Whether you’re hiring someone or offering yourself for work, you need to know how to get a UK service contract that fits your needs. Find out how to arrange these documents without running into scope, work style, or other common contract problems.
Get the Right Agreement
You need a contract that reflects your goals as a service provider or hirer. Without this, you and the other party will never be on the same page. You can easily source these contracts online via document template websites, meaning you won’t spend hours putting them together.
Make sure you pick the type that fits your situation. The four most common service agreements include:
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- Fixed-term contracts, which have precise end dates and mainly cover short-term work.
- Ongoing contracts, which promise continuous services throughout long-term projects.
- Retainer contracts, where clients pay for near-instant access to services as necessary.
- One-time contracts, which usually relate to a single project, such as creating a website.
The wrong contract may leave you without a service provider’s help when you need it or deprive you of a long-term client. However, every agreement type still hits the same points. Here are the main requirements for any service contract:
- Details of all contracting parties
- An explanation of the work’s scope
- An outline of the provider’s obligations
- Payment methods and terms
- Terms for ending the contract
Watch For Scope Creep
While every contract should outline the work’s scope, this can easily change without either party noticing. For example, they might ask you to take on ad hoc duties — even if this comes with fair compensation, it means more responsibilities for you.
“Scope creep” can lead to burnout and mean less time to focus on more lucrative work from the same or another client. For example, if you’re a web designer, the client might ask you to add an extra feature or two at the last minute.
The service contract must clearly state the work you or the provider will undertake. If you or the client wants to add an extra duty, even a minor one, consider updating the contract to include it.
Alternatively, you can add a clause stipulating an hourly or otherwise fixed fee for miscellaneous duties that the contract doesn’t already specify. Ultimately, the service provider should never be doing unpaid busy work.
Discuss Expectations
Clear terms and a comprehensive scope aren’t enough to avoid every misunderstanding. You’ll also need to be on the same page regarding general expectations.
For example, your client may want you to be available during their regular working hours. If you cannot commit to this, the relationship could fracture quickly. Here are some other areas where a client (or the provider themselves) must communicate their expectations:
- Overall project timeline and ideal milestones
- Who approves the service provider’s work
- How many revisions are in the initial price
- When the client is able to provide feedback
- How to handle delays or even cancellations
If you know (and accommodate) what the other party expects, you can enjoy a thriving business relationship that lasts long term.
Address Revisions and Change Orders
As mentioned above, revisions are another common topic of negotiation. After all, the time you or a service provider spend changing one project is time that can’t go towards another.
This could be due to the provider misinterpreting the brief or making a mistake. It might even be down to the client giving confusing instructions. Regardless, many contracts allow for one or two “rounds” of free revisions before adding extra charges.
This arrangement gives clients space to ask for minor changes without breaking the bank — but it also lets providers profit if the requests grow beyond this.
Alternatively, some changes will warrant extra compensation regardless. For example, if a client simply changes their mind, giving the provider extra unpaid work wouldn’t be fair. Your contract should stipulate which types of change requests will incur extra fees.
Practice Open Communication
Business relationships only work out if you communicate well. This lets you communicate issues with the work, clear up any misunderstandings, or simply ask questions. For example, if a work brief is unclear, it’s best to ask about it before making a costly, time-consuming mistake.
Find the right platform for you and the other party, be it email, phone, or even an app like Slack, whichever makes it easier to stay in touch. You might also set up monthly or weekly check-ins to give or receive updates on the work.
You should also be honest about any delays or setbacks. Your client needs to know about these right away, especially if they might have other jobs coming up.
Final Thoughts
Communicating updates and expectations is always incredibly helpful — but this is only possible with a good service contract. Make sure the agreement is airtight and legally binding, though the right document template site should take care of this for you.