Calling all web designers - advice needed

[bobbityboo]

Can I ask all the web designers here what the protocol is when you want to show a site that you have designed and the client has moved on to a different designer/new website?
I have just found that my previous web designer has put my old site up as an example of her work and it comes up on the same page as my current site but with old products and prices and contact page. It is a live site that can be navigated as opposed to a set of jpegs of the design.

Can you advise as to the best way to amicably deal with this - she is a friend and I don't want to be difficult, but at the same time cannot afford to have this site up?

Thanks

Not sure what you mean by "comes up on the same page as the current site". Do you mean your current site is at www.bobbityboo.com and it comes up at www.bobbityboo.com/old or something? If so, you control what happens on your domain so just delete the old files.

Or does it come up at www.dodgywebdesigner.com/bobbity? This should not have happened with your live site at any stage, even if the information is up to date, because it will leach traffic away from your site and Google will punish your ranking for duplicate content. Ask her firmly to remove the site. Assuming there is nothing in your agreement to the contrary, an image of pages she designed on your site, and/or a link to your live site (if it is still showing her design) is OK.

What mranchovy said. Ask her to take it down and only use screen shots.

Thank you for the answers. It is the second example where it's on her site. If I can't contact her (she is often away for weeks) should I tell Google about it?
Thanks again.

Updated to say I think it's sorted and she will keep the site live but has agreed to take out all references to my name and business name. Does that sound like a workable option?

I wouldn't be happy about it bobbity, if there are still clickable links on it. Is she using it to show coding prowess or something rather than design? Because if it's just to show the design, she really should use screen shots if you are no longer using it as a live site.

Or it should be noted all over the site that it is for portfolio only and not a live site.

She said she needs it to work - presumably so potential clients can navigate around and get a feel for her work. She has quite a few other sites in her portfolio. Do you think that if she changes the business name (which contains my name) it will still somehow be connected with me?

It depends, where do the links go? Are they just within the now dead website? Has she removed all ways to contact you?

I know if I was you I wouldn't be happy about a site that I am no longer using being live on the web. And, as a web designer, I understand what she is trying to do, but, honestly, having a site that is no longer active is not the best idea any way! I would imagine potential clients would ask why you changed designs/designers etc!

Did you have a portfolio clause in your contract? All of my contracts say (not verbatim) 'Nameofmycompany has the right to use any and all images/live sites/etc for portfolio material. Nameofyourcompany owns the copyright'.

Thanks again. It wasn't that formal an arrangement. I will know for future contracts. I have copyright of all the photos on the site so I suppose I could mention that but I am hoping that we can resolve it amicably.

I will put it to her that it's not the best advert for her services.