You get what you pay for - ha!!

[No2politics]

You get what you pay for - ha!!

I think that this is the more accurate analogy than d000hg's

Plus 1

[VectraMan]

If you've delivered a product and it's not been paid for, then it's not theirs. If you were the landlord and they didn't pay their rent, you probably would do the padlock scenario. If you deliver a website, then you take it down.

There's a right way of doing these things. If I didn't pay my rent, my landlord isn't allowed to show up and padlock the place whilst I'm out. He has to go through a proper procedure to have me evicted.

Similarly, if somebody doesn't pay you for work you did on a website, you should go through the courts to get your money, and perhaps ultimately the court orders the website to be taken down. But you can't decide unilaterally that you've been wronged and therefore you can do what you want.

It might be different if the server is yours, but if it's just the content, then accessing it without the owner's permission is probably a crime, and even if not the client could sue you for damages.

[d000hg]

If you've delivered a product and it's not been paid for, then it's not theirs. If you were the landlord and they didn't pay their rent, you probably would do the padlock scenario. If you deliver a website, then you take it down.

If you're a landlord, you own the building. The online analogy here is the ISP/hosting provider who CAN legitimately turn the site off. The web designer is more like a decorator or plumber.

Unless a contract says so, not paying doesn't mean the work you do stops belonging to the client. A contract normally transfers IP ownership. Non payment is a separate matter.

Jeez, and you lot claim to run businesses... without understanding the legal ramifications. NLUK where are you?!

[mudskipper]

NLUK where are you?!

It's OK - he's prowling the accounting forums growling at noobs and telling them to get an accountant.

[mudskipper]

There's a right way of doing these things. If I didn't pay my rent, my landlord isn't allowed to show up and padlock the place whilst I'm out. He has to go through a proper procedure to have me evicted.

Actually, I think with business leases he can.

He can also seize and sell your goods to pay for arrears.

http://www.birkettlong.co.uk/cms/doc...ses_beware.pdf