Based on the feedback we at Seravo have received, our terms of service will be updated and clarified to improve our service. To reflect these changes, our privacy policy as well as data protection will be revised. These changes will clarify how Seravo collects and processes its customers’ data, and of course clarify our terms and conditions in general.
Below you will find detailed information on how the prices for our email services will change, as well as a detailed look at the upcoming changes to Seravo’s Terms of Service.
You can read the current terms of delivery on our website at seravo.com/en/terms-2018, and the new Terms of Service can be found at seravo.com/en/terms .
Pricing of Email Services at Seravo
Due to product changes of our current email service provider, the prices for Seravo’s email services will also be updated. In accordance with our current Terms of Service, the changes in the prices for email boxes will take effect on January 1, 2024, the same date as our new Terms will come into force.
If you decide to continue using the Basic or Premium email services (Gandi WebMail) offered by Seravo, the price of the service will increase on January 1, 2024.
These changes apply to the following services (all prices VAT 0%, prices are subject to VAT if applicable):
- Basic mailbox (10 GB) from 1.1.2024, 42 €/year
- Old price for basic mailbox (3 GB), 20 € /year
- Premium mailbox (50 GB), from 1.1.2024, 66 € /year
- Old price for premium mailbox (50 GB), 40 € /year
Time to Migrate to Google Workspace or Microsoft 365?
For our customers currently using Seravo’s Premium and/or Basic email, we recommend the licences offered by Domainkeskus for Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, as both services offer a much wider range of features than the email services Seravo has offered thus far. Domainkeskus will help and advise you in the transition to the new email service.
You can find all the available licences offered by Domainkeskus on listed on their website.
Upcoming Changes to Premium and Basic Mailboxes
Seravo is currently working with a new provider to find a solution for replacing the email services. We are focusing on the ability to provide a reliable yet cost-effective solution for all of our email customers. However, we strongly recommend the licenses for Google Workspace of Microsoft 365, especially if you have multiple mailboxes to maintain.
Questions? We’re happy to help!
We are sorry for the inconvenience caused by these changes in our email service. If you have any questions regarding the changes, you can always contact our customer service (help@seravo.com).
How the Terms of Service Will Change
Compared to the Terms of Service in force until 1st of January 2024, the new Terms are more structured and precise. The new Terms of Service will enter into force for all customers and contracts at the turn of the year on 1.1.2024, unless the hosting and upkeep plan is terminated before that date. The new Terms will be valid until further notice.
Cancelling and Termination of Service
All our services have a one-month notice period. Annual billing contracts can be terminated at the end of the current billing period. If you do not accept these changes to our Terms and wish to cancel your plan instead, or have any questions about the billing of your plan, please get in touch with us by sending an email to help@seravo.com.
Changes to the Terms of Service
Below you will find a comparison of the old and new terms.
Application and Validity of the Terms
Section 1 of the Terms of Service specifies who the service is intended for, and how the Terms of Service apply.
| Old Terms | New Terms |
|---|---|
| These terms apply to the services offered by Seravo Oy (hereinafter referred to as “Supplier”) for business customers (hereinafter referred to as “Customer”). These services are not meant for individual consumers. Services refer to both consulting services and services that have been produced by means of information technology. | These terms apply to the WordPress services (the “Service”) provided by Seravo Ltd (the “Supplier”) to business customers (the “Subscriber”). The Service is not intended for consumer customers. However, these terms of Service may be applied to natural persons who are Subscribers and who subscribe to the Service for their business activities. The Services include both professional work and services produced by means of information technology. |
Establishment and Transfer of Contract
Section 2 defines when the new Terms will come into force, how the contract is established between you as the site owner and Seravo, and how the contract may be transferred to another party or new site owner.
