Legal & Commercial
A contractual framework for paid services offered by SKYSCRAPERS INFO LIMITED, applicable when properly incorporated into an accepted Service Agreement, Order, Statement of Work or equivalent arrangement.
These Service Terms & Conditions (the “Service Terms”) are issued by SKYSCRAPERS INFO LIMITED, a company incorporated in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the “Operator”, “we”, “us”), and govern commercial services offered through the website located at skyscrapersinfo.ltd (the “Website”).
The Service Terms set out a contractual framework for paid projects including, where properly agreed, research, content creation, architectural photography, video production, digital design, media campaigns, commercial collaborations and information products (the “Services”).
Browsing the Website, reading informational content or submitting an enquiry does not, by itself, create a service contract. Where a service contract is formed, it arises from a properly accepted arrangement concluded with the Operator. These Service Terms govern a particular transaction only to the extent that they, or relevant parts of them, are validly incorporated into that arrangement, or are otherwise legally applicable to it. The formation of a contract and the incorporation of these Service Terms are separate questions.
Subject to applicable law and any future functionality of the Website, indicative descriptions, portfolio references and preliminary quotations on the Website are generally invitations to negotiate rather than offers capable of unilateral acceptance. Whether any particular communication constitutes a legally binding offer is determined by its content and context, having regard to applicable law. Informal communications between the parties may, depending on the circumstances, give rise to contractual obligations.
Capitalised terms used in these Service Terms have the meanings set out below. Where a term is not defined here, its meaning is the meaning given to it in the applicable Service Agreement, Order or Statement of Work.
The Operator may offer Services in categories that include, without limitation:
Specific service descriptions on the Website or in marketing materials are indicative only. The actual scope, Deliverables, Fees and availability are determined exclusively by the accepted Proposal, Order, Statement of Work or Service Agreement.
Nothing on the Website should be read as a promise that a particular photography, filming, drone, consultancy or on-site service is currently offered, available worldwide or in any specific jurisdiction. Physical services depend on access, permits, lawful conditions and the Operator’s capacity, all of which are confirmed only within an accepted commercial document.
The typical path to a service engagement follows these stages:
A preliminary website enquiry, marketing conversation or indicative quotation does not, by itself, bind the Operator to deliver a project. A service contract is formed only through a valid acceptance, by the Operator and the Client, of a Proposal, Order or Service Agreement under applicable law. Where these Service Terms are validly incorporated into that contract, they govern the transaction. Where they are not incorporated, they do not override the parties’ actual agreement.
Where permissible under applicable law, including the Electronic Transactions Ordinance (Cap. 553) of Hong Kong, electronic acceptance and electronic signatures are recognised. The Operator may specify the channels through which valid acceptance may be communicated.
In the event of a conflict, the following order of precedence applies, unless the parties expressly agree otherwise in writing:
A Proposal becomes part of the contractual record once it has been accepted by the Client and, where applicable, is reflected in the corresponding Order or Statement of Work. Where the parties have expressly established a different order of precedence in writing, that agreement is respected, subject to mandatory law.
Amendments to these Service Terms published on the Website apply prospectively to future engagements and do not automatically rewrite or override a contract already accepted by both parties.
The Client must provide accurate project, contact and billing information and must keep that information reasonably current during the engagement. Misrepresentation may constitute grounds for suspension or termination.
Where the Client is a legal entity, the individual accepting a Proposal or issuing an Order represents that they have appropriate authority to bind that entity. The Operator may rely on that representation unless and until it receives clear written notice to the contrary.
The Client must deliver project information, instructions, approvals, assets, permissions and access necessary for the Operator to perform the Services in a timely manner. Delays caused by the Client may affect timelines and Fees as set out in the applicable Statement of Work.
The Client must not provide materials that are unlawful, infringing, defamatory, deceptive or that breach the rights of any third party. Where the Operator incurs costs, claims or losses as a result of Client-supplied materials, the Client bears responsibility in accordance with the accepted agreement and applicable law.
