Terms and conditions
- Suitable for your business customers or consumers
- Provides key protections when selling goods and services
- Customisable to your business
These terms and conditions (also called Ts & Cs) are a set of terms and conditions that provide for rights and responsibilities between you and your customer when you are selling goods and/or services. These terms and conditions can be used when dealing with business customers or consumers. They are suitable whether you are selling face to face or at a distance (such as through a website).
These terms and conditions will protect your business by setting out terms like price and payment, delivery, orders, responsibility for breaches of the terms, liability and confidentiality.
By using these terms and conditions, you limit your liability to the extent permitted by law, reduce the risk of disputes, and keep your intellectual property and confidential information safe.
You can also purchase these terms and conditions as part of the Starting an online business toolkit.
Q&A
When should I use this document?
You should use these terms and conditions if you sell goods and/or services to other businesses or to consumers. You can use these terms and conditions whether you sell face to face or at a distance (such as through a website).
You should provide these standard terms and conditions to potential customers before they agree to use your goods and/or services. This minimises the risk of disputes in future, because you and your customer have agreed how the goods and/or services will be provided in advance and you should both be aware of your rights and responsibilities.
You should ensure your terms and conditions are easily accessible for your customers. Include them on all documents you provide to a potential client (such as order forms, quotes or catalogues), and on your website.
If you are a freelancer or run a consultancy company, see our Consultancy agreement for a template contract you can use.
What does this document cover?
These terms and conditions set out the terms on which you provide goods and/or services to customers.
Depending on whether you sell goods, services, or both, the document may include terms such as:
- price, delivery and payment terms;
- returns and refunds;
- how the client provides information and resources to you;
- how you will provide the services with due care and skill;
- limits on your liability as allowed by law;
- allocating responsibility for breaches of the agreement; and
- protection of your intellectual property and confidential information.
Why do I need this document?
You need these terms and conditions to:
- tell your customer how you will provide the goods and/or services
- explain pricing, delivery, orders and other sales information;
- protect your business from non-payment or other breaches of the terms and conditions by your customers;
- protect your confidential information and intellectual property; and
- help to run your business efficiently.
By agreeing to terms and conditions, a customer acknowledges that they are aware of their rights and obligations. This helps to prevent disputes in future.
Where can I find out more?
See Terms and conditions of sale for further guidance on how and when to use these Terms and conditions.
If you sell goods and services through a website or app, see Terms and conditions for online sales for guidance.
If you are a consultant or freelancer, see our Consultancy agreement for a template contract suitable for you.
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