Contracts Articles

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

Can You Extend a Probation Period in the UK? Rules and Risks for Employers

Can You Extend a Probation Period in the UK? Rules and Risks for Employers

Probation periods can be a really useful way to bring someone into your business while you both work out whether the role is the right fit. But in real life, performance and...

5 April 2026
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Restocking Fees In The UK: What Businesses Can And Can’t Charge Under Consumer Law

Restocking Fees In The UK: What Businesses Can And Can’t Charge Under Consumer Law

If you sell products in the UK (especially online), you’ve probably dealt with returns that cost you real money - payment processing fees, admin time, re-packaging, damaged boxes, and sometimes stock you...

5 April 2026
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No Refund Policies: What UK Businesses Can (And Can’t) Enforce Under Consumer Law

No Refund Policies: What UK Businesses Can (And Can’t) Enforce Under Consumer Law

If you run a small business, refunds can be one of the quickest ways to lose time, money, and customer goodwill - especially when you feel the customer is being unreasonable. So...

5 April 2026
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Service Level Agreement Between Two Companies: What to Include and How to Draft One

Service Level Agreement Between Two Companies: What to Include and How to Draft One

If you’re a small business that relies on another company to deliver something important (IT support, logistics, SaaS hosting, customer service, manufacturing, marketing - you name it), you’ll know how quickly things...

5 April 2026
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Appendix vs Addendum: Differences in UK Business Contracts

Appendix vs Addendum: Differences in UK Business Contracts

If you’ve ever been mid-way through finalising a contract and someone says, “Let’s just put it in the appendix” (or “we’ll add it as an addendum”), it can feel like they’re using...

5 April 2026
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UK Probation Period Rules for Employers

UK Probation Period Rules for Employers

Hiring someone new is exciting - but it can also feel like a big risk, especially when you’re running a small business and every hire has a real impact on your time,...

4 April 2026
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UK Directors’ Conflicts of Interest: What You Must Disclose and Manage

UK Directors’ Conflicts of Interest: What You Must Disclose and Manage

If you run a small company, it’s completely normal to wear multiple hats. You might be a director, a shareholder, a supplier, and the person who “knows a guy” for everything from...

4 April 2026
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Assignment vs Transfer of a Commercial Lease: What’s the Difference?

Assignment vs Transfer of a Commercial Lease: What’s the Difference?

If you’re running a small business, your premises can be one of your biggest ongoing commitments. So when your business needs change (maybe you’re moving location, scaling down, or selling the business),...

4 April 2026
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Opt Out Agreements In The UK: When You Need One & Key Terms

Opt Out Agreements In The UK: When You Need One & Key Terms

If you run a small business, there’s a good chance you’ve come across the phrase “opt out agreement” when hiring staff, scaling up hours during busy periods, or tightening up your HR...

4 April 2026
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How To Protect Commercially Confidential Information In Contracts

How To Protect Commercially Confidential Information In Contracts

If you run a small business, chances are you’re sharing sensitive information more often than you realise. It might be a pricing model sent to a supplier, a customer list shared with...

4 April 2026
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Free Legal Documents UK Small Businesses Can Use (And What to Avoid)

Free Legal Documents UK Small Businesses Can Use (And What to Avoid)

If you’re running a small business, it’s completely normal to look for free legal documents before you spend money on a lawyer. When you’re watching cashflow, “free” can feel like the sensible...

4 April 2026
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Free Business Partnership Agreement Template (UK): Key Clauses & Common Pitfalls

Free Business Partnership Agreement Template (UK): Key Clauses & Common Pitfalls

If you’re going into business with someone else, it’s easy to assume you’re “on the same page” because you trust each other (especially if it’s a friend, spouse, or long-time colleague). But...

4 April 2026
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What Happens If A Shareholder Dies Without A Will In The UK?

What Happens If A Shareholder Dies Without A Will In The UK?

If you run a small company, you’ve probably thought about “what if” scenarios like losing a key client, a co-founder leaving, or funding drying up. But one scenario that can quietly cause...

4 April 2026
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Title Deed vs Agreement: Key Differences for UK Businesses

Title Deed vs Agreement: Key Differences for UK Businesses

If you run a small business, it’s only a matter of time before someone asks you to “sign an agreement” or “sign a deed”. At first glance, they can look pretty similar:...

4 April 2026
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Business Agreement Template: What To Include And When To Use It

Business Agreement Template: What To Include And When To Use It

If you’re running a small business, it’s only a matter of time before someone asks you to “just send over an agreement”. Maybe it’s a new client. A supplier. A freelancer you...

4 April 2026
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Force Majeure Clause Example (UK): What To Include And When It Applies

Force Majeure Clause Example (UK): What To Include And When It Applies

If you run a small business, you’ve probably signed (or sent) contracts that assume everything will go to plan: suppliers deliver on time, venues stay open, staff can travel, and customers pay...

4 April 2026
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Joint Venture Agreements In The UK: Key Terms And Common Pitfalls

Joint Venture Agreements In The UK: Key Terms And Common Pitfalls

Teaming up with another business can be a smart way to grow faster, enter a new market, or bring a new product to life without doing everything alone. But if you’re searching...

3 April 2026
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Terms Of Business Template: What To Include And How To Use It In The UK

Terms Of Business Template: What To Include And How To Use It In The UK

If you’re running a small business, you’re probably making agreements every day - quoting for work, onboarding new clients, taking orders, booking projects, and chasing invoices. The tricky part is that many...

3 April 2026
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Joint Data Controllers Under UK GDPR: What Businesses Need to Know

Joint Data Controllers Under UK GDPR: What Businesses Need to Know

If your business shares customer, user or employee data with another organisation, you might assume one of you is the “data controller” and the other is just a “service provider”. In reality,...

3 April 2026
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Contract Drafting in the UK: Practical Tips for Startups and SMEs

Contract Drafting in the UK: Practical Tips for Startups and SMEs

When you’re running a small business or scaling a startup, your time is usually split between winning customers, delivering work, hiring, and keeping cash flow steady. Contracts can feel like “admin” compared...

3 April 2026
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Buying a Restaurant in the UK: Legal Checklist for Owners

Buying a Restaurant in the UK: Legal Checklist for Owners

Buying a restaurant can be an exciting shortcut into the hospitality industry. You’re not starting from scratch - you’re taking over a venue that (hopefully) already has a customer base, a team,...

3 April 2026
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What Is A Contractor In The UK? Business Hiring Guide

What Is A Contractor In The UK? Business Hiring Guide

If you’re building a small business, hiring contractors can feel like the perfect middle ground: you get specialist skills, flexible support, and you don’t need to commit to a long-term hire. But...

3 April 2026
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Offering Credit to Customers: Legal Risks and Terms in the UK

Offering Credit to Customers: Legal Risks and Terms in the UK

Offering credit to customers can be a great way to win work, improve customer loyalty and smooth out sales - especially if you’re in B2B services, trade, wholesale or higher-value retail. But...

3 April 2026
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IP Contracts: Key Clauses UK Businesses Need To Protect IP

IP Contracts: Key Clauses UK Businesses Need To Protect IP

If you’re building a business, your intellectual property (IP) is often the thing that makes you different - your brand, your designs, your content, your software, your processes, and the “know-how” that...

3 April 2026
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