Have an Alberta Service Contract Lawyer Review Your Service Agreements

Service contract lawyers in Calgary help businesses draft contracts that protect themselves. Businesses and individuals that sell services will often rely on service contracts to protect themselves and be fair to their consumers. A service agreement or service contract will often be detail the services that will be provided, and how much the customer will be responsible for paying. The service contract lawyers at Kahane Law Office in Calgary, Alberta can help. Call us at 403-225-8810 today.

The service agreement allows both parties to know exactly what to expect from the transaction. Service contract lawyers draft the agreements to reflect the rights and obligations of both parties. Service contracts are most commonly associated with companies, such as cell phone service providers, cable and Internet providers, gyms, and other businesses that provide ongoing services. However, there are plenty of other businesses and freelancers that rely on service contracts for individual projects.

Why Service Contracts Are Important

There are many instances in which services are performed by a business before any payment is provided. If there is no contract in place regarding agreements that were made between the service provider and the customer, it may be difficult for the service provider to take legal action, if the buyer refuses to pay for the services after the fact. By having a contract signed initially, buyers are discouraged from defaulting, and sellers have legal protection if this happens. Our Calgary service agreement lawyers are also able, in some instances, to draft clauses that make collections easier and less costly in the event of non-payment.

Service contracts can also be a great tool for resolving disputes that may occur after the work begins. Disputes with service providers often stem from unclear expectations which the service contract lawyer should draft in details for you. For example, a consumer who has hired a re-modeler may argue that new hardwood floors were included within the price of a project. The signed service agreement can be reviewed to determine whether or not this is true.

Types of Service Contracts

The service contract lawyers at Kahane Law Office are able to assist in drafting a variety of service contracts. There reasons as to why they are important remain the same for all service contract type situations. While there are many other types of service contracts lawyers can draft, depending on your specific business, some examples of service contracts are as follows:

• Consulting Agreements
• Catering Agreements
• Lawn Maintenance Agreements
• Service Agreements
• Modeling Release
• Cleaning Service Agreements
• Construction Agreements
• Contracting Agreements

Things to Include When Writing a Service Contract

If you are a business owner who offers services that require services agreements, there are certain elements that are important to include. Talk to your service contract lawyer about terms such as:

Price and Pay Structure for Services

The cost for the services provided should be clear in the service agreement. In some instances this will be a flat price with a detail of what will be completed for the price. If pricing is based on ongoing factors, the Service contract should be clear. Your service contract lawyer can help make it clear how this price is calculated (hourly rates, price of materials, etc.). If additional work is requested, having this information on the agreement can make it easier to add and charge for the additions. Always remember, it is essential for changes to be done in writing before the work is done.

Late Payments & Interest Rates

Most service agreements detail a grace period, allowing payments to be made for a specified amount of time after the due date. Make it clear on the agreement when any interest or late charges will be applied, and what they will be. There are also legal limits on interest charges and penalties. Your service contract lawyer can explain these.

Termination Clause

Detail what the penalty will be if the client cancels the project before it is completed or before it begins. Your service agreement lawyer can also detail under what conditions either party can terminate the service contract.

Collections

Our service contract lawyers work with you to draft the best terms appropriate to your industry. In many instances we are able to draft terms that make collections easier and less expensive.

Details of Work

As mentioned, you will want to outline exactly which services will be performed. If applicable, ensure your service contract lawyer includes information about material costs that are covered by the service agreement.

Remaining Compliant with Alberta Consumer Laws

Service contract lawyers must be very careful regarding the information drafted within your service agreement and how it is worded. In Alberta, the Fair Trading Act protects consumers from unfair practices.

As explained by Service Alberta, unfair practices can include:

• Charging prices that are more than 10% higher than what you originally quoted without notifying the customer first
• Misrepresenting the quality of goods that are being sold
• Promising to provide goods or services during times when you know, or should know, you will not be able to deliver (i.e. promising that services will be perform on holidays)

These make up only a very small fraction of the examples, but most involve misrepresenting or misleading in different ways. This is why it is crucial to have one of our Alberta service contract lawyers review your service agreements to ensure that your terms are clear and fair to the consumer.

Before You Sign a Service Agreement

If you are on the receiving end of a service agreement, do not be too quick to sign your name. Have our Alberta service contract lawyers review this contract to safeguard you, or your business, against unfair practices, as well.

Service Contract Lawyers in Calgary

The service contract lawyers at Kahane Law Office can help with your service agreement legal needs. CONNECT NOW. You can reach us at 403-225-8810 locally in Calgary, Alberta or toll-free at 1-877-225-8817 or email us directly here.