Any legal eagle beagles?

Jase · #1 05-02-2010, 08:02 PM

We won our first official 12 month office contract a few weeks back and have to provide the contract documents to the customer to sign etc.

We have been quoted £400 to get a contract drawn up which is ludicrous as 99.9% of the contract is totally standard so we bought a standard cleaning contract template off the net.

We then made some changes to make it specific to this contract but would anyone mind casting their eye over it and letting me know if it is suitable and what points the clients legal team/purchasing bods are likely to object?

The changes we made are adding 4.4 and 4.5, changing the wording of 4.6 as we are not VAT registered and adding ceases trading to 10.2.a as we are not a limited company and may not go bankrupt but could at some point stop trading due to the the business not being viable plus then, of course, changed all the dates, contacts, specifics etc.

Have to post as a link as the upload wont let me load anything bigger than 19.5kb.

http://www.cleaning-team.co.uk/contract_clean.pdf

Thanks

Jase

#2 05-02-2010, 08:12 PM

I think you need to be careful with 4.6, if you do become VAT registered during the course of the contract this could cause you issues.

I think I would be inclined to change it to:

4.6 All charges quoted will be liable to VAT when appropriate.

#3 05-02-2010, 08:15 PM

Aside from that it looks absolutely fine.

seanstevens · #4 05-02-2010, 08:17 PM

I'm not a legal person: but....

In the contracts that are sent out from the company I work for in the day job the following line is used in all quotes and contracts whether we will be charging VAT or not (just in case anything changes mid-contract) (in relation to 4.6):

All prices quoted are less VAT, VAT will be added where applicable as per UK law.

RandomTemplate · #5 05-02-2010, 08:19 PM

I know this isn't a website review but I noticed something on you site I wanted to point out. Not sure how many pages its on but under regular cleaning at the very bottom

"Remember: with every every cleaning your bed linens and curtains are freshened with lavender scented linen spray and each room is left smelling outdoor fresh."

put in bold the mistake.

I know its not a review again but its very clean & nice. Any chance you want to expand to newtyle?

Jase · #6 05-02-2010, 08:32 PM

Thanks IP and Sean - its hard to know how to word it so I am covered but also so the customer wont take exception! Will go with Seans version and see how it flies.

Jase · #7 05-02-2010, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandomTemplate

I know this isn't a website review but I noticed something on you site I wanted to point out. Not sure how many pages its on but under regular cleaning at the very bottom

"Remember: with every every cleaning your bed linens and curtains are freshened with lavender scented linen spray and each room is left smelling outdoor fresh."

put in bold the mistake.

I know its not a review again but its very clean & nice. Any chance you want to expand to newtyle?

Just noticed that - changed it! Thanks

#8 05-02-2010, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jase

Thanks IP and Sean - its hard to know how to word it so I am covered but also so the customer wont take exception! Will go with Seans version and see how it flies.

I would agree Sean's is probably better worded than my 'off the hoc' example.

The thing is Jase by the time you are this far down the track, the customer is not likely to take exception, but if they have a legal department (not too many companies do) they will try to argue wording. So as long as yours is as good as it can be...put it too your advantage unless asked to change it.

Jase · #9 05-02-2010, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IP

I would agree Sean's is probably better worded than my 'off the hoc' example.

The thing is Jase by the time you are this far down the track, the customer is not likely to take exception, but if they have a legal department (not too many companies do) they will try to argue wording. So as long as yours is as good as it can be...put it too your advantage unless asked to change it.

They are an £800 million worldwide company with 5000 employees so they definately will have a legal department - either way this is what we are going with and if they want to negotiate on that then Im sure I can find something to counter negotiate with

seanstevens · #10 05-02-2010, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jase

They are an £800 million worldwide company with 5000 employees

Sounds like a nice contract you have won - congrats.

If they come back and counter with any legal jargon give me a shout. I make no promises, but I can have a chat with one of our legal team and see if they will do me a favor and review.

Any legal eagle beagles?

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