In order to transfer your plan to a third party, please get in touch with us at help@seravo.com, and we’ll ensure we get all the information required to transfer the contract.
| Old Terms | New Terms |
|---|---|
| The Customer approves these terms by ordering a service from the Supplier. The terms shall enter into force on 2018-05-25 and they supersede any previous terms. Previous terms shall, however, be valid until the end of the agreement period for such customers that have terminated their service before the entry into force of the new terms. | The Subscriber accepts these terms and conditions by ordering the Service from the Supplier. The terms are valid from 01/10/2023 until further notice and replace the previous terms. However, the previous terms will remain in effect until the end of the contract period for Subscribers who have objected to the terms and terminated their Service before the new terms come into effect. |
| The Customer and the Supplier will enter into an agreement, when the Customer has notified to have approved the Supplier’s quote or work estimate, when the Supplier has confirmed the order in writing, when the delivery of the service has been started and it has been informed to the Customer, or when the Customer has paid for the ordered service, whichever of the above takes place first. | The contract between the Subscriber and the Supplier is established when the Subscriber has indicated their acceptance of the Supplier’s offer or workload estimate, when the Supplier has confirmed the order in writing, when delivery of the Service has commenced and the Subscriber has been informed thereof, or when the Subscriber has paid for the Service ordered, depending on which of the above occurs first. |
| – | The Subscriber is not entitled to transfer the contract to a third party without the prior written consent of the Supplier. |
Service Delivery and Acceptance
In clause 3, the one-off service refers to (for example) separately invoiced professional services, while the continuous service refers to our WordPress hosting and upkeep plans. The chapter also gives an example of how the technical details of the service can change.
The new Terms also define more precisely when a service is deemed to have been delivered. It also defines the time-frame within which a complaint must be sent to Seravo after delivery. Errors in the service are defined in more detail in section 8 of the new Terms.
| Old Terms | New Terms |
|---|---|
| A one-time service is delivered, or a continuous service delivery has started, when the Supplier so informs and the Customer has the opportunity to review the contents of the service. | A one-off Service has been delivered or the delivery of a continuous Service has begun when so notified by the Supplier. |
| The Supplier has the right to make technical and other changes to the service, if the content of the service is not significantly changed. | The Supplier is entitled to make technical and other changes to the Service compared to, for instance, the order confirmation, provided that the content of the Service does not change substantially. |
| The delivery of the service shall be deemed to have been accepted, when the Customer so informs, or when the Customer pays for the service. The service delivery shall also be deemed to have been accepted, if the Customer has not approved the delivery within two weeks of the Supplier’s notice and has not presented a reclamation either. | The Subscriber shall provide the Supplier with sufficient and correct technical and other information for the provision of the Service. The Subscriber shall inspect the Service and its performance immediately upon delivery. Delivery of the Service is deemed to have been accepted when the Subscriber so notifies or when the Subscriber pays for the Service. Furthermore, the delivery of the Service is deemed to have been accepted and the Subscriber is not entitled to make any claims against the Supplier on the basis of a defect in the Service if the Subscriber has not filed a written complaint to the Supplier within 14 days of the actual delivery date about the defect. However, even if the Subscriber has complained about an error, the Service shall be deemed to have been accepted if there is no error in the Service. |
Your Obligations as a Customer
Section 5 of the new Terms of Service describes how to notify Seravo of any changes to your contact information. In addition, the paragraph on the legality of data uploaded to the service has also been improved.
| Old Terms | New Terms |
|---|---|
| The Customer is obliged to familiarise themselves with the Supplier’s notices, which have been delivered to the Customer, to the informed address. The Customer is obliged to inform the Supplier of any changed contact details. | The Subscriber is obliged to familiarise themselves with the Supplier’s information, which has been delivered to the Subscriber at the contact information indicated by the latter. The Subscriber is obliged to inform the Supplier of any changes in contact information by e-mail to help@seravo.com. |
| The Customer is responsible for all content on his/her own computers and, therefore, any content imported in to the Supplier’s service, in order to ensure that the content or its use does not violate copyrights, data protection or other legislation concerning data processing or distribution. | The Subscriber is responsible for all content on its own computers and for the content imported through it to the Supplier’s Service, as well as for the accuracy and legality of such content. The Subscriber is also responsible for ensuring that any content stored or otherwise imported into the Supplier’s Service or the manner in which it is used does not infringe copyright, data protection or any other law relating to the processing or dissemination of information. |
Information Security and Data Protection
Clause 6 deals with the security and privacy of the service. The new Terms specify where the data protection appendix is located. The correct term to refer to the functionality of websites from the server is now “availability”, not “availability”.
