This document governs all working relationships between Unitic Creative Studio and its clients.

Document Version	1.0
Effective Date	21 April 2026
Prepared By	Unitic Creative Studio

ALL CLIENTS ARE REQUIRED TO READ, UNDERSTAND AND SIGN THIS AGREEMENT BEFORE ANY PROJECT COMMENCES OR DEPOSIT IS ACCEPTED.

1. Introduction

Welcome to Unitic Creative Studio. We are a professional creative agency offering Web Design, Graphic Design, Digital Marketing, Photography, and UDG Accelerator services. We are committed to delivering high-quality, results-driven creative work for every client.

This Client Agreement & Policy Document outlines the terms and conditions that govern our working relationship. It has been designed to protect both parties, set clear expectations, and ensure that every project is delivered professionally, on time, and to the highest standard.

By signing this agreement, the client confirms they have read, understood, and agreed to all policies contained herein. No project will commence, and no deposit will be accepted, prior to the signing of this document.

2. Services Offered

Unitic Creative Studio provides the following professional services:

Service	Description
Web Design	Custom website design and development tailored to the client’s brand and business objectives.
Graphic Design	Brand identity, marketing materials, social media visuals, and all print and digital design needs.
Digital Marketing	Strategy, content creation, social media management, and campaign execution across digital platforms.
Photography	Professional photography sessions for brands, products, events, and corporate needs.
UDG Accelerator	A focused accelerator programme designed to grow and elevate client businesses through creative and strategic support.

3. Client Service Agreement

The following terms apply to all projects undertaken by Unitic Creative Studio:

3.1 Project Commencement

A project will only commence once:

This signed Client Agreement has been received by Unitic Creative Studio
The agreed 50% deposit has been received and cleared
A detailed project brief has been submitted and confirmed by both parties

3.2 Scope of Work

The scope of work will be clearly defined and agreed upon before the project begins. Any work that falls outside the agreed scope constitutes a scope change and will be treated as a new or additional service, subject to a separate quotation and timeline.

Clients are not permitted to expand the project scope mid-project without a formal scope change request and written approval from Unitic Creative Studio.

3.3 Client Responsibilities

The client agrees to:

Provide accurate and complete project information at the start of the project
Respond to all communications, feedback requests, and information queries within 48 hours
Review and provide consolidated feedback on deliverables within the agreed timeframes
Make payments in accordance with the payment schedule outlined in this agreement
Treat all Unitic Creative Studio staff with professionalism and respect at all times

4. Payment Policy

4.1 Payment Structure

All projects are subject to the following payment structure:

Stage	Amount Due	When Due
Deposit	50% of total project cost	Before project commences
Final Payment	50% of total project cost	Upon project completion, before handover

4.2 Project Handover

Completed project files, assets, and deliverables will not be handed over to the client until the full outstanding balance has been received and cleared. This applies without exception.

4.3 Late Payment & Penalty Policy

If the final payment is not received by the agreed completion date, the following escalation process applies:

Stage	Trigger	Consequence
Grace Period: 15 Working Days	Payment not received by due date	A 15% extension is granted on the outstanding balance to allow settlement
Penalty Fee	Payment still not received after grace period	A penalty fee of 15% is charged on the outstanding balance. Payment must be made immediately.

Unitic Creative Studio will not indefinitely hold completed projects for non-paying clients. Continued non-payment after the penalty stage may result in the project being archived and the working relationship terminated without refund.

4.4 Accepted Payment Methods

Payment methods and banking details will be provided on the official invoice issued by Unitic Creative Studio. Clients must use only the payment details provided on official invoices. Unitic Creative Studio will not be held responsible for funds sent to incorrect accounts.

5. Refund Policy

5.1 Absolute No-Refund Policy

Unitic Creative Studio operates a strict, absolute no-refund policy. Once payment or a deposit has been made, it is non-refundable under any circumstances.

This policy exists because the nature of creative work involves the irreversible investment of:

Professional time and human resources
Creative thinking, ideation, and strategy development
Research, planning, and conceptual work
Tools, software, licenses, and operational resources
Skills and intellectual effort applied to the client’s project

These are resources that cannot be returned by the client, just as a refund cannot be returned to us. The moment project work commences, costs are incurred and value has been invested on behalf of the client.

