Site paid but not delivered: your recourses
· by the Agence Web Premium team, Guéliz Marrakech
Direct answer: you have three levers, in this order: the formal written reminder, there formal notice by registered letter, then legal recourse. At the same time, the real urgency is to recover what already exists — access, domain, work produced.
Disclaimer: we are a web agency, not a legal firm. The following reflects our field experience. For a major dispute, consult a lawyer.
Step 1 — Gather All Your Evidence
In short: Quotes, invoices, proof of payment, WhatsApp and email exchanges, screenshots of deadline promises.
It all starts there. Without evidence, no appeal succeeds.
- The quote or signed contract, with the scope and deadline announced.
- Proof of payment: transfer, receipt, check cashed.
- Written exchanges. Export your WhatsApp conversations — it's permissible and often decisive.
- Promises of deadline, even by message.
Create a chronological file. It will be used at each stage.
Step 2 — Send a formal written follow-up
In short: A precise email or message: reminder of the contract, the amount paid, the deadline exceeded, and a firm deadline for responding.
Change register compared to your previous reminders. Be factual, dated and firm:
“Following the quote from [date] for an amount of [amount] MAD, paid on [date], the site was to be delivered on [date]. To date, no deliveries have taken place. I ask you to deliver the site to me or reimburse me within eight days, failing which I will issue a formal notice. »
This formulation unblocks an important part of the situations: the service provider understands that you will not give up.
Step 3 — Formal notice by registered letter
In short: A registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt, to the official address of the service provider. This is the last step before the courts.
The formal notice must include: your contact details, those of the service provider, a reminder of the facts with dates, the amounts paid, the unfulfilled obligation, your specific request, a deadline (generally fifteen days) and explicit mention of legal action failing that.
A lawyer can draw it up for a few hundred dirhams. A letter with lawyer letterhead generally produces more effect.
Keep the acknowledgment of receipt: it is an essential part of the file.
Step 4 — What legal remedies in Morocco?
In short: For modest amounts, the local court is accessible and inexpensive. Beyond that, the commercial court if both parties are professionals.
In Morocco, small disputes fall under the jurisdiction of the local court, with a simplified procedure and reduced fees. For a site billed for a few thousand dirhams, this is the most suitable route.
If both parties are companies, the commercial court has jurisdiction.
Realistic arbitration: for a dispute of 3,000 MAD, the procedure can cost more than the amount involved. Many clients prefer to start from scratch with a reliable service provider.
Step 5 — Collect what already exists
In short: Even without complete delivery, work was often produced. Models, texts, domain name: request them.
What you paid for is yours, even if partially realized. Ask explicitly:
- Graphic models, in their source format.
- The product code, even incomplete.
- The written texts.
- The domain name, if it has been recorded — this is the most urgent point.
- Access to accommodation, if it has been paid for.
Many service providers in difficulty agree to hand over these elements to resolve the dispute amicably.
Step 6 — Leave without losing everything
In short: A new contractor can often take over some of the existing work, reducing the cost of restarting.
If you have recovered models and texts, restarting costs significantly less than a new project: the reflection on the structure and content has already been done.
We regularly take over abandoned projects. Our diagnosis is free: we tell you what is salvageable and what needs to be redone.
This time, demand the right guarantees: model before payment, accounts in your name, code delivered without restriction. See our guarantees.
Your recourses by order of commitment
| Appeal | Cost | Deadline | Observed success rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formal written reminder | 0 MAD | 8 days | often sufficient |
| Formal notice (yourself) | around 50 MAD | 15 days | Good |
| Formal notice (lawyer) | 500 – 1,500 MAD | 15 days | very good |
| Local court | reduced fees | 2 to 6 months | variable |
| Commercial court | several thousand MAD | 6 to 18 months | variable |
| Amicable negotiation | 0 MAD | immediate | to systematically try |
Field observations as of October 4, 2026. This is not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
I paid for a site that was never delivered, what should I do?
Gather your evidence, send a formal written reminder with a firm deadline, then a formal notice by registered mail. At the same time, retrieve the domain and the work already produced.
Are WhatsApp conversations evidence?
Yes, they are generally admissible. Export them and keep them with their dates.
How much does a formal notice cost?
Around 50 MAD if you write it yourself, 500 to 1,500 MAD by a lawyer. Lawyer mail is much more efficient.
Which court for a website dispute in Morocco?
The local court for modest amounts, the commercial court if both parties are professionals.
Is it worth going to court?
For a dispute involving a few thousand dirhams, the procedure may cost more than the sum. Evaluate before committing.
Can I recover the models already made?
Yes, you paid for them. Request them explicitly, along with the product code and domain name.
Can a new service provider take over the project?
Often yes, especially if you collect models and texts. Restarting then costs much less.
How can we prevent this from happening again?
Model before any payment, payment in two installments, written contract, and all accounts in your name.
We resume your abandoned project
Send us what you have: models, access, exchanges. We tell you what is recoverable. Free.
