Contracts Articles
Expert articles and practical legal guides on contracts for uk businesses.

Kitchen Supplier Goes Bust: Protect Contracts, Deposits And Deadlines
Few things throw a project off course faster than finding out your kitchen supplier has gone bust halfway through a fit-out. If you run a construction business, property development company, hospitality venue,...

What Happens To A Business When The Owner Dies In The UK?
If you run a small business, it’s natural to focus on growth, customers, funding, and keeping the day-to-day moving. But there’s one uncomfortable “what if” that can quickly turn into a very...

Franchise Partnership Agreements: Key Terms, Risks and Structure
Running a franchise can be a great way to grow faster than you could on your own - but it can also get messy quickly if you’re trying to do it with...

UK Crypto Regulation: What Businesses And Startups Need To Know (2023)
If you’re building anything in crypto (or even just accepting crypto as payment), you’ve probably felt the ground shift under your feet in the last few years. That’s because the UK has...

Commercial Units for Rent: UK Legal Checks Before You Sign
Commercial units can raise very different lease, use and fit-out issues depending on the premises. This guide covers the main UK legal checks to work through before you sign.

How To Start A Fragrance Business In The UK: Legal Essentials
Starting a fragrance business can feel like the perfect mix of creativity and commercial opportunity. You get to build a brand, craft a product customers genuinely connect with, and (if you get...

Exit Strategy: Legal Steps For A Business Sale, Merger Or Closure In The UK
Most small business owners spend years thinking about how to build the business - finding customers, hiring the right people, improving margins, and getting your operations running smoothly. But when it comes...

Deed of Variation for a Commercial Lease: Costs and Key UK Considerations
If you’re running a small business from leased premises, chances are your commercial lease will need to change at some point. Maybe you’re renegotiating rent, tweaking your repairing obligations, updating a break...

Private Companies In The UK: Definition, Structure, And Legal Requirements
If you’re starting (or scaling) a business, you’ve probably heard people say “just set up a private company”. But “private companies in the UK” can mean a few different things in practice,...

Terminating a Contract in the UK: How to End Agreements Legally
At some point, most small businesses have to end a commercial relationship. Maybe a supplier keeps missing delivery dates, a customer stops paying, or a contractor simply isn’t the right fit anymore....

What Is Conciliation? Resolving Workplace And Contract Disputes In The UK
Disputes are part of running a business. A contractor doesn’t deliver on time, a client won’t pay, or a workplace issue escalates into a formal grievance. When you’re busy trying to keep...

Heads Of Terms Template (PDF): Key Clauses And Common Pitfalls For UK SMEs
If you’re negotiating a big deal for your business - buying or selling a business, taking on investment, signing a major supplier contract, or agreeing a commercial lease - it’s normal to...

Are Verbal Contracts Legally Binding In Scotland?
You’re running a small business, things move fast, and not every deal happens with a neat PDF attached. Maybe you agreed a price over the phone with a supplier. Maybe a client...

UK Seed Funding Rounds: What Founders Must Know Before Raising Capital
Raising money can feel like a huge milestone - and it is. But seed funding rounds also have a habit of moving fast, with founders juggling pitch decks, investor calls, product timelines,...

Investor Contract Essentials: Key Terms, Pitfalls And How To Protect Your Startup
Raising money is exciting. It can also feel like you’ve suddenly been dropped into a world of term sheets, cap tables, “standard” clauses and documents you’re expected to sign quickly. If you’re...

Do Shares Have To Be Sold On Death? UK Company Owners’ Guide
If you run a UK limited company with one or more shareholders, it’s completely normal to wonder what happens if one of you dies. From a business owner’s perspective, this isn’t just...

Heads Of Terms Template (Word): What To Include And When You Need One
If you’re negotiating a deal for your business (a new supplier, a partnership, a property lease, a business sale, investment, or a big customer contract), you’ll often hit the same question early...

UK Competition Law: Staying Compliant And Avoiding Anti-Competitive Conduct
If you’re running a small business, competition probably feels like a daily reality - winning customers, negotiating with suppliers, and trying to stand out without racing to the bottom on price. But...

Contracting Agreement in the UK: Key Clauses and How to Draft One
If your business uses freelancers, consultants, or contractors (even just occasionally), having a well-drafted contracting agreement in place is one of the simplest ways to protect yourself from cost blow-outs, scope creep,...

Opting Out Of The 48-Hour Work Week In The UK: Employer Implications
If you run a small business, busy periods can arrive fast - a new client lands, a big project hits, or peak season suddenly ramps up. When that happens, you might find...

How To Exit A Commercial Lease Early Without Costly Mistakes
If your business has outgrown its premises (or the premises have outgrown your budget), you might be thinking about ending a commercial lease early. It sounds simple in theory: you move out,...

How To Change Terms And Conditions In Business Contracts Safely
You’ve launched your business, you’ve got customers coming in, and your operations are finally running smoothly. Then reality hits: your pricing needs to change, your delivery model evolves, you’re adding subscriptions, or...

How To Start A Restaurant Business In The UK: Legal Steps
Opening a restaurant is exciting - you’ve got a concept, a menu, and (hopefully) a location you can picture full of customers. But if you’re researching how to start a restaurant business...

Shareholders’ Responsibilities: Duties, Rights And Key Risks
If you run a UK SME or startup, it’s easy to think of shareholders as the “names on the cap table” and directors as the people who actually do the work. In...
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