Simple terms. No surprises.

Hostlane Complete

Hostlane Complete is a managed online presence service designed primarily for small and service-based businesses.

Your subscription may include:

• A professionally designed business website
• Managed website hosting
• Business email
• Domain registration or renewal
• Website maintenance and minor updates
• Google Business Profile management
• Hostlane Reviews and reputation-management tools
• Monthly reporting
• Ongoing support

The exact services provided remain subject to the selected Hostlane package, quotation or written agreement.

Included Website

Hostlane Complete includes the design or redesign of a professional 1–3 page informational or service-business website at no additional website design or development cost.

The typical structure is Home, Services and Contact, although the exact structure may vary according to the business.

Standard website functionality may include:

• Responsive mobile-friendly design
• Contact and enquiry forms
• WhatsApp integration
• Click-to-call functionality
• Google Maps or location integration where appropriate
• Social media links
• Basic on-page SEO
• Analytics and Search Console configuration
• SSL
• Basic performance optimisation

The included website does not cover e-commerce stores, membership systems, portals, directories, complex booking systems, custom applications or substantial custom functionality. These services may be quoted separately.

Client Information & Content

The client is responsible for supplying the core information Hostlane reasonably requires to build and manage their online presence.

This may include business information, service information, contact details, logos, branding, photography, existing website information and relevant account access.

Hostlane may refine, structure and expand the information supplied into suitable website content.

Where appropriate, Hostlane may also use appropriately licensed stock imagery or generated supporting imagery.

The client confirms that it has the necessary rights to any content, photographs, logos or other materials supplied to Hostlane.

Production, Turnaround & Approval

Hostlane aims to have most included websites ready for review within approximately 5–7 business days.

This timeframe begins only once Hostlane has received all information, content, assets and access reasonably required to begin production.

Delays in supplying required information or access may delay the website production timeline.

One consolidated round of minor revisions is included before launch. Further revisions, significant redesign requests or additional development may be quoted separately.

Once the client approves the website, Hostlane may proceed with launch and configuration of the applicable services.

Hosting & Business Email

Hostlane Complete includes managed website hosting and business email within the storage allocation associated with the subscription.

The standard Hostlane Complete service includes 5GB combined website and email storage and unlimited email addresses within that allocation.

Additional storage or infrastructure requirements may be charged separately.

Hostlane takes reasonable steps to maintain the availability, security and performance of its hosting services. Scheduled maintenance, infrastructure failures, third-party outages, cyberattacks and circumstances outside Hostlane's reasonable control may nevertheless affect availability.

Domain

Hostlane Complete includes the registration or renewal of one eligible .co.za or .com domain as part of the service.

The domain belongs to the client. Hostlane manages the domain on the client's behalf while the applicable service remains active.

Domain availability cannot be guaranteed until registration has been successfully completed.

Website Maintenance & Updates

Hostlane Complete includes ongoing website maintenance intended to keep the client's website secure, operational and reasonably current.

Included maintenance may include:

• WordPress, plugin and theme updates
• Backups and security monitoring
• Performance monitoring
• Minor text changes
• Contact information changes
• Operating-hour changes
• Image replacements
• Minor service or content updates

The following are not considered normal minor maintenance:

• Major redesigns
• New pages or substantial new sections
• Custom development
• Complex new functionality
• E-commerce development
• Significant structural changes

Work outside the included maintenance scope may be quoted separately.

Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile management may form part of Hostlane Complete. Where the client already has a profile, the client must provide Hostlane with the appropriate level of access.

Management may include business information, categories, services, operating hours, contact and website information, supplied images, profile monitoring, review monitoring and performance reporting.

Hostlane does not own or control Google and cannot guarantee profile approval, continued availability, rankings or other outcomes controlled by Google.

Hostlane Reviews

Hostlane Reviews provides tools intended to help clients request and manage customer feedback and Google reviews.

Depending on available functionality, these tools may include review requests by email, WhatsApp-assisted review requests, direct review links, QR codes, review assets, reporting and other reputation-management tools.

Hostlane cannot guarantee that a customer will leave a review, that a review will be positive or that a particular rating or number of reviews will be achieved.

Clients may not use Hostlane Reviews to create fake or misleading reviews, manipulate review platforms or otherwise violate applicable platform rules.

Customer Communications

Hostlane tools may allow clients or their staff to enter customer names, email addresses, mobile numbers or other information for the purpose of sending review requests, reminders or other permitted communications.

The client is responsible for ensuring that it has a lawful basis to collect and use this information and to communicate with those customers.

The client remains responsible for ensuring its use of Hostlane's communication tools complies with applicable privacy, electronic communications and direct-marketing requirements.

Monthly Reporting

Hostlane may provide clients with monthly reporting covering aspects of their website, maintenance, hosting, Google presence, reviews and other available service metrics.

Reporting depends on data available from Hostlane and relevant third-party services and may change as the Hostlane platform develops.

Third-Party Services

Hostlane services may rely on third-party providers including Google, Meta, WhatsApp, Payfast, domain registrars, hosting infrastructure, analytics providers, software vendors and other service providers.

Hostlane is not responsible for outages, API changes, policy changes, account restrictions or other actions imposed by third-party providers outside Hostlane's reasonable control.

Subscription & Billing

Hostlane Complete is billed monthly at the price displayed or agreed when the client signs up, subject to any subsequent agreed or notified pricing changes.

Recurring subscription payments may be processed through Hostlane's nominated payment provider.

The client is responsible for ensuring that valid payment information remains available and that amounts due are paid on time.

Additional work, storage, development or third-party services outside the included subscription may be separately quoted and charged.

Initial Minimum Commitment

Hostlane Complete is subject to an initial minimum commitment of three paid months.

