Freelance contracts get avoided for two reasons: they feel awkward to introduce, and writing one from scratch is genuinely hard.
Neither is a good reason to skip it. Here is a practical guide.
What a freelance contract actually needs to cover
You do not need a 20-page document. A solid one-page contract covers:
1. Scope of work — what you are doing, what is not included. Scope creep is the biggest source of disputes. Be specific.
2. Payment terms — amount, when it is due, what happens if it is late. Include a late payment clause referencing the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act 1998 (it applies automatically to B2B work, but stating it removes ambiguity).
3. Kill fee — if the client cancels mid-project, you keep a percentage of the remaining fees. 50% is standard. Without this, you carry all the cancellation risk.
4. IP ownership — who owns the work until it is paid for? The answer should be: you do, until full payment. Transfer on receipt of final payment.
5. Revision limit — how many rounds of changes are included. Without a limit, a client can request unlimited revisions indefinitely.
6. Governing law — England and Wales, or Scotland. Matters if you ever go to court.
The clause that pays for itself
"All intellectual property rights in the deliverables remain with the Supplier until full payment is received. On receipt of final payment, rights transfer to the Client."
This single clause gives you significant leverage on non-payment. A client who has used your work without paying is now infringing your IP, not just owing you money.
How to introduce it without awkwardness
"Before we kick off, I send a brief project agreement — just covers scope, payment terms, and who owns what. I can send it over now."
Frame it as admin, not confrontation. Most clients expect it. The ones who push back hard are often the ones you needed the contract for.
The templates
Six contract templates covering common freelance scenarios (project work, retainer, consulting, design, development, writing) in the Contract Template Pack (£9). UK law, plain English.
Do you use a contract for every project? What is the one clause you would never remove?
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