Suppliers and subcontractors

This section explains what to look out for when negotiating agreements with suppliers, subcontractors, and delivery or storage providers. It includes your rights when complaining to a supplier for problems with you have bought for your business, complaints you can make if you have engaged a subcontractor who has fallen below par, and what to do if your stock is lost or damaged during storage and delivery.

Negotiating terms with suppliers or subcontractors

  1. 1.What do I need to think about before I contract with a supplier or a subcontractor?
  2. 2.How do I carry out basic due diligence checks on a supplier or subcontractor?
  3. 3.How do I recognise a bribery risk in my due diligence checks on a supplier or subcontractor?
  4. 4.What happens if I fail to address corruption or bribery risks in a supplier or subcontractor?
  5. 5.What should I look out for in a supplier's terms and conditions?
  6. 6.What should I look out for in a subcontractor's terms and conditions?
  7. 7.What should I do if the names on a supplier or subcontractor's terms are not what I expected?
  8. 8.What should I look out for about delivery times in a supplier's terms?
  9. 9.What should supplier or subcontractor's terms say about data protection?
  10. 10.What happens if the supplier or subcontractor's contract does not cover everything agreed?
  11. 11.How does Brexit affect imports and exports?
  12. 12.What if I am moving goods to and from Northern Ireland after Brexit?
  13. 13.Should I use a freight forwarder for import/export after Brexit?

Outsourcing storage and delivery

  1. 14.What do I need to think about before I contract with a storage or delivery company?
  2. 15.In summary, what do I need to consider before exporting goods?
  3. 16.What should I look out for in a delivery company's terms and conditions?
  4. 17.Can a delivery company refuse to handle certain categories of goods?
  5. 18.What terms should I look for about a courier's responsibility for goods being delivered?
  6. 19.What should a delivery company's terms say about data protection?
  7. 20.What can I do if goods are delivered to a customer late?
  8. 21.What can I do if goods are lost, broken or damaged in transit?
  9. 22.What key terms should I be aware of when making an agreement with a storage company?
  10. 23.Can a storage company restrict the type of goods I can store with them?
  11. 24.Can a storage company insist that goods are stored at my own risk?
  12. 25.What can I do if goods are lost or damaged while in storage?

Complaining to a supplier

  1. 26.What should I do if I want to return goods to my supplier?
  2. 27.How will I know if goods sent to me by my supplier are damaged or faulty?
  3. 28.What should I do if my supplier sends me goods which are damaged or faulty?
  4. 29.Are there any circumstances when I do not have a right to a refund if I have been supplied with faulty goods?
  5. 30.What should I do if my supplier has sent me goods that were not what I wanted or were not as described?
  6. 31.Am I entitled to a refund from my supplier for goods that are not as described if I have already accepted them?
  7. 32.What should I do if goods sent from my supplier were damaged or lost in transit?
  8. 33.What should I do if my supplier sends me the wrong quantity of goods?
  9. 34.What should I do if my supplier is late sending me goods?

Complaining about service from subcontractors

  1. 35.What should I do if I want to cancel a service and get my money back?
  2. 36.How will I know if a subcontractor's service was not satisfactory?
  3. 37.Can a subcontractor exclude liability for a service that is not satisfactory?
  4. 38.What should I do if a subcontractor's service was not satisfactory?
  5. 39.What should I do if a subcontractor is late in performing their work?

Ending a contract with a supplier or subcontractor

  1. 40.How should I go about ending a contract with my supplier or subcontractor?
  2. 41.How do I end the contract with my supplier or subcontractor if my agreement gives a method?
  3. 42.How do I end the contract with my supplier or subcontractor if the agreement does not say how, or if there is no agreement?
  4. 43.Do I have to agree to end the contract with my supplier or subcontractor in writing?
  5. 44.How do I end a contract with my supplier or subcontractor if they have breached it?
  6. 45.Can I sue a supplier or subcontractor for damages after I have ended the contract due to their breach?
  7. 46.Do I have to agree in writing to end the contract with a supplier or subcontractor for their breach?