Many owners assume they own what they pay for. That is not always true unless it is written down. Settling it first costs nothing and prevents expensive disputes.
Points to agree in writing
Make sure the agreement answers these.
- Who owns the finished code and designs
- Who owns the data, and where it is stored
- Whether the developer may reuse general tools they built
- What third party components are used and their licences
- What you receive at handover
Access matters as much as ownership
Owning something you cannot reach is no use. Make sure the code is kept somewhere you control and that you hold the accounts for hosting and the domain.
Ask a lawyer
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For anything valuable, have a lawyer read the agreement before you sign.