Nothing in these Service Terms imposes unreasonable warranties on ordinary Consumer Clients. Where a term would not satisfy a reasonableness test under applicable law, including the Control of Exemption Clauses Ordinance (Cap. 71) of Hong Kong, it is to be read and applied accordingly.
The specific Deliverables, inclusions and exclusions for a project are set out in the applicable Statement of Work or Order. Without an express written agreement to the contrary, the following are not automatically included:
Project-specific exceptions are possible where they are clearly recorded in writing, properly accepted and not precluded by mandatory law.
Project commencement is conditional on the agreed prerequisites, which may include the receipt of an Advance Payment or Deposit, executed documents, Client Materials, approvals or access. Where prerequisites are not met within a reasonable period, the Operator may reschedule or, where appropriate, treat the engagement as at an end in accordance with the accepted agreement.
Any deadline stated in a Statement of Work must be classified as either a firm contractual deadline or an estimate. The Operator will use reasonable efforts to meet estimated dates but does not guarantee them where circumstances are outside its reasonable control.
Reasonable extensions of timelines are appropriate where delays arise from Client changes, Client delays, third-party dependencies or events outside either party’s reasonable control. The Operator is not relieved of responsibility for delays within its reasonable control, and nothing in these Service Terms limits mandatory rights under applicable law, including implied terms under the Supply of Services (Implied Terms) Ordinance (Cap. 457) of Hong Kong.
The handling of revisions and changes is structured as follows:
No universal revision limit applies to every project. Reasonable revision arrangements are documented in each engagement and reflect its specific scope.
Chargeable work does not begin until the additional scope, any revised Fees and the amended timeline have been properly accepted in writing. An informal idea, internal message or social-media exchange is not, by itself, an approved paid Change Order.
Each Deliverable is submitted to the Client together with any reasonable information needed for its review. Acceptance criteria, the form of submission and the review period are defined in the applicable Statement of Work.
The Client has a fair opportunity to report material nonconformities during the agreed review period. Reports made in good faith will be considered and addressed in accordance with these Service Terms and the accepted agreement.
Acceptance of a compliant Deliverable is distinct from any obligation to accept a Deliverable that materially fails to meet the agreed specifications. Where a Deliverable contains a material nonconformity attributable to the Operator within the agreed contractual scope, or where correction is required by applicable law, the Operator will correct the work at its own cost within a reasonable time after being notified. This does not extend to Client-requested changes after approval, defects caused by inaccurate or incomplete Client Materials, changes in third-party platforms or systems outside the agreed scope of support, new requirements not included in the SOW, or problems caused by unauthorised modification of Deliverables. Statutory remedies available under applicable law, including the Supply of Services (Implied Terms) Ordinance (Cap. 457) of Hong Kong, are preserved, and the Operator is not relieved of responsibility for its own breach.
Silence is not, by default, treated as legally binding acceptance. Where, in a specific Business Client engagement, a deemed-acceptance mechanism is appropriate, it must be expressly agreed, limited in time, reasonable in operation and legally enforceable. Mandatory remedies available to Consumer Clients are preserved.
Fees, currency, Deposits, Milestones and the payment schedule are determined by the accepted commercial documents. Pricing is project-specific and is not determined by these Service Terms alone.
A Deposit or Advance Payment may be used to secure project capacity, reserve production slots, fund initial work or confirm acceptance. The treatment of each Deposit — including any conditions on refundability, allocation against final Fees or treatment on cancellation — must be expressly set out in the applicable Statement of Work or Service Agreement.
No fixed percentage of the project value is presumed to be a standard Deposit, and no universal rule makes every Deposit categorically non-refundable. The parties remain free to agree fixed-price, time-based, Milestone-based or retainer arrangements where appropriate, subject to applicable law.
