Legal and Commercial Agreement Templates
This range of professionally drafted legal and commercial contracts spans a broad range of both specific and general applications.
Available in a widely-compatible Microsoft Word format, these commercial contract templates are designed to be simple to use and flexible. Covering a range of applications, these documents sit alongside simple and effective documents designed for the management of contracts.
All of the documents in this group, whether the contracts themselves or supporting documents for managing contracts, have been designed with a diverse range of businesses in mind and can be easily tailored to a variety of contexts.
Please click on the links below to view details of the available documents.
Legal and Commercial Agreement Templates is part of Business . Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Business for 1 year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a written contract, or is a verbal business deal enough? +
In England and Wales most business contracts are valid without being written down, but a written contract is strongly advisable because it proves what was agreed and fixes price, scope and payment terms. A few types must be in writing to be enforceable, notably guarantees and contracts for the sale of land. This group gives you written commercial contract templates and the documents to manage them.
Can I limit my company's liability under a commercial contract? +
Yes, within limits. Between businesses you can cap or exclude some liability, but under the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 many exclusions stand only if they are reasonable, and you can never exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence. A clause found unreasonable can be struck out completely, leaving you fully exposed. The standard clauses and contracts in this group are drafted with these limits in view.
A business customer keeps paying late. What can I charge them? +
Where the customer is another business you have a statutory right to charge interest at 8% above the Bank of England base rate on overdue commercial invoices, plus fixed compensation of £40, £70 or £100 depending on the size of the debt, and reasonable recovery costs, even if the contract says nothing. Your contract can set its own payment terms instead. The templates here let you fix clear payment terms up front.
Do I need a new contract, or a document to change or end the one I have? +
It depends where you are in the relationship. To set up a new arrangement you need the relevant commercial contract or framework agreement. To change an existing contract you generally need a deed of variation or a signed variation supported by fresh consideration, and to end one you need a termination letter or agreement that fits the contract's own terms. This group separates the contract templates from the contract-management documents so you pick the right stage.
When does a template contract actually become legally binding? +
A simple contract is binding when there is an offer, acceptance, an intention to create legal relations and consideration, meaning something of value each way, which signing a commercial agreement normally provides. A deed, such as a power of attorney or a guarantee given for no consideration, must instead be signed, witnessed and delivered as a deed. Check whether your document is a simple contract or a deed before you sign.
