Trade & Professional T&Cs UK: What to Include

Overview

Terms and conditions for trades and professional services are the written rules that govern the relationship between you and your customer. They describe what you have agreed to do, what the customer agreed to pay, and what happens if either side changes their mind or something goes wrong.

For tradespeople, the document usually sits alongside a quote or estimate and is treated as part of the contract once the customer accepts the work. Good terms deal with the scope of the job, how and when you get paid, what counts as a variation, how long guarantees last, and how disputes are handled.

Where you are selling to consumers rather than businesses, your terms also need to reflect the statutory rights customers have under UK consumer law, including rules on off-premises contracts, cancellation and information requirements. The aim is not to dress your business up in legal language, it is to make expectations clear so both sides know where they stand before work begins.

Key steps

1. Set out exactly what you are doing. A clear scope of work is the single most useful clause in any trade contract. Describe the job, the materials included, what is excluded, and any assumptions you have made about site conditions or access. Vague scope is the root of most disputes, so it is worth spending time getting this section right for every quote.
2. Be clear on price, payment and variations. State the total price or how it will be calculated, when payment is due, and how you handle deposits, stage payments and final invoices. Explain what happens if the customer asks for extra work or the job changes on site. A written variations clause stops arguments about whether added work was included in the original price.
3. Cover cancellation and consumer rights. If your customer is a consumer and the contract was agreed at their home or away from your business premises, they usually have a statutory right to cancel within a set period. Your terms should explain this right, how to exercise it, and what happens if work has already started with the customer's agreement during the cancellation window.
4. Deal with delays, access and customer duties. Set out what you need from the customer to get on with the job, such as access to the property, utilities, parking or sign-off at key stages. Explain how delays caused by the customer or by events outside your control are handled, and whether they affect the price or timescale.
5. Explain guarantees, liability and dispute resolution. Be honest about what your workmanship guarantee covers and for how long, and flag any manufacturer warranties on materials. Include a sensible limitation of liability that reflects the value of the work, and set out how complaints should be raised and escalated. A clear process often resolves issues before they become formal disputes.

Common questions