The Operator issues invoices in accordance with the accepted commercial documents. Each invoice specifies the amount due, the currency, the applicable payment reference and the payment due date.
Where a material amount is overdue and the matter has not been raised as a genuine dispute, the Operator may, after reasonable written notice and to the extent permitted by law, suspend further work until the overdue amount is addressed. Suspension does not relieve the Client of obligations already due.
No statutory late-payment interest rate is asserted by these Service Terms. Any contractual interest, collection cost or late-payment charge must be expressly agreed in the applicable commercial documents and must be legally permissible.
Genuine invoice disputes should be raised promptly and in good faith. The Operator will investigate disputed items fairly and without prejudice. Nothing in these Service Terms prohibits lawful set-off or otherwise restricts remedies that mandatory law provides to a Client.
The accepted currency, payment channels and the allocation of ordinary bank, conversion and transfer fees are set out in the applicable Statement of Work. The Client is responsible for ensuring that payments are received in full, in the agreed currency, net of any charges that are within the Client’s control.
Applicable taxes, withholding obligations and documentary requirements are addressed in the accepted agreement. Nothing in these Service Terms asserts that services supplied through a Hong Kong company are universally tax-exempt.
Travel, accommodation, permits, subcontractor fees, stock-image licences, production expenses and platform charges are treated either as included in the agreed Fees or as separately approved expenses, as recorded in the applicable Statement of Work. Unlimited reimbursement of unspecified expenses is not assumed.
Cancellation consequences differ depending on the stage of the engagement:
For on-site filming, travel-dependent and location-specific work, tailored cancellation and rescheduling conditions are typically recorded in the Statement of Work.
No provision of these Service Terms creates arbitrary penalties or absolute forfeiture of sums paid where the Operator has not performed and a refund is legally required.
Where cancellation is caused by the Operator’s own suppliers or subcontractors, the Client retains the remedies available under the accepted agreement and applicable law.
This section is read together with the separate Refund Policy. Where the Refund Policy and a specific Statement of Work address the same matter, the Statement of Work prevails for that engagement, subject to mandatory law.
Whether a refund, credit or rescheduling option is available depends on the accepted service agreement, the work actually completed, properly agreed third-party costs and the mandatory law applicable to the transaction.
No universal cooling-off period is asserted by these Service Terms, and these Service Terms do not assert that refunds are never available in any circumstance.
Where a credit, rescheduling option or partial refund is appropriate, it is documented. Calling a sum a Deposit, administrative fee or cancellation fee does not, by itself, make an otherwise unlawful or unfair charge enforceable.
Intellectual property arrangements under an engagement are layered. The following categories are distinguished:
Copyright ownership of a Deliverable is determined by applicable law, subject to any valid assignment, licence or other properly agreed contractual provision. The scope of permitted use, exclusivity, territory, duration and the transfer of source files depend on the accepted contractual arrangement between the parties. Full payment does not, by itself, transfer every intellectual property right unless the parties have agreed and executed a valid assignment under applicable law.
Where ownership of commissioned work is to be transferred, the parties must execute the necessary written and signed assignment under applicable law, including the Copyright Ordinance (Cap. 528) of Hong Kong. Where a suitably structured licence is intended to become effective on payment, this is expressly agreed and is subject to mandatory law.
The Client retains ownership of Client Materials, and the Operator retains its lawful rights in pre-existing materials. Nothing in this section authorises the disclosure or reuse of confidential information, trade secrets, restricted Client data or third-party materials protected by their own licence terms. General professional knowledge and skills retained by personnel in unaided memory may be used in the ordinary course of subsequent work, subject to confidentiality obligations and applicable law.
Commercial Deliverables may incorporate materials and components licensed from third parties. The Client cannot receive greater rights than the Operator is lawfully permitted to grant. Where the Operator’s ability to grant rights is limited by a third-party licence, those limits are binding on the Client.
