Terms and conditions for a handyman service

A handyman is asked to do everything, which is exactly why the terms need to say what the job is. The list of jobs grows during the visit, the customer expects the materials to have been in the van, and the request to 'just look at' the boiler is one you should refuse. Terms that price time, materials and scope clearly are what I draft, for a fixed fee of £995 in five working days.

Who this is for

Handyman and property maintenance businesses in England and Wales doing small repairs, assembly, fitting and odd jobs for homeowners, and the same work on a regular basis for landlords and letting agents. The terms are written for consumers and business customers together.

What matters in handyman terms

The job list, hourly rates and minimum charges

The terms should say whether you charge by the hour or by the job, state the minimum charge, and require the job list to be agreed before you start, with anything added on the day charged at the hourly rate. A customer who adds four jobs to a two-hour visit and then queries the invoice is the reason the list exists.

Materials and things bought on the customer's behalf

If you buy materials for the job, the terms should say how they are charged, whether a handling charge applies, and that the customer pays for materials bought at their request whether or not the job goes ahead. Where the customer supplies the materials or the flat-pack, the terms should say that they are fitted or assembled at the customer's risk and that missing parts are not your problem.

Work you will not do

Gas work, notifiable electrical work and anything else that needs a registered tradesperson should be excluded in terms, with a statement that you will tell the customer when a job needs someone else. That protects you from being asked to do it and from the suggestion that you did.

Liability and the customer's property

Small jobs in occupied homes cause small damage. The terms should require the customer to point out anything fragile or hidden, say that you take reasonable care and are not responsible for pre-existing damage or for items you were not told about, and set out your insurance. You cannot exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, and against consumers you cannot cut down statutory rights, but a clear and reasonable position on accidental damage is enforceable.

Booking, cancellation and payment

A booking made by phone, email or online is a distance contract, and a job agreed on the doorstep is an off-premises one, so a consumer has 14 days to cancel under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, subject to the exception for urgent repairs they asked for. Same-day cancellation by the customer can carry a charge that reflects your lost time. Payment should be on completion, by card or transfer, and landlords and agents as business customers can be charged interest and compensation on late payment under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted around your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want to know how much of a problem they are. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Buying online forms the engagement on payment. The scope is what the terms and conditions drafting page describes, you accept the Terms of Service at checkout, and I email you within four working hours to get started. If you would rather ask something first, email me.

What you get

• A full set of terms drafted around your business, not a template with your name inserted
• A covering note in plain English explaining every commercial choice I made and why, so you can defend the terms in a negotiation without ringing me
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions set at a level that will survive a procurement review
• Consumer-facing wording drafted to be enforceable where you sell to consumers
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly, which is where most businesses actually fail
• One round of amendments after you have read them

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country

Questions I am often asked

Can I charge the minimum if the job takes twenty minutes?

You can if the terms state the minimum charge before the booking. It is a price term, not a penalty, provided the customer saw it in advance.

What if the customer asks me to do something I am not qualified for?

The terms should say that you may decline any work that needs a registered tradesperson or that you consider unsafe, and that the customer will be told rather than the work attempted.

Do I need terms for a regular maintenance arrangement with a letting agent?

The same document can cover it with a business customer section: agreed call-out and hourly rates, authority limits for spending on materials, invoicing monthly, and a notice period to end the arrangement.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Contract review, £495, if a main contractor or business customer has sent you their terms to sign
• Terms and conditions for an electrician, for the work a handyman should be passing on

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.