No refund will be issued regardless of: project cancellation, client change of mind, client’s failure to respond or engage, dissatisfaction not raised during the revision process, or any external circumstances beyond Unitic Creative Studio’s control.

We do not exchange services for other services. In lieu of refunds, we offer revision rounds (see Section 6) to ensure client satisfaction. Our commitment is to keep working on the deliverable until it meets the agreed brief.

5.2 Chargebacks & Disputes

Any attempt to initiate a chargeback, payment reversal, or third-party payment dispute without prior written engagement with Unitic Creative Studio will be considered a breach of this agreement. We reserve the right to pursue outstanding amounts through legal channels in such cases. Signed agreements and payment records will be submitted as evidence in any dispute.

6. Revision & Scope Change Policy

6.1 Included Revision Rounds

Every project includes two (2) complimentary rounds of revisions per deliverable. A revision round is defined as a single consolidated set of feedback submitted at one time.

Clients are encouraged to consolidate all feedback into one submission per round. Multiple scattered feedback messages do not constitute separate revision rounds, they will be grouped and addressed as one round.

6.2 What Counts as a Revision

A revision is a refinement, adjustment, or correction within the originally agreed creative direction. Examples include:

Colour, font, or layout adjustments
Copy edits or text updates
Minor structural changes to an approved design
Feedback that improves the current concept

6.3 What Counts as a Scope Change

A scope change occurs when the client requests a fundamentally new direction, concept, or addition that falls outside the original brief. Examples include:

Requesting a completely new design concept after approving a direction
Adding new pages, features, or deliverables not included in the original brief
Changing the project’s core objective or target audience mid-project

Scope changes are not covered by included revision rounds. They will be quoted separately and may affect project timelines.

6.4 Additional Revision Rounds

Should the client require revisions beyond the two included rounds, additional revision rounds will be billed at a rate to be quoted at the time of request. Work on additional revisions will only commence upon receipt of the applicable fee.

7. Project Timeline & Communication Policy

7.1 Project Timelines

Project timelines are established and agreed upon at the start of each project. Timelines are based on the agreed scope of work and assume timely cooperation and communication from the client throughout the project duration.

7.2 The 48-Hour Response Rule

When Unitic Creative Studio requires information, approvals, feedback, or any response from the client in order to proceed with the project, the client must respond within 48 hours (two business days) of the request being made.

If the client fails to respond within 48 hours, the project deadline will automatically extend by the equivalent number of days the client delayed. Unitic Creative Studio cannot be held responsible for deadline delays caused by client non-response.

Example: If the client takes 5 days to respond to an information request, the project deadline shifts forward by 5 days, and the original deadline is no longer applicable.

7.3 Official Communication Channels

All project-related communication must take place through officially agreed channels (email or the designated project communication platform). Unitic Creative Studio will not be bound by instructions, changes, or feedback communicated through informal channels such as personal messaging apps, phone calls, or social media, unless confirmed in writing through official channels.

7.4 Delayed Client Engagement

If a client repeatedly delays, goes silent, or becomes unresponsive over an extended period, Unitic Creative Studio reserves the right to pause the project formally. The project will be resumed upon client re-engagement, subject to availability in our project schedule. Storage and reactivation fees may apply for projects paused for more than 30 days due to client inactivity.

8. Intellectual Property & Ownership Policy

8.1 Ownership During Project

All creative work, designs, concepts, strategies, copy, code, and any other deliverables produced by Unitic Creative Studio remain the exclusive intellectual property of Unitic Creative Studio until full and final payment has been received and cleared.

8.2 Transfer of Ownership

Upon receipt of full payment, ownership of the final agreed deliverables transfers to the client. Ownership transfer applies only to the final, approved deliverable not to any interim concepts, rejected designs, creative strategies, or ideas presented during the process.

8.3 Unitic Creative Studio’s Retained Rights

Regardless of full payment and ownership transfer, Unitic Creative Studio retains the right to:

Display completed work in our portfolio, website, and social media for promotional purposes
Retain all draft concepts, unused designs, and creative ideas not selected by the client
Use the project as a case study or in promotional materials

If the client wishes to restrict portfolio use of their project, this must be requested in writing prior to project commencement, and may be subject to an additional confidentiality agreement.

