MAKE YOUR FREE Terms and Conditions
What we'll cover
What are Terms and Conditions?
General Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) set out the arrangements, provisions, requirements, rules and specifications that apply to every transaction that a seller makes. Whether goods and services are sold on a standard basis or to specification, standard Terms and Conditions (for the sale of goods or the supply of services) are a core part of most businesses.
These T&Cs are GDPR compliant.
When should I use Terms and Conditions?
Use these Terms and Conditions if you:
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sell goods to consumers (ie private individuals) on your business premises
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sell goods to consumers via a website
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provide services to consumers on your business premises
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provide services to consumers via a website
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sell goods to business customers on your business premises, or
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provide services to business customers on your business premises
Sample Terms and Conditions
The terms in your document will update based on the information you provide
About Terms and Conditions
Learn more about making your Terms and Conditions
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How to make Terms and Conditions
Making Terms and Conditions online is simple. Just answer a few questions and Rocket Lawyer will build your document for you. When you have all of the details prepared in advance, making your document is a quick and easy process.
What information you need to make your Terms and Conditions will depend on the document in question. However, the types of questions you may be asked include:
Business details
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Your business’ details (eg legal structure, name, address, website address and contact details).
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Does your business follow any codes of conduct (ie formalised sets of principles)?
Information about the goods you’re selling or services you’re providing
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Does your business supply goods which may not be suitable for return (eg goods sealed for sanitary purposes)?
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If you make quotations, how long are they valid for?
Supply of goods or services
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When must the payment for the goods or services be made?
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Does your business provide any after-sales services?
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Common terms in Terms and Conditions
Terms and Conditions are used to set out standard terms applicable to the sale of goods or the supply of services. While the terms of Terms and Conditions differ, depending on the document in question, examples of common provisions include:
Goods or services
Goods are the items that the business is selling to the customer while services are the activities the business is performing for the customer (eg web-design, consulting, or cleaning). Depending on the T&Cs in question, this section will set out provisions around what goods or services are available.
Basis of sale
This section sets out how and when the contract of sale is formed between the business and the customer. This section explains at what point of the purchasing process an order is confirmed.
Price and payment
This section explains what payment is required and how this can be made.
Cancellation
This section outlines the customer’s cancellation rights, including when and how a purchase can be cancelled and what the consequences of a cancellation are (eg the goods must be returned and the seller must provide a refund). They also explain when cancellation rights do not apply.
Law and jurisdiction
This section explains which country’s laws govern the T&Cs and which legal system must be used to resolve any disputes. This is necessary as the legal systems of England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland differ.
If you want your Terms and Conditions to include further or more detailed provisions, you can edit your document. However, if you do this, you may want a lawyer to review or change the T&Cs for you, to make sure they comply with all relevant laws and meet your specific needs. Ask a lawyer for assistance.
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Legal tips for making Terms and Conditions
Understand when you need different Terms and Conditions
Which Terms and Conditions document you need depends on who you are contracting with and where you are contracting. If you are dealing with a business-to-consumer relationship, you need T&Cs governing the business-consumer relationship. If you are dealing with another business (ie you are dealing ‘business-to-business’ or ‘B2B’), you need T&Cs governing the business-business relationship. Similarly, you need different T&Cs depending on whether you are trading on your business premises or online.
If you sell to different types of customers and/or trade through different mediums, you will likely need multiple Terms and Conditions documents which each apply to a different situation.
For more information, read How to choose the right terms and conditions.
Make sure you incorporate your Terms and Conditions properly
Make sure you make your T&Cs clear and obvious to your customers. You should also make sure the process by which consumers agree to your Terms and Conditions is adequate to constitute their acceptance of the terms. Without doing this, your terms may not be incorporated into (ie legally made a part of) your contract for the sale of goods or supply of services and, as a result, you may not be able to enforce them if a dispute arises.
For more information, read Terms and conditions.
Understand when to seek advice from a lawyer
Ask a lawyer if you are:
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not sure which Terms and Conditions to use
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selling goods or services off-premises (eg doorstep sales)
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selling goods or services at a distance but not online (eg telesales)
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selling digital content
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Terms and Conditions FAQs
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Why should I use Terms and Conditions?
The specific or unique aspects of a sale of goods or supply of services (eg any unique specifications, quantities and delivery dates) are set out in separate orders. Make sure that you protect your business interests with professionally prepared T&Cs, which supplement these individual orders.
Standard Terms and Conditions help make everyone aware of their rights and obligations from the outset and allow the parties to focus their energy on agreeing on the specifics of a particular order. When it comes to consumers, there is a considerable amount of legislation aimed at protecting consumers, which any business-to-consumer (B2C) transaction must consider.
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What should be included in standard Terms and Conditions?
Standard Terms and Conditions templates usually cover:
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policies on refunds and returns
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payment terms of the transaction
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what happens if a customer receives damaged/ defective goods or services
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liability
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delivery policies
For more information on using T&Cs, read Terms and conditions.
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How do I choose the right Terms and Conditions?
Choosing the right Terms and Conditions template will depend on who your customers are, what you are selling and how you are selling (ie online or via a website). When using standard Terms and Conditions, it's particularly important to make sure you know who you are dealing with and whether they are purchasing for a business or as a consumer. When you are dealing with consumers, your Terms and Conditions will be more restricted as a result of consumer legislation, such as the Consumer Rights Act 2015. For more information, read Doing business with consumers.
The types of T&Cs you can make for your business include T&Cs for:
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selling goods to a business - these cover issues such as orders, delivery, pricing, payment, risk, warranties, defects, liability and confidentiality
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selling goods to a consumer online - these cover issues such as orders, delivery, pricing, payment, guarantees, cancellation, liability, data privacy and security
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selling goods to a consumer on business premises - these cover issues such as orders, delivery, pricing, payment, guarantees, cancellation, liability and data protection
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selling services to a business - these cover issues such as timing and termination of supply, orders, specifications, obligations, pricing, payment, intellectual property, confidentiality, warranties, liability and termination
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selling services to a consumer online - these also include information on cancellation rights
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selling services to a consumer on business premises - these cover issues such as timing, termination, orders, supply, customer responsibilities, pricing, payment, guarantees, liability, cancellation, termination and data protection
For more information, read How to choose the right terms and conditions.
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