Terms of Service

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern the relationship between Avante Web Studio, a division of Avante Labs ("Avante", "we", "us"), and any individual or business ("Client", "you") who submits a project brief, creates a Client Dashboard account, or makes a payment through studio.avantelabs.org (the "Site"). By creating an account, submitting a brief, or making a payment, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms.

Avante designs, builds, and deploys a website or landing page for the Client, live within an estimated 72 hours of a finalised brief. This 72-hour estimate is a target based on typical turnaround and is not a guaranteed delivery time — actual timelines may vary depending on the complexity of the request, and how promptly the Client supplies content, feedback, and approvals. Ongoing hosting, maintenance, and domain renewal are provided for as long as the Client's quarterly retainer (see Section 4) remains active.

Once-off fee: A once-off build fee is payable per the pricing published on the Site at the time of the brief, varying by domain extension (TLD) selected. Consistent with our "See It Before You Pay" promise, the Client reviews the completed site before this fee becomes payable.

Quarterly retainer: A fixed quarterly retainer (as published on the Site) covers ongoing hosting, domain renewal, and maintenance.

Free hosting period: The first 9 months of hosting following go-live are provided at no additional charge. The quarterly retainer becomes payable from the end of this 9-month period onward.

Promotional codes: Where a valid promotional code is applied at checkout, a 15% discount is applied to the once-off fee only. Promotional codes do not apply to the quarterly retainer, have no cash value, cannot be combined with other offers unless explicitly stated, and may be withdrawn or invalidated by Avante at its discretion.

Payment processing: Payments are processed through PayFast. Avante does not receive or store the Client's card or bank account details directly.

Because the Client reviews the completed website before the once-off fee is charged ("See It Before You Pay"), the once-off fee is non-refundable once paid. Quarterly retainer payments, once made, are likewise non-refundable, as they cover hosting and services already rendered for that period.

Upon full payment of the once-off fee, both the domain name and the website's code/design become the property of the Client.

Domain registration: for administrative convenience, the domain is registered under Avante's registrar account (HostAfrica or Cloudflare, depending on the TLD) on the Client's behalf, and Avante manages renewals as part of the quarterly retainer. Notwithstanding this administrative arrangement, beneficial ownership of the domain belongs to the Client. The Client may request that Avante transfer registrar-level control of the domain to a registrar account of the Client's own choosing at any time, and Avante will action such a request within a reasonable period.

Source code: the Client may request a full copy of their website's source code at any time, at no additional charge, and Avante will provide it within a reasonable period.

Avante retains a non-exclusive, royalty-free right to reuse generic design elements, layouts, components, and patterns developed during the Client's project in future projects for other clients. This does not extend to the Client's specific brand assets, business content, copy, images, or any material identifying the Client's business.

If a quarterly retainer payment is not received by its due date:

For the first retainer payment following the initial 9-month free hosting period, Avante will not automatically suspend the Client's website if this payment is delayed, and will make reasonable efforts to contact the Client regarding the outstanding payment before any suspension is considered.

For all subsequent retainer cycles, a 7-day grace period applies from the due date — if payment is not received within this grace period, the website may be suspended (taken offline) until payment is made.

Suspension does not affect the Client's ownership of the domain or their entitlement to their source code under Section 5.

Consistent with Avante's "No Contracts" commitment, the Client is not bound to any fixed-term agreement. The Client may choose to stop paying the quarterly retainer at any time; doing so will result in the website being suspended per Section 6, but carries no cancellation penalty. The Client's ownership of the domain and their right to obtain their source code (Section 5) survive any such cancellation.

• Provide accurate, timely information and content required to build the website.
• Respond to requests for feedback or approval in a timely manner, as delays on the Client's part may affect delivery timelines.
• Warrant that any content, images, logos, or other material the Client provides for use on the website does not infringe the rights of any third party.

The website is provided on an "as is" basis. Avante does not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation of the website, and is not liable for outages or issues caused by third-party service providers (including but not limited to hosting, domain registrars, or payment processors). To the maximum extent permitted by law, Avante's liability arising from these Terms or the services provided is limited to the amount paid by the Client for the once-off fee.

Avante collects and processes personal information (name, email address, phone number) provided by the Client for the purpose of delivering and communicating about the services described in these Terms, in accordance with South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). This information is not sold to third parties.

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa, and any disputes arising from them are subject to the jurisdiction of the South African courts.

Avante may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be reflected by an updated effective date. Continued use of the Site or services after such changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

Avante Web Studio, a division of Avante Labs.

• Email: avantelabs.official@gmail.com
• Website: studio.avantelabs.org