Most freelance contracts are either non-existent or just "a PDF they found online in 2019."
Neither protects you properly. Here are the clauses that matter most — and why most templates leave them out.
1. Late payment statutory interest clause
The Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act 1998 gives you the right to charge 8% above base rate on overdue invoices. Most freelancers know this exists. Few have it written into their contract.
Without it in writing, many clients will dispute your right to charge it. With it, most simply pay on time.
The clause should:
- State your payment terms (net 7 or net 14 — never net 30)
- Define when an invoice becomes "overdue"
- State the interest rate you will apply
- Mention fixed debt recovery costs (£40-£100 depending on invoice value)
2. Intellectual property transfer clause
Who owns the work? By default in UK law, the creator (you) retains IP until explicitly transferred.
That is good news for you — but clients often assume they own everything from the moment they pay.
Your contract needs to:
- State IP stays with you until full payment is received
- Define exactly what is being transferred upon payment
- Exclude anything you want to retain (frameworks, tools, libraries, prior work)
This clause has teeth: if a client goes quiet on payment, you legally own the work and can prevent them using it until they pay.
3. Scope creep / change request clause
"Can you just quickly..." — the four words that destroy project profitability.
Without a written scope change process, you have no basis to charge for additional work. The client reasonably argues it was part of the original brief.
This clause should:
- Define what is in scope (reference the original brief/specification)
- Require written approval for any changes to scope
- State your change request rate (usually your day rate pro-rated)
- Establish that change requests extend the timeline accordingly
4. Termination and kill fee clause
Projects get cancelled. Clients run out of budget, change direction, or simply disappear.
Without a termination clause, you may have spent weeks on work you cannot charge for.
A solid termination clause:
- Requires written notice (minimum 7-14 days)
- Establishes a kill fee (often 25-50% of remaining contract value)
- States that work completed to date must be paid at your standard rate
- Clarifies what deliverables you hand over upon termination
5. Dispute resolution clause
Nobody wants to go to court. But having this clause often prevents it.
State that disputes will first be addressed through written communication, then mediation, before legal proceedings. This gives both parties a clear process and often resolves disagreements without escalation.
For UK freelancers, mention the Small Claims Court as the final step for debts under £10,000 — it costs £35 and does not require a solicitor.
Where to get properly written versions of these
I put together a Contract Template Pack for UK freelancers — five contracts (service agreement, project brief, NDA, change request form, termination letter) with all these clauses pre-written in plain English.
If you also want the email sequence for chasing late invoices, the Getting Paid Toolkit covers that.
Quick checklist
- [ ] Payment terms and late interest clause
- [ ] IP transfer tied to payment
- [ ] Written scope change process
- [ ] Kill fee and termination terms
- [ ] Dispute resolution process
Five clauses. Most freelance contracts have zero of them.
More UK freelance tools and guides at landolio.com
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