| Old Terms | New Terms |
|---|---|
| The service provided by the Supplier can be used for the management and storage of personal data according to the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Data protection and matters related to it are described in the data protection appendix. | The Service provided by the Supplier may be used to process and store personal data in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation. Data protection issues are described in the Data Protection Annex to this Agreement, an up-to-date version of which is available at https://seravo.com/en/dpa . |
| …the ability to maintain the continuous confidentiality, integrity, usability and fault tolerance of information management system services; | …the ability to guarantee continuous confidentiality, integrity, availability and fault tolerance of data processing system services; |
Service Availability
Clause 7 deals with the Service Level Agreement (SLA) for site availability. The SLA has always been reviewed on a monthly basis at Seravo – this is now clearly stated in our new Terms. The service status, notifications of interruptions to the service and its availability can always be viewed on a separate status page, status.seravo.com.
The update will also clarify the paragraph on the duration of the SLA and possible service interruptions. Similarly, the section on refunds under the availability guarantee has been clarified.
| Old Terms | New Terms |
|---|---|
| The Supplier is obliged to ensure that the offered network services are available 99.9% at all times. Other service levels may be agreed in separate service agreements. | The Supplier is obliged to ensure that the online services provided are available 99.9% of the time. The monitoring period used to determine this availability rate is a calendar month, which must be taken into account when assessing the achievement of the availability rate. Other service levels may be agreed on in separate service contracts. |
| The availability guarantee concerns the service throughout the entire period, and the Supplier is responsible for ensuring that the downtime required by the maintenance measures remains within the framework of the availability guarantee. | The availability guarantee shall apply to the Service for the entire duration of the contract and the Supplier shall be responsible for ensuring that, subject to any interruptions required for maintenance operations, the availability of the network service remains within the above-mentioned availability levels. |
| If the availability level is not achieved, the Customer is refunded the amount corresponding to the duration of the downtime multiplied by 50, however, no more than an amount corresponding to one month’s service fee. Refunds of less than 10 euros shall not be paid. | If the availability level is not met, the Subscriber will be credited with 50 times the calculated charge for the period of interruption, but no more than the equivalent of one month’s share of the service charge. No refund will be made for amounts less than EUR 10. |
Errors in Service
The new Terms of Service are more structured than before, and the 8th clause of the Terms deals with possible errors in the service and complaints about them. The new conditions also define the situations in which the service is not faulty.
If an error occurs in the service, the new delivery instructions will tell you what to do and the time-frame for reporting the error to Seravo. Under the previous terms,the time window was eight days, but the new Terms extend it to fourteen days.
| Old Terms | New Terms |
|---|---|
| The service is considered to have an error, if it differs from the features determined in the agreement, order confirmation or service description, subject to the fact that the deviation effects the use of the service. | The Service is deemed to be defective if it deviates from the characteristics specified in the contract, order confirmation and/or service description, provided that the deviation substantially impedes the use of the Service in accordance with the contract. |
| – | There is no error in situations such as (non-exhaustive list): – Lack of Service which can be attributed to the negligence or action of the Subscriber or a person using the Service as a result of the Subscriber’s actions, – Lack of Service which can be attributed to the condition of equipment or technical environments under the responsibility of the Subscriber or a third party, – Occasional and short-term interruption of Service, – Lack of Service or an interruption caused by a virus or other external attack on the Subscriber’s or a third party’s software. |
| The Supplier aims to deliver a highest quality and error-free service. The Customer shall inform of any observed errors in writing. Both parties are only responsible for their own part for the work time used for investigating the error and any other costs. The Supplier shall not invoice the Customer for unnecessary notices. | The Supplier’s aim is to provide the highest possible quality and error-free Service. The Subscriber must notify the Supplier in writing of any errors discovered. The Subscriber must submit an error report immediately upon discovery of an error in the Service and no later than 14 days after discovery of the error or when the Subscriber should have discovered the error. Otherwise, the Subscriber shall lose the right to make claims against the Supplier based on the Service’s error (e.g. price reduction and/or damages). |
Suspension and Termination
As for the 9th clause, the Terms will set out in more detail how to deal with situations where contractual obligations are breached, and the time-frame within which the provision of the service may be suspended and the site’s hosting plan terminated.
