Service Level Agreement (SLA) for Web Hosting and Maintenance
Last updated: 12 Jun 2025
This SLA outlines the scope, standards, and commitments associated with our ongoing hosting, maintenance, and support services. It ensures we’re all on the same page and sets realistic expectations.
Table of Contents
1. Scope of Services Covered
This SLA applies to clients who have an active hosting or support agreement with Back9. Services may include:
- Web hosting (standard or managed)
- Software/plugin updates (WordPress/third-party tools)
- Site backups and monitoring
- Security patches and malware scans
- Technical support and bug fixes
- Growth-Driven Design updates (if on a GDD retainer)
- SSL certificates (as required)
- Domain name renewal – if management by Back9
2. Hosting Service Levels
| Feature | Standard (Base) Hosting | Managed (Premuim) Hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly uptime target | 99.95% | 99.95% |
| Automated backups | Weekly | Daily |
| Software and plugin updates | 6 Monthly | Included for supported software |
| Malware monitoring | Not included | Included |
| Included support allowance | Up to 30 minutes per quarter | Up to 1 hour per month |
Uptime is a service target rather than an absolute guarantee unless a separate written agreement expressly states otherwise.
Uptime calculations exclude scheduled or emergency maintenance, third-party infrastructure or software failures, DNS or domain-provider issues, denial-of-service attacks, malicious activity, client actions, internet connectivity outside our systems, and events reasonably beyond Back9’s control.
Included support allowances apply to reasonable technical assistance and investigation. They do not include new functionality, redesigns, content entry, major restoration work or third-party charges. Allowances do not accumulate or carry forward unless agreed in writing.
Backup frequency, retention and restoration services may vary by plan. Backups are a recovery measure and should not be treated as a permanent archive of business-critical information.
3. Support Response Times
| Severity | Description | Initial response target | Restoration or resolution target |
| Critical | Website unavailable, confirmed compromise, or essential functionality unavailable | 1–2 business hours | 4–8 business hours |
| High | Significant functionality failure affecting normal website use | 4 business hours | 1–2 business days |
| Medium | Minor functionality, display or configuration issue | 1 business day | 3–5 business days |
| Low | Content changes, general questions or non-urgent requests | 1–2 business days | 5–10 business days |
Response and resolution periods are targets rather than guaranteed completion times. Actual resolution may depend on the complexity of the issue, availability of access and information, third-party suppliers and other circumstances outside Back9’s reasonable control.
Where immediate resolution is not reasonably possible, Back9 may prioritise restoring essential functionality or implementing a temporary workaround.
Support hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm New Zealand time, excluding public holidays. Response periods are measured only during these support hours and begin once Back9 has received enough information and access to investigate the issue.
After-hours assistance is not included unless separately agreed and may be charged at an additional rate.
5. Fair Use and Charges
Support allowances are determined by the client’s current plan. Time spent investigating, communicating, administering and resolving a request may count toward the applicable allowance.
Unused support time expires at the end of each billing period and does not accumulate unless expressly agreed in writing.
Work exceeding the included allowance will be charged at Back9’s applicable hourly rate. Where reasonably practical, Back9 will advise the client before undertaking material work outside the included allowance.
New features, redesigns, integrations, strategy, content population and other work outside routine maintenance may require a separate estimate, quote or project agreement.
6. Exclusions
Unless expressly included in the client’s plan, this SLA does not cover:
- Email services or support unless Back9 manages the applicable email platform.
- Website content entry or population.
- New functionality, redesigns, integrations or strategic work.
- Websites not hosted or maintained by Back9.
- Defects or limitations within third-party software that Back9 does not control.
- Issues caused by client actions, another service provider, unauthorised changes, accidental deletion or the installation of unsupported software.
- Failures of external services, including hosting infrastructure, domain registrars, DNS providers, payment gateways, APIs and other third-party platforms.
Back9 may assist with excluded matters where reasonably possible, but this work may be charged separately.
8. Amendments and Termination
Back9 may update this SLA to reflect changes to its services, suppliers, technology, security requirements or applicable law. Back9 will provide reasonable notice of any material change. Changes will not retrospectively reduce services already paid for during the current billing period.
Either party may terminate hosting or support services by providing at least 30 days’ written notice, subject to any minimum term, early termination provision or other condition contained in the applicable proposal or service agreement.
9. Charges and Priority
Support and maintenance time is chargeable unless it is included within the client’s current plan, covered by an applicable warranty, or otherwise agreed in writing.
Back9’s standard ad-hoc hourly rate is $165 plus GST unless another rate has been agreed in writing. Urgent, after-hours or same-day work may be charged at a higher rate where disclosed before the work is undertaken.
Clients on Growth-Driven Design, premium hosting, managed security or other qualifying retainers receive priority support and proactive services according to their applicable plan.
Want to know how we can help grow your site over time, not just patch it? Let’s talk about Growth-Driven Design.