Engagement, Billing and Renewal Terms

• Day rates or hourly rates for time-and-materials and staff augmentation work are set out in the SOW by role and seniority, and are held for the initial term stated in that SOW.
• Fixed-scope project fees are quoted against an agreed scope, depending on the nature of the service and the scope of the project; work outside that scope is billed as a change request under the Terms of Business.
• Rates exclude VAT and any applicable withholding tax, added where chargeable under UK or the Client's local law.
• Where a rate card is renewed, Hybytes will give at least 30 days' written notice of any rate change before it takes effect on renewal.

Unless the SOW states otherwise, Hybytes submits an invoice to the Client every 30 days. Invoices are payable within 30 days of the invoice date.

• Transfer fees. The Client pays all transfer fees on both sides of a payment, so that the amount received matches the invoiced amount, for audit and accounting purposes.
• Payment schedule. For fixed-scope projects, fees are payable in four parts: 30% upon signing, 30% on completion of the first project phase, 20% on completion of the second project phase, and 20% on final delivery. If a project doesn't have separate phases, the SOW will set out the payment schedule instead.
• Late payment. Any payment not received by the invoice due date is considered late and accrues a late fee of 2% of the outstanding balance for each week it remains overdue, without prejudice to Hybytes' right to suspend work under the Terms of Business.
• Invoice submission. Invoices are submitted electronically to the Client's designated billing contact, with an itemised breakdown of services rendered.

Pre-agreed, reasonable, and receipted expenses are billed at cost, itemised on the relevant invoice. This commonly includes third-party tooling and licences procured for an engagement, and approved travel where an engagement requires on-site work.

The Client's own cloud usage charges are billed directly by the relevant provider and are never part of a Hybytes invoice or expense line. Expenses require the Client's prior written approval unless the SOW pre-authorises a category or cap; the Client is not liable to reimburse any expense that was not approved in this way.

• Retainers are billed monthly in advance unless the SOW states otherwise, and cover the support tier and included hours or scope described in that SOW.
• Work requested beyond the included scope of a retainer is billed at the applicable rate card, with the Client's prior approval.
• Retainers automatically renew for the same term (monthly or annually) unless either party gives the notice period stated in the SOW, or 30 days’ notice if no period is specified.

• Dedicated-team engagements are billed monthly per assigned resource, pro-rated for partial months at the start or end of an engagement.
• The minimum initial term and the notice period to release a resource are set out in the SOW; where none is stated, 30 days' written notice applies.

If the Client disputes any part of an invoice in good faith, it should notify Hybytes in writing within 14 days of the invoice date, identifying the disputed amount and the reason. The undisputed portion remains payable by the original due date. The parties will work in good faith to resolve the dispute within 14 days.

Unless the SOW states otherwise, fees are invoiced in GBP and payable by bank transfer to the account stated on the invoice. Where an engagement is agreed in another currency, that currency and any conversion basis will be stated in the SOW.

Fees are exclusive of VAT, which is charged at the applicable UK rate where chargeable. Clients outside the UK are responsible for any local taxes, duties, or withholding applicable to the engagement, and for gross-up where local law requires withholding, so that Hybytes receives the full invoiced amount.