Information required by law on UK websites
By Suzanne Dibble of Lawyers4mumpreneurs

Information required from all UK website operators

• Your name.
• Your geographical address.
• Your details including your e-mail address.
• If you are subject to an authorisation scheme, details of the relevant supervisory authority.
• VAT registration number (if you have one).

Information required from UK website operators that are companies

• The company's registered name.
• The part of the United Kingdom in which the company is registered (eg England).
• The registered number of the company.
• The address of the company’s registered office.

Information required where you are a member of a regulated profession

If you are a member of a regulated profession (such as a solicitor or a doctor) you must also provide:

• The details of any professional body or similar institution with which you are registered.
• Your professional title and the country where that title has been awarded.
• A reference (ideally through a hyperlink) to the professional rules applicable to you.
• Information required on UK ecommerce websites
• A description of the different technical steps the customer must follow to conclude the contract.
• Confirmation of whether or not any contract will be filed by you and, if so, whether it will be accessible by the customer.
• A description of the technical means by which the customer can identify and correct input errors before he places an order.
• The language(s) offered for the conclusion of the online contract.
• If you subscribe to a code of conduct (such as the Direct Marketing Association code), the name of the code and how the customer can consult the code.
• A description of the main characteristics of the goods or services offered on your website.
• The price of the goods or services, including all taxes.
• The cost of delivery of the goods or services.
• Any arrangements applying to payment and delivery, or performance of the goods or services.
• A notice that the customer has the right to cancel the contract for any reason during the seven-days following the date of the contract.
• If customers are to use a premium rate telephone number, the cost of the call, which must be specified before any call charges are incurred.
• The period for which any special offer remains valid.
• The minimum duration of any permanent or recurrent contract.
• Where goods or services ordered are unavailable, whether you propose to provide substitute goods or services of equivalent quality and price.
• That the cost of returning any goods already delivered will be borne by the consumer (if you fail to specify this you will be liable for the cost).

Privacy policies are not legally required, but they can help to ensure compliance with a number of provisions of the Data Protection Act. Failure to comply can, in certain cases, lead to criminal sanctions.

Lawyers4mumpreneurs is a new legal practice established to focus on mumpreneurs’ needs. We cover the full range of business law services, so if for example you need standard terms and conditions drafting, advice on contracts with suppliers or trademark protection, we can help you. Our aim is to provide mumpreneurs with a top quality, approachable and flexible service that most importantly is affordable. See details of our experience, clients and testimonials at www.lawyers4mumpreneurs.com.