Need to know: Terms and Conditions

For any business which sells goods or services, strong Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) are vital.  T&Cs are a contract between a business and a customer and set out how they will browse a website, make purchases or use the service being offered.  This in turn provides a business with legal protection.  It is therefore really important that the T&Cs are tailored to fit a specific business and updated regularly.  It might cost more initially but in the longer term a business could save money if a commercial lawyer drafts the T&Cs.

What should be included in T&Cs?

There are no rules setting out what should be included in T&Cs but they should generally cover the following:

• Define the contract between the business and customer e.g. terms of sale including when payment should be made for the goods/service and any interest due on payments not made by the specified time.
• Set out business procedures e.g. shipping and delivery.
• Intellectual property clause – online businesses are more vulnerable to intellectual property theft but for all businesses a clause protecting intellectual property is important.
• Limit liability for when things don’t go to plan – product losses, damages or failure to provide a service within the specified time frame.
• Space for the customer to sign and acknowledge his agreement/button to click online.

T&Cs should have to be accepted before any online purchase can be made or on the back of every quote, invoice or purchase order.  If a new customer account is being set up a client should sign and return a copy of the T&Cs first.  T&Cs should also be set out in an easy to read and easy to understand format.  Online businesses should have a list of terms and conditions on the website that are clearly visible or agreed to by the click of a button.

At Ravenna, we understand how stressful dealing with construction disputes can be, this is where we come in with our knowledge and expertise to help you find the right solicitor to help alleviate the worry and give you the right advice. Book your free 30-minute consultation with one of our advisors by clicking here. We’ll talk through the options and suggest at least two law firms that we think are a good fit for your business. We aren’t paid any commission and you won’t be under any pressure to work with any law firms we put forward.