8.4 Client-Supplied Materials

The client warrants that any materials, images, logos, text, or content supplied to Unitic Creative Studio for use in the project are legally owned by or licensed to the client. Unitic Creative Studio will not be held liable for any intellectual property violations arising from client-supplied materials.

9. File Delivery & Retention Policy

9.1 File Delivery

Upon receipt of full payment, final project files will be delivered to the client in agreed formats. Delivery will be made via a designated file sharing platform, download link, or storage device as mutually agreed. Unitic Creative Studio will confirm delivery in writing.

9.2 Client Responsibility for Backup

Once files have been delivered, it is the sole responsibility of the client to download, back up, and securely store all project files. Unitic Creative Studio strongly recommends that clients back up all delivered files immediately upon receipt across multiple secure storage locations.

9.3 Retention Period & Liability Limitation

Unitic Creative Studio will retain client project files for a period of 60 days following final delivery. After this period, we cannot guarantee the availability of project files.

Unitic Creative Studio shall not be held liable for the loss of project files due to unforeseen circumstances including but not limited to hardware failure, equipment theft, system crashes, or force majeure events. By signing this agreement, the client acknowledges and accepts this limitation of liability.

File recovery requests made after the 60-day retention period may be accommodated at our discretion and may be subject to a file recovery or reconstruction fee.

10. Confidentiality

Unitic Creative Studio acknowledges that the client may share sensitive, proprietary, or confidential business information in the course of the project. We commit to:

Not disclosing the client’s confidential business information to third parties without written consent
Using client-supplied information solely for the purpose of completing the agreed project
Maintaining reasonable confidentiality measures for all sensitive data shared during the engagement

This confidentiality obligation does not apply to information that is publicly available, already known to Unitic Creative Studio, or required to be disclosed by law.

Clients who require a formal, separate Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) may request one prior to project commencement.

11. Client Conduct Policy

Unitic Creative Studio is committed to maintaining a professional, respectful, and productive working environment. We expect the same standard of conduct from all clients throughout the working relationship.

11.1 Unacceptable Conduct

The following behaviours are considered unacceptable and will not be tolerated:

Verbal abuse, threats, or intimidatory behaviour directed at any team member
Attempts to coerce, pressure, or manipulate outcomes outside the agreed terms
Bad-faith actions including fraudulent chargebacks, false complaints, or misrepresentation
Deliberate attempts to circumvent payment obligations

11.2 Right to Terminate

Unitic Creative Studio reserves the right to terminate a project and the working relationship immediately if a client engages in conduct deemed abusive, threatening, or operating in bad faith. In such cases:

No refund will be issued for any payments already made
All work completed up to the point of termination will be invoiced and payable immediately
Unitic Creative Studio may pursue legal recourse if warranted by the circumstances

12. Portfolio & Credit Policy

By entering into this agreement, the client grants Unitic Creative Studio permission to:

Feature the completed project in our portfolio on our website and marketing materials
Share the project on Unitic Creative Studio’s social media platforms
Credit the project in case studies, award submissions, or industry presentations

Clients who wish to opt out of portfolio and social media usage must submit a written opt-out request prior to the commencement of the project. Retroactive opt-out requests after project completion cannot be guaranteed.

13. Complaints Procedure

Unitic Creative Studio is committed to resolving any concerns or dissatisfaction in a professional and timely manner. All formal complaints must be submitted in writing via email to our dedicated complaints address.

Complaints Email

complaints@unitic.co.za

When submitting a complaint, please include:

Your full name and project reference
A clear description of the complaint and the outcome you are seeking
Any supporting documentation, screenshots, or correspondence

Unitic Creative Studio will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 2 business days and aim to provide a resolution or response within 5 business days. Complaints submitted through social media, messaging apps, or informal channels will not be treated as formal complaints and will not be processed under this procedure.

Please note that filing a complaint does not entitle the client to a refund, as per our Absolute No-Refund Policy (Section 5).14. Client Acknowledgement & Signature

By signing below, the client confirms that they have:

Read and understood all sections of this Client Agreement & Policy Document
Agreed to all terms, conditions, and policies contained herein
Had the opportunity to seek independent advice prior to signing
Understood that this agreement is legally binding from the date of signature

This agreement applies to all current and future projects undertaken between the client and Unitic Creative Studio, unless a superseding written agreement is signed by both parties.