New Templates for Supply of Services Under a Retainer Arrangement

By entering into a retainer agreement with a client for supply of services to that client, a supplier can establish an arrangement whereby, in return for a retainer fee, the supplier guarantees to carry out work for the client in each retainer period up to a stated maximum number of hours.

The types of services supplied under a retainer agreement will typically be consultancy, media, IT, creative, marketing, advertising or other business or professional services.

A range of new templates for use when setting up a retainer arrangement with a new or existing client are now available. The four agreement templates on our website cater for different types of fairly commonly encountered retainer structures.

The subfolder includes a very useful Guidance Note about use of retainer agreements. It explains the nature, purpose, and various other key aspects of retainer arrangements, including how they differ from “call off” or “framework” agreements. It also considers factors that suppliers need to take into account when deciding whether to, and how to, set up a retainer arrangement with any of their clients, including possible pricing structures, and the benefits and drawbacks for a supplier or their client of a retainer arrangement.

These new documents will save time and expense for a business if it wishes to produce a contract for provision of services under a retainer arrangement. Use of one of these new templates will also assist suppliers of services to contract on terms which protect their legal position.