| Old Terms | New Terms |
|---|---|
| The Supplier has the right to suspend or discontinue the service, if the Customer is in breach of the agreement terms. The Supplier must, however, provide notice of such action in advance, so that the Customer has the opportunity to correct matters. If the breach of contract is serious, the service may be cancelled without delay. The Supplier may also suspend or discontinue the service at the order of a court or other authority. | The Supplier may terminate the Contract between the Supplier and the Subscriber entirely or partly with immediate effect if the Subscriber is in material breach of its contractual obligations and does not correct the issue within (30) days of the Supplier’s request. The Supplier is also entitled to suspend or close the Service immediately upon a binding order of a court or other authority. |
Payments and Invoicing
Clause 10 of the new Terms tells you where to find Seravo’s price list and what interest law applies in the event of late payment. The Terms now also specify how price list changes will affect new subscriptions, and what is the time-frame for pricing changes for existing sites or plans.
| Old Terms | New Terms |
|---|---|
| – | The general price list is available at www.seravo.com. |
| Terms of payment are net 14 days. The late payment interest is in accordance with the Interests Act (in 2018 ECB’s benchmark interest rate + 8 %). | The payment term is 14 days net. The default interest rate is in accordance with Article 4a of the Interest Act (20.8.1982/633) (in 2022 the ECB reference rate + 8%). |
| The Supplier has the right to review its pricing, in which case the new prices shall apply to all new orders from the time of change, as well as to current orders from the start of the new agreement term. If any changes occur with the taxes or regulatory fees concerning the service, the Supplier may review its pricing to correspond these changes, without any time restrictions. | The Supplier is entitled to change its price list, in which case the new prices will apply to all new orders from new customers and to new orders from existing customers from the time of the change. However, for existing contracts of existing customers, the new price list will only apply after a transitional period of at least 3 months. In the event of changes in taxes or government charges related to the Service, the Supplier may change its prices accordingly without any time limit. |
Liability and Limitations
The new Terms include updates and clarifications on damages (section 11).
| Old Terms | New Terms |
|---|---|
| Neither the Supplier or the Customer is responsible for indirect damages to either party, unless the damages are deliberate or a result of gross negligence. | The party is entitled to receive compensation for such direct damages that result from the fault of the other party. Neither party is liable for indirect or indirect damage caused to the other party (e.g. loss of sales revenue), unless the damage is caused intentionally or with gross negligence. |
| The Supplier’s compensation due to an error in the service is limited to an amount corresponding to the service fee of up to three months. The Supplier shall not compensate any indirect damages or the Customer’s loss of working hours or income. | The Supplier is not responsible for damages caused to the Subscriber, which are caused by the Subscriber having misused the Service provided by the Supplier or when the Subscriber has stored or used the information stored in the Service in violation of the legislation and/or the agreement between the Subscriber and the Supplier. Neither is the Supplier responsible for the claims that a third party has made to the Subscriber in the above-mentioned situations. |
| – | In contrast to the aforementioned, the Subscriber will be liable for all direct damages up to EUR 10,000 caused to the Supplier as a result of a breach of the following condition as well as the following condition set out in clause 5 of these Terms and Conditions: “The Subscriber is responsible for all content on its own computers and for the content imported through it to the Supplier’s Service, as well as for the accuracy and legality of the aforementioned content. The Subscriber is also responsible for ensuring that the content stored or otherwise imported into the Supplier’s Service or the way it is used does not violate copyright, data protection or other laws related to the processing or dissemination of information.” Even in these situations, the Subscriber is liable for indirect damages without limitation, if the damage was caused intentionally or through gross negligence. |
| – | The Subscriber must submit a written request for a price reduction or compensation to the supplier no later than 14 days after the error, delay or damage has been detected or should have been detected. Otherwise, the Subscriber loses the right to invoke said error, delay or damage. |
Unforeseeable Circumstances – Force Majeure
The force majeure conditions in the new terms of delivery also apply to subcontractors of our services (clause 12).
