Contracts
Understanding UK Contracts Before You Sign
Guides on employment, tenancy and freelance contracts — the clauses that matter and the red flags to watch for.
Free tools
Guides
Employment Contract Red Flags to Check Before You Sign (2026)
The clauses that quietly cost you later — and what "normal" looks like — so you can negotiate before you sign, not regret after.
6 min read
How to Review a Contract Before You Sign (UK Checklist, 2026)
A plain-English, step-by-step checklist for reviewing any UK contract — employment, tenancy or freelance — so you catch the costly clauses before you sign.
7 min read
What to Look For When Reviewing a Freelance Contract (UK, 2026)
The clauses that quietly cost freelancers money — payment, IP, revisions and liability — and what to negotiate before you sign.
6 min read
Questions
How do I know if a contract is fair before I sign?+
Look for red flags: over-wide non-compete clauses, training-cost clawbacks, asymmetric notice periods, IP assigned before payment, pay-when-paid terms, automatic renewal and unilateral variation. UK law (Employment Rights Act 1996, Consumer Rights Act 2015) makes some one-sided terms unenforceable.
Can I negotiate a contract before signing?+
Yes — almost every term is negotiable before you sign and almost none after. Identifying the unusual clauses and proposing specific counter-wording is the best time to protect yourself.
Do I need a solicitor to review a contract?+
For high-value or complex contracts, yes. For an initial screen of an employment, tenancy or freelance agreement, a plain-English review that flags the risks against UK norms is usually enough to tell you whether a solicitor is warranted.
£9.99 · One-off
Contract Red Flag Review
Employment contracts, tenancy agreements, freelance agreements, settlement agreements. We read the fine print, flag the unusual clauses, translate the legal language, and tell you what to negotiate. Plain-English summary in minutes — not a £300 solicitor consultation.
Before you sign — what is really in that contract.