once VAT-registered, VAT will be charged at the prevailing rate at the time of invoice.

Prices quoted in proposals and quotations are valid for 30 calendar days from the date of issue unless otherwise stated. We reserve the right to adjust pricing for work commencing after a quotation has expired.

2.3 Payment Schedule — Project-Based Services

For project-based work, including website design, graphic design, and mobile app development, the following payment schedule applies unless otherwise agreed in writing:

• Deposit — 50% of the total project fee is due upon acceptance of the project proposal and before any work commences. This deposit is non-refundable once work has begun, as it compensates us for time and resources allocated to your project.
• Interim Payment — For projects exceeding £500 in total value, an interim payment of 25% of the total fee may be invoiced upon delivery of the first draft or key milestone, as specified in your project agreement.
• Final Payment — The remaining balance (50% or 25% as applicable) is due upon delivery of the final deliverables and before the completed work is published, handed over, or transferred to you. No intellectual property rights will be transferred until final payment is received in full.

We reserve the right to withhold delivery of final files, website credentials, or completed work until all outstanding invoices have been paid in full.

2.4 Payment Schedule — Retainer & Ongoing Services

For ongoing services such as Ads Management and Virtual Assistant (VA) packages, the following terms apply:

• Monthly retainer fees are invoiced in advance at the beginning of each billing period.
• Payment is due within 7 calendar days of the invoice date.
• Retainer services will not commence or continue for any billing period in which full payment has not been received.
• Retainer agreements are typically agreed on a minimum 1-month basis. Notice periods for cancellation are set out in Section 3 (Terms & Conditions).

2.5 Accepted Payment Methods

We accept the following payment methods:

• Bank transfer (BACS): Payment by direct bank transfer to our nominated business bank account. Bank details will be provided on each invoice.
• PayPal: Payment via PayPal to our registered business PayPal account. Please note that PayPal transaction fees may apply and will be added to the invoice total.
• Stripe: We may use Stripe as a secure online payment gateway for card payments. Stripe accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and other major debit and credit cards.

We do not accept cash payments for our digital services. Payment by cheque is not accepted.

2.6 Payment Terms & Due Dates

All invoices are due for payment within the timeframe stated on the invoice. Standard payment terms are:

• Project deposit invoices: Due immediately upon acceptance of the proposal.
• Milestone and final invoices: Due within 7 calendar days of the invoice date.
• Monthly retainer invoices: Due within 7 calendar days of the invoice date.

Invoices not paid within the agreed timeframe will be considered overdue. We reserve all rights available to us under applicable law in respect of overdue invoices.

2.7 Late Payment

In accordance with the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 (as amended), we reserve the right to charge interest on overdue invoices as follows:

• Interest will accrue at a rate of 8% above the Bank of England base rate per annum on the outstanding amount, calculated on a daily basis from the due date until the date of payment.
• We reserve the right to charge a fixed late payment compensation fee in addition to interest, as follows: £40 for debts up to £999.99; £70 for debts between £1,000 and £9,999.99; £100 for debts of £10,000 or more.
• We also reserve the right to recover reasonable debt recovery costs where payment remains outstanding despite our reasonable attempts to collect.

We will provide at least one written reminder before charging interest or fees. However, we are entitled to do so without further notice once a payment becomes overdue.

If payment remains outstanding for more than 30 days beyond the due date, we reserve the right to suspend all ongoing services and to refer the debt to a third-party debt recovery agency or commence legal proceedings to recover the outstanding amount plus all associated costs and interest.

2.8 Disputed Invoices

If you believe an invoice is incorrect, you must notify us in writing at hello@sdtaccess.co.uk within 5 calendar days of the invoice date, specifying the nature of the dispute. Failure to notify us within this period will be taken as acceptance of the invoice.

We will investigate any invoice dispute promptly and in good faith, and aim to resolve disputes within 10 business days. Any undisputed portion of an invoice remains due and payable on the original due date.

2.9 Refund Policy

Given the nature of our bespoke digital services, the following refund policy applies:

• Project deposits are non-refundable once work has commenced. A deposit compensates us for initial strategy, planning, creative development, and resource allocation.
• If you cancel a project before work has commenced and prior to the first working day following acceptance of the proposal, a full refund of the deposit will be issued.
• Partial refunds may be issued at our discretion for work not yet commenced on larger projects, calculated on a pro-rata basis relative to the work completed.
• No refunds are issued for completed and delivered work that has been accepted by the client, whether acceptance is explicit or implied by use.
• Refunds for services where a fault or error is attributable solely to Smart Digital Tech Access will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and may take the form of a credit, rework, or partial refund.

Refunds must be submitted in writing to hello@sdtaccess.co.uk. We aim to process any approved refunds within 14 calendar days via the original payment method. This refund policy does not affect your statutory rights as a consumer under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

2.10 Consumer Cancellation Rights

If you are contracting with us as a consumer (i.e., not in the course of a business), and the contract is concluded at a distance or off-premises (for example, by email or online), you may have a statutory right to cancel the contract within 14 calendar days of entering into it (the 'cooling-off period') under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

However, by expressly requesting that we begin work immediately — before the 14-day cooling-off period has expired — and by acknowledging that your cancellation rights will be lost once the services are fully performed, you waive your right to cancel once services have been completed.

Where work has already begun at your request prior to the expiry of the cancellation period, you agree to pay for the services supplied up to the point of cancellation, on a pro-rata basis.

If you wish to exercise your right to cancel, please notify us in writing at hello@sdtaccess.co.uk within 14 calendar days of entering into the contract.

2.11 Changes to Payment Terms

We reserve the right to update this Payment Policy at any time. Any changes will be communicated to existing clients by email with a minimum of 14 days' notice and will take effect from the next billing period. Continued use of our services after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Payment Policy.