Stock photography, fonts, plugins, maps, software, music and platform templates often carry additional conditions, including limits on commercial use, redistribution, sensitive contexts and the duration of the licence. These conditions are communicated to the Client where relevant.
Images sourced through the Operator’s website platform or design tools are not, by default, automatically available for the Client’s commercial use. Where such images are required in a Deliverable, the Operator confirms the applicable licence in the relevant Statement of Work.
Where Deliverables involve generative AI tools, ownership, exclusivity, provenance and protectability depend on applicable law, licence conditions and the human contribution to the final output. The Operator does not promise that every AI-assisted output will be protected by copyright or qualify for exclusive rights in every jurisdiction.
For projects involving physical locations, filming and architectural content, the allocation of responsibility for permissions is addressed in the applicable Statement of Work. Depending on the engagement, responsibility may include:
Nothing on the Website should be read as a representation that the Operator holds a particular licence, permit or authorisation that has not been verified for the specific project. Where a lawful production cannot proceed, the Operator may reschedule or, where appropriate, terminate the relevant scope in accordance with the accepted agreement.
Each party protects legitimate confidential business information of the other that it receives in connection with an engagement. Confidential information does not include information that is or becomes publicly known through no breach of these Service Terms, is independently developed, is lawfully obtained from a third party or is required to be disclosed by law or by a competent authority.
Either party may disclose confidential information to its professional advisers, subcontractors and authorities where reasonably necessary, subject to appropriate confidentiality safeguards.
The processing of personal data is governed by the Operator’s Privacy Policy and, where required, by a separate Data Processing Agreement concluded under applicable law, including the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486) of Hong Kong.
The Operator is under a continuing legal and operational obligation to maintain appropriate technical and organisational safeguards that are commensurate with the nature of the personal data processed, the actual processing activities and the risks involved, in accordance with applicable data protection law, including the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486) of Hong Kong. Specific safeguards, certifications, encryption standards, data-residency arrangements or other security measures are not asserted as implemented on the basis of these Service Terms; where any such measure is relied upon, it is described in the relevant technical documentation or the applicable Statement of Work. Where the Operator processes personal data on a Client’s behalf, the parties may enter a separate Data Processing Agreement as required by applicable law.
Services are performed with the skill and care required by applicable law and by any properly accepted contractual standards. The Operator does not guarantee particular financial results, investment returns, search-engine positions, social-media engagement levels or commercial success unless expressly and lawfully agreed.
For skyscraper research and architectural information, the Operator distinguishes verified observations from data limitations, third-party sources, estimates and projections about future projects. Information is current only as of the date stated in the relevant material.
The Operator remains responsible for inaccuracies that cannot lawfully be disclaimed. Where information is supplied from a third party, the Operator uses reasonable efforts to ensure its accuracy but does not warrant it.
Nothing in these Service Terms or on the Website is intended as regulated legal, financial, investment, architectural or engineering advice. Where such advice is required, the Client must consult a duly qualified professional.
The Operator does not represent itself as holding any professional licence that has not been confirmed. Where a particular engagement requires a licensed practitioner, that engagement is referred to an appropriately qualified party or expressly limited in scope.
Liability provisions are drafted with regard to international professional services and to the limits imposed by applicable law. Nothing in these Service Terms excludes or restricts liability that cannot be excluded or restricted under mandatory law.
Where a contractual cap, exclusion or indemnification is appropriate for a particular engagement, it is recorded in the applicable Service Agreement after legal review. These Service Terms do not impose a universal monetary cap on the Operator’s liability and do not impose an automatic Client indemnity. Transaction-specific liability allocation is addressed in the applicable Service Agreement, subject to applicable law.
Any clause that limits or excludes liability is read subject to the reasonableness and validity requirements of applicable law, including the Control of Exemption Clauses Ordinance (Cap. 71) of Hong Kong. A clause that does not satisfy an applicable reasonableness or validity requirement is unenforceable to that extent and is not saved by being applied in a modified or partially rewritten form. Non-excludable obligations remain in force.
