Terms of Service

The short version — what you're agreeing to

Use the website and our services in good faith. We work hard to deliver what we promise. Project terms are detailed in your individual engagement agreement — these terms cover the website itself and the general framework.

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1. Acceptance of terms

By accessing or using https://suncoastlocal.com (the "Site") or engaging Suncoast Local for services, you agree to these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, do not use the Site or our services.

2. Use of the website

You may use the Site for any lawful purpose. You may not:

• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Site
• Scrape or copy content for republication without permission
• Submit false or misleading information through any form
• Use automated tools to send mass form submissions
• Use the Site in a way that disrupts or impairs it for other users

3. Services

As of May 2026, our service offering is intentionally narrow: custom website design and development (with a bundled AI chatbot) plus a required Hosting & Maintenance tier (one of three: Foundation, Growth, or Authority — Authority includes Local SEO + Google Business Profile management). Custom platforms (CRMs, SaaS, membership systems, custom integrations) are available on a project-by-project quote. Each engagement is documented in a separate proposal that you accept electronically before work begins; that proposal is the binding contract for the specific project, and these Terms of Service cover the general framework around it.

4. Pricing

Prices listed on the Site are starting prices and good-faith estimates. Final pricing for any project will be confirmed in writing in the proposal before work begins. We reserve the right to update Site pricing at any time, but any project already accepted is governed by the pricing fixed in the accepted proposal.

Hosting & Maintenance tier prices may change with at least 30 days written notice. Existing clients on a tier when prices change will be notified before the next billing cycle and may switch tiers or cancel within the notice period without penalty.

4a. Lease-to-Own program

Website builds of $2,500 and up can optionally be structured as a 24-month lease-to-own subscription instead of a cash purchase. Lease-to-Own terms:

• Setup fee: $500 one-time, paid at signing. Non-refundable once project work has begun.
• Monthly payment: (quoted cash price of the build) ÷ 24, billed automatically via Stripe on the same monthly anniversary as the setup fee was paid, for 24 consecutive months.
• Total cost: $500 setup + (cash price × 1.0) = cash price + $500. No additional interest, no lease premium beyond the setup fee.
• Hosting & Maintenance: A monthly tier is still required and billed separately for the duration of the lease and beyond. The lease payment subscription is independent of the hosting subscription — you can upgrade or downgrade the hosting tier anytime without affecting the lease.
• Ownership during the lease: The website code, design files, and proprietary infrastructure remain the property of Suncoast Local throughout the 24-month lease period. The client receives a license to use the website for the duration of payments. Ownership transfers to the client upon successful completion of all 24 payments (or earlier buyout — see below).
• Client domain: The domain name is always purchased by the client directly from a registrar (Namecheap, GoDaddy, etc.) and registered in the client's name. The domain is never the property of Suncoast Local and is unaffected by the lease.
• Client content: Text, photos, and brand assets the client provides remain the client's property at all times. The client retains the right to use that content elsewhere during and after the lease.
• Client data: Lead capture data, CRM records, chatbot conversation logs, and analytics data belong to the client and can be exported at any time during the lease at no extra cost.
• Late payments: 30 days past due, the website is taken offline (a "site temporarily unavailable" page is shown). 60 days past due, the website code is removed from our servers and the lease is terminated. The client retains the domain and any exported data but loses access to the website itself. Already-made lease payments are not refunded.
• Early buyout: The client may pay off the remaining lease balance at any time and take full ownership immediately. The buyout amount equals the sum of all unpaid scheduled payments — no early-payoff discount, but also no early-payoff penalty.
• Automatic completion: After the 24th successful payment, the Stripe subscription auto-cancels, full ownership of the website transfers to the client, and the client may move the site to another host at their option (the Hosting & Maintenance tier subscription continues separately unless the client chooses to migrate away).
• Cancellation by client during the lease: The client may cancel the lease at any time with 30 days notice. The website goes offline at the end of the notice period; already-made lease payments are not refunded; the client retains the domain and any exported data.
• Hosting tier required throughout: A Hosting & Maintenance tier subscription is required for the duration of any active lease. If the hosting subscription is canceled or lapses, the lease is treated as in default and the late-payment process above applies.

Lease-to-Own is offered at the discretion of Suncoast Local. We reserve the right to decline a lease structure on any specific project (typically if the project total is below $2,500 or if discovery surfaces credit / fraud concerns).

5. Intellectual property

All content on the Site — text, images, logos, code — is owned by Suncoast Local or used with permission. The Suncoast Local name, logo, and brand identity are property of Suncoast Local.

For cash-purchase client work, ownership of website deliverables transfers upon final payment. For Lease-to-Own engagements, ownership transfers upon completion of the 24th scheduled payment OR upon early buyout. Until ownership transfers, the website code, design files, and proprietary infrastructure remain the property of Suncoast Local and the client holds a use license tied to active lease payments.

Client-provided content (text, photos, brand assets) and client- generated data (leads, CRM records, chatbot logs) always remain the client's property regardless of payment structure.

6. No warranties on the website

The Site is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. We make no promises about uptime, accuracy, or fitness for any particular purpose regarding the Site itself. (Service-level commitments for client websites we build and host are governed by individual engagement agreements.)

7. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by Florida law, Suncoast Local is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from use of the Site. Our total liability for any claim related to the Site is limited to $100 USD.

Liability for paid services is governed by the individual engagement agreement.

8. Third-party links

The Site may link to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or accuracy of any external site.

9. Termination

We may suspend or terminate access to the Site if you violate these terms or use it in a way that harms us or other users.

10. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, USA. Any dispute will be resolved in the courts of Sarasota County, Florida.

11. Changes

We may update these terms from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of the Site after changes constitutes acceptance.

12. Contact

Questions about these terms? Email hello@suncoastlocal.com.