Website ownership query

wynters

Howdy all,

'Just a quick question I'm hoping someone might be able to give me advice on...

I designed and built a new website to promote a new service for my employers.

It's been successful, but other parts of the business are struggling and the business as a whole may have to close temporarily as a result.

I can take this website idea to another company in the same line of work and set it up under a slightly different domain name.

The idea for the site was mine. I designed and built the site, so is it mine to take elsewhere????

e.g. As designer and builder of the website, do I still own the website design?

MacBoogerBalls

Any clauses in your Contract of Employment?
I pretty sure it will say you cannot involve yourself with another company [for the duration of the contact] and all worked produced by you during your employment is their property.
This should probably be in the Legal Discussion forum

wynters

The line of work were involved in is nothing to do with IT.

(Probably should've mentioned that!) so there is nothing of that sort in the employment contract.

off.the.walls

Most times if you've had someone code it they retain rights to the code so you cannot get outside sources to update it and only the coder can do that. There is usually a buy out clause on licencing of code.

BostonB

Did you build it in your own time?

Dave!

Read your contract firstly

But couldn't you modify it slightly and then you're in the clear?

CptSternn

Quick way to sort it -

First, you will have to get a new domain and redo the entire front end of the site, change every graphic and the wording.

Second, change up the backend code. You don't have to change it too much, and it would be a good time to clean up the code, put in new features, add some documentation, etc.

If you change it up like that it is not an issue as it would be an entirely different product.

Trojan

Please seek qualified legal advice, and I Am Not A Lawyer.

In my experience, if you quit your job and then build it *from scratch* there should not be a problem unless you explicitly have a non-compete condition. Ensure you don't use notes you made at work, or use their tools (software, hardware, etc).

In most cases where there is not a non-compete, you are entitled to use your technical knowledge - not company trading knowledge - in your next job.

wynters

BostonB wrote: »

Did you build it in your own time?

... Yes, built entirely in my own time.

Many thanks for your help everyone. A bit clearer now.

It's a financial services website. I face the prospect of being out of work temporarily (til new year) or I could just take this idea and run with it somewhere else where it may even get better backing. I don't expect problems if I take it somewhere else but just in case...

I would prefer to know than for it to come back and bite me on the a$$...

Again - thanks for advice - very much appreciated.