27
Jun 2014
New Rules for Selling to People
For businesses that sell to consumers or members of the general public, June has seen the biggest overhaul of the law surrounding contracts with consumers in recent years.
Brand new Consumer Contract Regulations have been introduced and they apply to virtually all businesses which trade with the public – whether from shop premises, in the customer’s homes or at a distance (by phone or the internet).
These new regulations have replaced the Distance Selling and Doorstep Selling Regulations with tougher rules. The legislation is quite complex and contains many pitfalls for the unwary.
The requirements that businesses must meet to ensure that their contracts with consumers are valid and enforceable have been tightened up considerably. There are plenty of new rules on the information which must be provided to customers, when you must provide it and the level of detail the information must contain.
In addition to the rules on information, there are also new provisions for delivery times and refunds for returns or cancellations which businesses must make sure they are following in all their contracts.
All businesses which deal with consumers who have not had their terms and conditions drafted within the last six months are strongly advised to have their terms and conditions reviewed to make sure they are hitting all the necessary requirements.
As the regulations are complex and not very clear, this can be difficult and time consuming for businesses who try to manage by themselves.
Our commercial contracts team have already had experience in drafting terms which meet these regulations for a variety of clients in a range of different industries from online companies selling gifts, to businesses providing made to measure goods and services through to workmen who visit their customers in their homes.
Taking a commercial and practical approach to terms and conditions, the Chadwick Lawrence contracts team is always on hand to look at your existing terms and discuss with you the best way of making sure your business meets the new requirements.
In addition to preparing new sets of terms or amending your existing documents, our contracts team will also provide you with information and advice on incorporating your terms and making the best use of your documents, together with ensuring your order forms are legally compliant too – all for a fixed-fee price.
So if you sell or provide services to the public, get in touch with our contracts team today!
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