The sales call promised everything. The contract promised nothing.
If a sales rep promised monthly updates, SEO work, training sessions and ongoing support, but the contract you signed only mentions building a website, you have been mis-sold. Verbal promises can be legally binding in the UK, but proving them is hard once the work is done. The fastest route out is usually a written demand referencing the original pitch, followed by a clean exit if they will not deliver.
What actually happened on that sales call
A friendly sales person walked you through everything you would get. Monthly check-ins. SEO. Training so you could update the site yourself. Help with your Google listing. Maybe a few hours a month of changes thrown in.
You said yes. You signed the contract they sent over. The site got built. Then the silence started.
You went back to the contract to check what you were owed. The contract describes a website. That is it. No mention of training, no mention of monthly hours, no mention of SEO work. The person who made all those promises does not work there any more, or has stopped replying, or says "that was just an example of what we can do."
Why the contract doesn't match the pitch
Sales people are paid to close deals. They are not paid to write contracts. In most agencies, the sales team and the people doing the work sit in different rooms and barely speak to each other.
The rep promises whatever it takes to get the signature. The contract, written by someone more cautious, only commits the agency to the bare minimum. The gap between the two is where you ended up.
This is not always deliberate fraud. Sometimes the rep genuinely believed the agency would deliver. They have since left, or been moved, or learned not to ask. The commission was paid the day you signed, regardless of what happens next.
Do verbal promises count legally?
Yes, in principle. Under UK contract law, a verbal agreement is binding. If the sales rep promised monthly SEO work to persuade you to sign, that promise can form part of the contract even if it is not written down.
The catch is proof. "He said it on the phone" is hard to evidence six months later. "She put it in this email two days before I signed" is much stronger.
Go through your inbox. Look for the original quote, any follow-up emails, proposal PDFs, and presentation slides. Any written claim about what you would get is leverage. Screenshots of the agency's own website pricing page, taken via the Wayback Machine if they have changed it since, also count.
What to do right now
Three steps, in order.
One: collect everything in writing. Original emails, proposal documents, any chat messages, the agency's website copy as it stood when you signed. Save it all in one folder.
Two: send one clear email. List what was promised, where each promise was made (email date, proposal page number, sales call), and what has actually been delivered. Ask them to either start delivering or refund the difference. Keep it factual. No insults, no threats - just a list.
Most agencies will go quiet. A few will offer a small credit hoping you go away. The serious ones will actually deliver because they do not want a written complaint sitting in their inbox.
Three: if they refuse, escalate. For amounts under £10,000, Money Claim Online lets you file a small claim for around £35 to £455 depending on the amount. You do not need a solicitor. Most agencies settle the moment a claim arrives, because defending it costs more than refunding you.
The rep who promised you the world earned their commission the day you signed. Whether you ever see those promises delivered is no longer their problem.
You can also report misleading sales practices to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice. This rarely gets you money back directly, but it does flag the agency.
How to avoid this with the next supplier
One rule covers most of it: if it is not in writing, it does not exist.
Before signing anything, reply to the sales person with a numbered list. "To confirm, this includes: 1) monthly content updates up to X hours, 2) Google Business Profile management, 3) two training sessions, 4) ongoing SEO work as discussed." Ask them to confirm by email.
If they confirm, you have it in writing. If they hedge, you have learned what is real and what was sales talk - before you have signed.
Also worth asking: who actually does the work after I sign, and how do I contact them? If the sales rep is the only person you have ever spoken to, that is a warning sign. Whether you run a salon in Edinburgh or a removals company in Birmingham, you want to know the person who will pick up the phone when something breaks - not the person who closed the deal.
When you do find a new supplier, look for transparent pricing on their website, a written list of what is included at each tier, and no commission-driven sales team. SkipTheAgency's Maintained plan is £65/month, with the included work listed in plain English on the pricing page. You deal with me directly from the first email - there is no sales rep making promises someone else has to keep.
Frequently asked questions
Are verbal promises from a sales rep legally binding in the UK?
Yes, verbal agreements are binding under UK contract law. The difficulty is proving what was said. Emails, proposals, and presentation slides from before you signed are much stronger evidence than "they told me on the phone", so dig those out first.
Can I cancel the contract because the agency mis-sold it to me?
Possibly. If you can show the agency made specific promises that influenced your decision to sign and have not delivered, you may have grounds to terminate for breach or misrepresentation. Send a written demand listing the specific promises and what has not been delivered, and give them a reasonable deadline to put it right.
How do I get my money back if the agency refuses?
For amounts under £10,000, use Money Claim Online to file a small claim. The fee is around £35 to £455 depending on the amount, and you do not need a solicitor. Most agencies settle the moment a claim is filed because defending it costs more than refunding you.
What evidence do I need to prove what was promised?
Anything written from before you signed: emails, proposal PDFs, quotes, chat messages, presentation slides. Screenshots of the agency's website at the time also help - use the Wayback Machine if they have changed it. The more specific the written claim, the stronger your position.
Should I report the agency to Trading Standards?
You can, via Citizens Advice, and it is worth doing if the mis-selling is clear. It will not directly get your money back, but it puts the agency on record. For a refund, the small claims route is more effective.
How do I stop this happening with the next supplier?
Insist everything goes in writing before you sign. Reply to the sales person with a numbered list of what was promised and ask them to confirm by email. If they hedge or refuse, you have learned what is real before committing. Also ask who actually does the work after you sign, not just who sells it.
Tired of promises that vanish after the signature?
SkipTheAgency's Maintained plan is £65/month with everything included listed in plain English on the pricing page. You deal with me directly - there is no sales team making promises someone else has to keep.
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