Should files, legally, always be backed up by a web designer, if uploading to a server owner by a hosting company?

Who is responsible if files a host deletes or loses files? Are those files still my property if hosted on another server?

By the way, I am talking UK Law.

Many thanks.

I don't know UK law, but common sense law tells me that a hosting company or a web designer is not legally obligated to backup files unless advertised. As for who legally owns the rights to the files, that's for you and your web designer to decide.

I don't know of any affordable hosts which guarantee the integrity of their backups. Basically, backups are provided "as is" and without any guarantees. As such, I would always suggest that users keep their own site files.

This is also the case as hosts which make tape backups won't be able to restore a single site easily -- backups will only be made to restore an entire server. Considering this, if you FTP into your site and accidentally delete all your files, and you don't have local copies, you probably won't be able to get them back.

I'm not saying that hosts won't help you out in this case and spend a few hours with their tape backups, but you should always be safe and have your own copies.

By web designer, I mean myself, sorry if that confused matters.

If I have no backup, and a host deletes my files on my account who, according to law, is responsible.

I found this clause on their TOC :

Supanames.co.uk disclaims any warranty or merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This includes loss of data resulting from delays, nondeliveries, wrong delivery, and any and all service interruptions caused by Supanames.co.uk and its employees.

The files *may* have been deleted, and if so it is probably on purpose. We had our account closed because of...well the full story is here :

http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40693

In that case, you are responsible for backing up your files.

Any host with an ounce of respectability should never delete a website for usage reasons, max they should so is simply "suspend" the website, so your able to get any important files you off the server.

Almost all webhosting companies cover themselves for this though in the Terms & Conditions, else if there company went bust and lost their servers they could find themselves dealing with numerous law suits.