| Old Terms | New Terms |
|---|---|
| The Supplier shall not be required to fulfil the agreement, if its fulfilment is prevented, or is unreasonably exacerbated, as a result of force majeure, such as a strike or labour action, state of emergency, war, wide disturbance in the communications or electricity network, natural disaster, terrorist attack, coercive measures of an authority, other legal measure or other exceptional situations. | The Supplier is not obliged to fulfill the contract if its fulfillment is prevented or unreasonably difficult due to a force majeure (e.g. strike or labour dispute, state of emergency, war, extensive disruption in the telecommunications or electricity network, natural disaster, terrorist attack, coercive action by the authorities, other legal action or other exceptional circumstances). The aforementioned also applies if the Supplier’s subcontractor is affected by the force majeure. |
Secrecy and Confidentiality
Clause 13 of the new Terms concerns issues related to confidentiality and data protection.
On confidentiality in the old Terms of Service’s data protection appendix:
“The supplier is responsible for the contractual confidentiality of its staff. The data stored in the service by the Customer is not read, accessed or handled unless deemed necessary by the Supplier for the continued ability to keep providing their services.”
On confidentiality in the new Terms of Service:
“Each party to this agreement agrees not to disclose to any third party confidential information received or obtained by either party from the other party. Confidential information refers to not only the content of the agreement, but also to any other information relating to the party or its business that is marked confidential or that the party should have understood to be confidential. Materials and information are not covered by the obligation of confidentiality:
a) which is generally available or otherwise public;
b) obtained by the receiving party from a third party without any obligation of confidentiality;
c) which was in the possession of the receiving party without any obligation of confidentiality regarding them prior to receiving them from the transferring party; or
d) which the receiving party has independently developed without using the confidential material obtained from the transferring party.
The Supplier has the right to use the Subscriber’s name as the Supplier’s public reference, if the Subscriber has given prior written consent to the Supplier. The right to use the name of the Subscriber as a reference means that the Supplier has the right to announce, for example, on its website that it has provided the Service to the Subscriber.”
Disputes and Law
The last paragraph (14) of the Terms of Service has been revised as follows:
| Old Terms | New Terms |
|---|---|
| The relations between the Customer and the Supplier shall be governed by Finnish law, however, not the provisions concerning the choice of international private law. Any disputes between the Customer and the Supplier shall be settled at the District Court of Pirkanmaa. | The contractual relations between the Subscriber and the Supplier are governed by Finnish law, with the exception of its provisions regarding choice of law. Any disputes arising from the contract between the Subscriber and the Supplier will be resolved in the District Court of Pirkanmaa. |
Data Protection Appendix (DPA)
The new Data Protection Appendix can now be found on its own page at seravo.com/en/dpa/ . The new DPA replaces the former Appendix for data protection and handling of personal data, which was previously located at the end of our Terms of Service.
Privacy Policy
The Privacy Policy is also a separate document, which can be found at seravo.com/en/privacy-policy/ . The Privacy Policy replaces the previous register description under the Personal Data Act.
I don’t accept the new conditions – what to do?
Please contact our customer service by email, help@seravo.com. The new Terms will enter into force for all contracts (new and old) on January 1 2024, and by continuing to use Seravo’s hosting and upkeep service or placing an order you accept the new Terms.
If you do not accept the changes to Seravo’s Terms of Service, you must cancel your plan before 2024. In accordance with our current Terms of Service, all cancellations must be informed of in writing – a free-form email to our customer service (help@seravo.com) works. Please note that all Seravo’s plans have a one-month notice period. If your plan is billed annually, the plan can be cancelled until the end of the current billing term.