Previous Webmaster says "Take off my Flash Intro!"

I just redid a website for a client whose previous web guy did a very, very poor job designing. Poor job in that he used framesets galore and though the site has been up for quite sometime, has been buried in Google all the while. Ok, so here I come to save the day so to speak, and reprogram the site from the ground up. I left the aesthetic layout (graphics) but just worked on the html. You know what I mean I am sure. Ok, so the site has a flash introduction which about 50 - 50 say it is nice, others say can it. Today I get an email from the previous web guy (I can't really call him a "master") telling me to remove the flash intro. I replied that the flash intro is part of the site, for which my client has paid for (unfortunately twice now) and it belongs to her. Mind you I have not put my name anywhere on the flash page, but have put my name all over the rest of the site - appropriately I might add. So you tell me, should it stay or go...
http://www.harborhouseinn.com Thanks so much!

I think that's the bottom line. If she paid for it, she has the right to use it even though she hired someone else to redesign other aspects of the site. So, it's really her decision I'd say.

OK, I was curious... so I had to go see it and now I'm just laughing. What is Harbor House Inn's marketing strategy? The flash intro is amusing but doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the site. It's almost ridiculous. "Our House?" Why not Vanessa Carlton "White Houses", Stevie Ray Vaughn's "House is a rockin", Kiss's "Firehouse", Talking Heads "Burning Down the House", The Animals "House of the Rising Sun", or S-Club 7 "Bring the House Down."

Wait... I've got one... The Commodores "Brick House". THAT would be awesome! Seriously, it's so catchy you almost can't lose... (My husband is a DJ and people LOVE that song.) Another great one is John Cougar Mellencamp "Pink Houses."

And there are more...
Obviously the business's personality has to be considered.
Of course copyright issues abound. But I say, there are so many other options out there, you could easily create a new (better) Flash intro. Go for it! Make it a tiny bit shorter than the other one. (It was a little long.)

Caribbean style songs also abound. (Since we're in Santa Barbara we're thinking blue water, white sand... margaritas...) Check out music in the style of "caribbean steel drums". That's what my hubby and I picture for the Harbor House Inn. Along those lines, try the steel drum version of "Shake Shake Shake Sonora."

Good luck!

What does the contract say? It sounds like the client owns the flash intro outright. Only if there was a clause in the contract that stated she must not use the flash intro is she changes webmasters is in there - I say the flash is the client's

You know, I didn't check it out but if that's true then you better remove it unless you have a license for that song.