The minimum commitment helps Hostlane recover the initial design, development, setup and onboarding work included in the service without charging the client a separate upfront website development fee.

Cancellation & Early Termination

Cancellation requests must be submitted to Hostlane in writing.

If the client cancels during the initial three-month commitment, a flat R1,500 early termination fee will apply, together with any subscription fees or other amounts already due.

Once the initial minimum commitment has been completed, the client may cancel by providing one calendar month's written notice. No cancellation fee applies after completion of the initial commitment.

Where applicable law provides the client with cancellation or other consumer rights that cannot lawfully be excluded, those rights will continue to apply.

Website Ownership & Transfer

During the initial minimum commitment, the website provided at no additional design or development cost forms part of the Hostlane Complete service.

Once the client has completed the initial minimum commitment and the account is fully paid, ownership of the completed website transfers to the client.

If the client terminates during the initial commitment and pays the applicable R1,500 early termination fee, together with all other outstanding amounts, ownership of the completed website will transfer to the client.

Where a client leaves Hostlane in good standing, Hostlane will reasonably assist with transferring the website, domain and relevant transferable services to another provider.

Third-party software, plugins, licences, fonts, stock assets or other components remain subject to their respective licence terms and are not transferred where Hostlane does not have the legal right to transfer them.

The client's domain, logos, photography, business information and other client-supplied materials remain the client's property.

Hostlane Portal, Data & Access After Termination

The Hostlane customer portal, Hostlane Reviews system, reporting tools, forms, software and related functionality are hosted and operated by Hostlane and remain part of Hostlane's proprietary platform.

Information stored within the Hostlane platform may include:

• Review-request records
• Customer information entered for review requests
• Website contact-form submissions
• Other form entries
• Review-management activity
• Reporting and service data
• Other information generated through use of the Hostlane portal

Following the effective termination of a Hostlane subscription, the client will retain access to their Hostlane portal and available stored information for 30 days.

During this 30-day period, the client is responsible for downloading, exporting or otherwise retaining any information they wish to keep, where such export or download functionality is available.

After the 30-day period, portal access will be disabled and Hostlane may permanently remove the client's portal data from its active systems, except for information Hostlane is required to retain by law or for legitimate accounting, security, legal or compliance purposes.

Termination does not transfer ownership of Hostlane's portal, software, source code, review-management system, templates, internal tools or proprietary technology to the client.

Failed or Overdue Payments

Where a client's account falls into arrears, Hostlane may suspend some or all services until the account is brought up to date.

This may include:

• Website availability
• Website hosting
• Business email
• Website maintenance
• Hostlane portal access
• Hostlane Reviews
• Reporting
• Other managed services

Suspension does not cancel amounts already due or transfer ownership of Hostlane's proprietary services.

Domain ownership remains with the client.

Switching & Promotional Offers

Hostlane may from time to time offer promotional benefits to clients switching from another hosting provider, including migration assistance or a free initial service period.

Eligibility may require proof of an existing active hosting service.

Where the client qualifies for a free first month under Hostlane's switching offer, the initial three-month minimum commitment begins from the client's first paid month, unless otherwise stated in the applicable promotion.

Hostlane may change, withdraw or replace promotional offers for future signups at any time.

Acceptable Use

Hostlane services may not be used for unlawful, fraudulent, abusive, malicious or deceptive purposes.

Clients may not knowingly distribute malware or spam, infringe intellectual property rights, interfere with systems or networks, misuse customer data or use Hostlane's systems in violation of applicable law.

Hostlane may suspend services where reasonably necessary to protect its infrastructure, clients, users or third parties.

Hostlane Intellectual Property

Hostlane retains ownership of its proprietary portal, software, source code, systems, review-management tools, templates, processes, internal technology and other Hostlane intellectual property.

Website ownership under Section 16 does not include ownership of the Hostlane platform or proprietary Hostlane systems used to provide or manage the service.

Clients may not copy, reverse engineer, resell or reproduce Hostlane's proprietary systems without written permission.

Backups, Security & Availability

Hostlane uses reasonable measures to maintain backups, security monitoring and service availability.

No hosting, security or backup system can be guaranteed to be completely uninterrupted, error-free or immune from compromise.

Clients should retain independent copies of business-critical information where appropriate.

No Guarantee of Business Results

Hostlane provides services and tools intended to improve and simplify a business's online presence.

Hostlane cannot guarantee specific increases in website traffic, search rankings, reviews, ratings, enquiries, customers, leads, sales or revenue.

Results depend on numerous factors including the client's business, industry, competition, customers and third-party platforms.

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Hostlane will not be liable for indirect or consequential losses arising from use or unavailability of the service, including loss of revenue, business opportunities, data, rankings or access to third-party services.

Nothing in these terms excludes liability or legal rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.

Privacy & Personal Information

Personal information collected or processed through Hostlane will be handled in accordance with Hostlane's Privacy Policy and applicable South African data-protection requirements.

Clients using Hostlane tools to process their own customers' information remain responsible for their own legal obligations regarding the collection, use and communication of that information.

Changes to Services & These Terms

Hostlane may improve, modify or replace features as its services and platform develop.

Hostlane may also update these Terms & Conditions to reflect changes to its services, business practices or legal requirements.

Where a material change affects an existing paid service, reasonable notice will be provided where appropriate.

The latest version of these terms will be published on the Hostlane website together with its effective date.

Governing Law

These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa.

Nothing in these terms is intended to restrict rights that cannot lawfully be excluded under applicable South African legislation.

Contact

Questions regarding these Terms & Conditions, cancellation, account information or Hostlane services may be submitted using the contact details provided on the Hostlane website.