Client indemnification, where properly agreed, is limited to legally supportable third-party claims caused by the Client’s conduct, supplied materials, infringement or material contractual breach. Indemnification is subject to reasonable procedures, including prompt notice, conduct of the defence and cooperation, and does not extend to losses caused by the Operator’s own negligence or breach.
These Service Terms do not impose unrestricted indemnification on Consumer Clients for ordinary browsing of the Website or for innocent conduct.
The Operator may suspend or terminate an engagement, in whole or in part, where there is a legitimate ground, including:
Where reasonable and required, the Operator provides notice and an opportunity to remedy before suspending or terminating. The Client may have equivalent rights under the accepted agreement.
On termination, the Operator deals fairly with unfinished work, paid Fees, Deliverables already produced and confidential information belonging to the Client, in accordance with the accepted agreement and applicable law.
Neither party is liable for failure to perform an obligation where performance is prevented or materially impeded by events beyond its reasonable control, including natural events, public-health restrictions, lawful government action, infrastructure failures, armed conflict and similar circumstances. The affected party must give prompt notice, provide reasonable information about the event and its expected impact, and use reasonable efforts to mitigate that impact.
A force-majeure event does not, by itself, extinguish payment obligations that accrued before the event became effective, although performance of the corresponding obligation may be suspended while the event continues. Partial performance that remains possible may be accepted and paid for on a proportionate basis where appropriate. Where the event continues for an extended period, the parties discuss an equitable adjustment of the engagement.
Where performance becomes impossible, or where prolonged inability to perform frustrates the commercial purpose of the engagement, the accepted agreement governs the consequences, including any obligation to refund payments that have not been earned, subject to applicable law. These Service Terms do not give the Operator an absolute right to retain all advance payments where performance is impossible and a refund is required.
These Service Terms and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with them are governed by the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles. This choice of law does not override mandatory protections that apply to eligible clients under the law of their habitual residence.
The Operator encourages direct, good-faith communication as the first step in resolving any concern. A Client may raise a service complaint by contacting the Operator through the channels listed on the Contact page or by any other method that the law recognises as valid for formal notice.
These Service Terms do not impose mandatory pre-dispute arbitration on Consumer Clients, nor do they introduce unrealistic waiting periods that would prevent access to statutory remedies. Any specific arbitration arrangement for commercial counterparties is properly agreed in the applicable Service Agreement and is subject to applicable law.
Nothing in these Service Terms waives statutory limitation periods, regulator access or other legally protected remedies available to a Client.
Revised versions of these Service Terms, once approved by the Operator, normally apply prospectively to future engagements. They do not automatically rewrite contracts that have already been accepted, except where the parties expressly agree otherwise in writing.
These Service Terms are intended to be read together with the Operator’s other published documents, where relevant to the matter at hand. At the time of this draft, the Operator has been able to confirm only a limited set of destinations below. Links are provided only where access has been verified; other references are listed as pending verification and are not interactive:
The following documents are referenced by this Service Terms but have not been individually verified as accessible, approved or effective at the time of this draft, and are therefore shown as non-interactive placeholders. They must not be treated as available or as effective contractual policies until the Operator has confirmed their status:
/refund-policy (pending verification)/privacy (pending verification)/cookies (pending verification)/editorial-policy (pending verification)The publication of any document as a Draft on the Website does not, by itself, make that document an effective contractual or commercial policy. Separate published policies apply to a commercial engagement only to the extent that they are appropriately incorporated into the relevant Service Agreement, Order or Statement of Work, or are otherwise legally applicable to it; their publication on the Website is not, by itself, sufficient.
A page labelled Draft must not be described as an approved, effective policy. The Contact page may provide a convenient enquiry route but does not, by itself, exclude notice methods that are legally recognised under applicable law.