Many small business owners think they own their website because they paid for it. That is not always true. Ownership depends on accounts, code, content, domain control, hosting, and the agreement with the provider.
Own The Domain
The domain is the most important asset. The business should know where the domain is registered and who can access it. Losing control of a domain can create serious problems because every customer-facing link depends on it.
Understand Hosting
Hosting should be clear too. The owner should know where the website is deployed, who pays for hosting, and what happens if the maintenance agreement ends. A managed setup is fine, but it should not be mysterious.
Know Where Leads Go
Lead data matters. Contact forms, quote requests, booking records, analytics, and CRM entries should be accessible or exportable. If a provider controls every lead record, the business is taking unnecessary risk.
Ask About The Code
The source code question depends on the project. Some platforms do not provide code in a traditional way. Custom builds can. Either way, the owner should know what is portable, what is not, and what handoff looks like.