Question 1

Do these contracts follow English or Scottish law?

Accepted Answer

These contracts primarily follow the law of England and Wales. Scotland has a separate legal system with some important differences — for example, Scots law does not recognise the equitable doctrine of breach of confidence in the same way, and Scotland uses Private Residential Tenancies instead of ASTs. Key Scottish divergences are noted throughout.

Question 2

Are these contracts legally binding?

Accepted Answer

Yes, subject to the requirements of English contract law: offer, acceptance, consideration (or execution as a deed), intention to create legal relations, and certainty of terms. Our templates are designed to satisfy these requirements, but we recommend legal review for high-value or complex arrangements.

Question 3

How do you handle IR35 for freelance and contractor agreements?

Accepted Answer

Our freelance and contractor templates include IR35-aware provisions: right to substitute, no mutuality of obligation, and control clauses that establish genuine self-employment. Since April 2021, medium and large private sector clients must determine IR35 status — our templates include the Status Determination Statement framework. We also reference the HMRC CEST tool.

Question 4

What deposit protection rules apply to tenancy agreements?

Accepted Answer

Under the Housing Act 2004 (ss.213-215), all AST deposits must be protected in a government-authorised scheme (DPS, MyDeposits, or TDS) within 30 days. Prescribed information must be given to the tenant. Failure means the landlord cannot serve a valid Section 21 notice and faces penalties of 1-3x the deposit. Our tenancy templates address all deposit protection requirements.

Question 5

Can I use electronic signatures on these contracts?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally valid in England and Wales under the Electronic Communications Act 2000, as confirmed by the Law Commission in September 2019. All our contracts include an e-signature validity clause. The main exception is deeds for land transactions, which require witnessed signatures.

Question 6

Are non-compete clauses enforceable in the UK?

Accepted Answer

Non-compete clauses are enforceable as restrictive covenants if they protect a legitimate business interest (trade secrets, customer connections, workforce stability) and go no further than reasonably necessary (Nordenfelt principle). Typical enforceable duration is 6-12 months. Our templates include the correct legal framework, severability clause (per Tillman v Egon Zehnder 2019), and garden leave provisions.

Question 7

What's included in the employment contract?

Accepted Answer

Everything required by s.1 Employment Rights Act 1996: job title, start date, pay, hours, holiday (minimum 28 days FTE), sick pay, pension auto-enrolment, notice periods, probation, and training. Plus Equality Act 2010 compliance, Working Time Regulations provisions, and UK GDPR employee data processing.

Question 8

Do these work for Northern Ireland?

Accepted Answer

Most commercial contract law principles are the same across the UK. However, Northern Ireland has some distinct legislation (e.g., different employment tribunal system, different tenancy law). These templates are primarily drafted for England and Wales — check Northern Ireland-specific provisions for employment and tenancy matters.

UK Contract Templates Built on Real English Law

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