Contracts Articles

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

Legal Writing Services In The UK: What They Are And When To Use Them

Legal Writing Services In The UK: What They Are And When To Use Them

If you’re running a small business, you’ll probably write legal documents more often than you expect. It might start with a quick quote email to a customer, a basic agreement with a...

6 March 2026
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Pre-Emption Agreements in the UK: When You Need One and Key Clauses

Pre-Emption Agreements in the UK: When You Need One and Key Clauses

If you run a UK company with more than one shareholder, sooner or later you’ll face a tricky question: what happens if someone wants to sell their shares, or the company needs...

5 March 2026
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UK Partnership Types: Which Business Structure Is Right?

UK Partnership Types: Which Business Structure Is Right?

If you’re building a business with someone else, a partnership can feel like the most natural way to do it. You’re sharing the workload, splitting the costs, and combining skills (and hopefully...

5 March 2026
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Loan Security and Collateral: What UK Businesses Need to Know

Loan Security and Collateral: What UK Businesses Need to Know

If you’re taking out business finance, the lender will often ask for security for a loan. That’s completely normal - but it’s also one of those moments where the legal detail really...

5 March 2026
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UK Small Business Legal Checklist: Before You Sign, Hire Or Launch

UK Small Business Legal Checklist: Before You Sign, Hire Or Launch

When you’re running a small business, it’s easy to treat legal admin as something you’ll tidy up later. But most legal problems don’t start with a dramatic dispute - they start with...

5 March 2026
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Becoming A Franchisee In The UK: Legal Checklist

Becoming A Franchisee In The UK: Legal Checklist

Becoming a franchisee can be a smart way to get into business with a proven concept, established branding, and (often) a ready-made customer base. But it’s still your business on the ground....

5 March 2026
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How Long Is a Probation Period in the UK?

How Long Is a Probation Period in the UK?

Hiring your first (or next) team member is exciting - and a little daunting. You want to move quickly, but you also want to protect your business if the role isn’t the...

5 March 2026
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Contract Risk: How UK SMEs Can Identify, Allocate And Reduce It

Contract Risk: How UK SMEs Can Identify, Allocate And Reduce It

Contracts are meant to create certainty. But in real life, they can do the opposite - especially when you’re a growing UK business moving quickly, dealing with new customers, suppliers, contractors or...

5 March 2026
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Employee Share Option Scheme (ESOS) in the UK: A Startup Guide

Employee Share Option Scheme (ESOS) in the UK: A Startup Guide

If you’re building a startup or growing an SME, you’ve probably felt the squeeze: you want to hire and keep great people, but cash needs to stay in the business. That’s where...

5 March 2026
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Share Sale vs Asset Sale: Key Legal Differences In the UK

Share Sale vs Asset Sale: Key Legal Differences In the UK

If you’re selling your business (or buying one), one of the first big legal decisions you’ll run into is whether the deal should be structured as a share sale or an asset...

5 March 2026
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Short-Term vs Long-Term Loans: Legal Considerations for UK Businesses

Short-Term vs Long-Term Loans: Legal Considerations for UK Businesses

If you’re weighing up a short-term loan vs long-term loan for your business, you’re probably focused on the numbers: interest rate, monthly repayments, and how quickly you can access cash. That’s a...

5 March 2026
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Joint Venture (JV) in Business: Definition, Key Terms and Legal Considerations

Joint Venture (JV) in Business: Definition, Key Terms and Legal Considerations

If you’re exploring growth opportunities, it’s completely normal to come across the term “JV” and wonder what it means in practice - and whether it’s actually workable for a small business. A...

4 March 2026
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What Is a Sub-Processor Under UK GDPR?

What Is a Sub-Processor Under UK GDPR?

If you’re a small business, chances are you rely on other companies to help you run day-to-day operations – things like cloud storage, email marketing, payroll, customer support tools, online bookings, or...

4 March 2026
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Data Transfer Agreements: When You Need One And What To Include

Data Transfer Agreements: When You Need One And What To Include

If you run a small business, chances are you’re moving data around more than you realise. Maybe your team uses cloud storage, your marketing platform tracks customers, your accountant processes payroll, or...

4 March 2026
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Contra Proferentem Rule: What It Means For Your Business Contracts

Contra Proferentem Rule: What It Means For Your Business Contracts

If you run a small business, you probably sign (or send out) contracts all the time - customer terms, supplier agreements, SaaS subscriptions, consultancy scopes, NDAs, you name it. Most of the...

4 March 2026
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Product Liability In The UK: How To Reduce Legal Risk

Product Liability In The UK: How To Reduce Legal Risk

If you sell physical products in the UK (online, in-store, or even as a side line to your services), product liability is one of those “you don’t think about it until you...

4 March 2026
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Legal Requirements For Starting A Business In The UK: Step-By-Step Guide

Legal Requirements For Starting A Business In The UK: Step-By-Step Guide

Starting a business is exciting - but it can also feel like there’s a “legal maze” you’re supposed to navigate before you can properly get going. The good news is that the...

4 March 2026
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Agency Agreements in the UK: What to Know Before You Sign

Agency Agreements in the UK: What to Know Before You Sign

If you’re growing your business, chances are you’ll reach a point where you can’t do everything yourself. Maybe you want someone to sell your products, negotiate deals, source clients, or act as...

4 March 2026
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Business Partner Agreement: What To Include In A UK Partnership Contract

Business Partner Agreement: What To Include In A UK Partnership Contract

Starting a business with a partner can be exciting. You’re combining skills, sharing the workload, and (hopefully) growing faster together than you could alone. But there’s a reality check most founders learn...

4 March 2026
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UK Subcontractor Agreement Template: Key Clauses & Common Pitfalls

UK Subcontractor Agreement Template: Key Clauses & Common Pitfalls

If you run a small business, subcontractors can be a huge part of how you deliver work (especially if you’re scaling up, handling seasonal demand, or working across multiple sites). But the...

4 March 2026
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Open Market Rent Review Clauses in UK Commercial Leases

Open Market Rent Review Clauses in UK Commercial Leases

If you’re taking on a commercial lease (or renewing one), rent is rarely “set and forget”. Many leases include a rent review clause, and one of the most common types you’ll see...

4 March 2026
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Pret Franchise Costs, Requirements & Legal Considerations In the UK

Pret Franchise Costs, Requirements & Legal Considerations In the UK

If you’ve searched for a pret franchise, you’re not alone. For lots of UK business owners, the idea is simple: you want a recognisable name, a proven product, and systems you can...

4 March 2026
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How Long Can an Unpaid Trial Shift Be in the UK?

How Long Can an Unpaid Trial Shift Be in the UK?

Trial shifts can be a great way to see whether a candidate can actually do the job - especially when you’re hiring for hands-on roles in hospitality, retail, care, trades, or busy...

3 March 2026
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Break Clauses in UK Commercial Contracts: Legal Traps

Break Clauses in UK Commercial Contracts: Legal Traps

When you sign a commercial contract, you’re usually committing to a fixed term - 12 months, 24 months, 5 years, or sometimes even longer. That can be a good thing (certainty is...

3 March 2026
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