Terms and conditions for a membership site

A membership site sells continuing access to content and a community, on a subscription that renews until the member cancels. The terms have to make the renewal and the cancellation route plain, describe content that changes over time, govern conduct in the community, allow price changes on notice, and deal with the digital content rules on the first payment. I draft those terms for a fixed fee of £995, delivered in five working days.

Who this is for

Membership sites, paid communities, content libraries and members-only platforms in England and Wales selling monthly or annual access to consumers, hosted on their own site or a membership platform.

What matters in membership site terms

Renewals and how to cancel

The terms should state the billing interval, the renewal date, the price, and a cancellation route inside the account that is as simple as joining, and say that cancellation takes effect at the end of the paid period with no refund for the remainder unless the terms provide one. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 treats a renewal the member was not clearly told about as unfair, and further rules for subscription contracts are being introduced under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. A member who cancels by email or social media has cancelled if the terms say notice may be given that way, so the terms should say how notice is given.

The first payment and the right to cancel

A membership bought online is a distance contract under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, and the fourteen-day cancellation right on the digital content is lost only where, under regulation 37, the member expressly consents to immediate access and acknowledges losing it, which the checkout must capture. The terms should say what happens if a member cancels within fourteen days without having consented: access ends and the payment is refunded.

Content that changes and what is promised

The terms should describe the membership by the kind and frequency of content and access it provides, say that content is added, updated and removed over time, that particular items may not remain available, and that the member is buying access during the membership rather than ownership of the content. Under sections 34 to 36 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 digital content must be as described, so the description should be of the membership as it is run.

Community conduct and suspension

Community spaces need rules on conduct, respect, confidentiality of other members' posts and no promotion without permission, and the terms should give the site the right to remove content, to suspend or end a membership for serious or repeated breach without refund, and to moderate as it sees fit. Where the site hosts member content it may have duties under the Online Safety Act 2023, and the terms should say that illegal content is removed and reported.

Price changes, licence and data

Price changes take effect from the next renewal after notice, with the member free to cancel first, and the terms should say so. Content is licensed for personal use under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and may not be shared or reproduced. Card payments carry no surcharge, failed payments lead to a retry and suspension, and the privacy notice governs member data, community posts and marketing consent under the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted for your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want them checked and brought up to date. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Buying online forms the engagement on payment. The scope is what the terms and conditions drafting page describes, you accept the Terms of Service at checkout, and I email you within four working hours to get started. If you would rather ask something first, email me.

What you get

• A full set of bespoke terms drafted for your business, reflecting the legal requirements that apply to your business and sector
• A note in plain English explaining the terms I have drafted for you
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions that protect your position and are drafted to withstand scrutiny from the other side
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly
• Your questions and comments answered by email or phone
• One round of amendments to finalise the terms ready for use

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers (I am happy to quote for this as an additional service if required)
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country
• Tax advice

Questions I am often asked

A member says they cancelled months ago but the charges continued. Where do we stand?

If the terms say how cancellation is given and the account shows no cancellation, the charges stand. If the member cancelled in a way the terms allow and the cancellation was missed, refund the charges since. The account record is what decides it.

Can we remove a piece of content members joined for?

If the terms say content is added, updated and removed and the member buys access to the membership as it is run, yes. Removing a headline feature the sales page promised is different and may entitle members to cancel with a refund.

A member is being abusive in the community. Can we end their membership without a refund?

If the terms include conduct rules and a right to suspend or end for serious breach without refund, yes. Record the breach and the decision.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Contract review, £495
• Terms and conditions for a paid newsletter
• Terms and conditions for an online community or forum

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.