Terms and conditions for a PR agency

A PR agency sells access to journalists it does not control and drafts statements for clients it does not control. The terms have to say that coverage is not guaranteed, that statements go out with the client's approval, what a crisis costs, and how a retainer ends cleanly. I draft those terms for a fixed fee of £995, delivered in five working days.

Who this is for

Public relations, communications and media relations agencies in England and Wales working for business clients on monthly retainers, launches and crisis engagements. These are business-to-business terms.

What matters in PR agency terms

Coverage, results and what is promised

Journalists decide what runs. The terms should say that the agency will use reasonable skill and care to secure coverage and that no placement, volume or tone of coverage is guaranteed, that fees are for the services performed rather than the results obtained, and that the client's own conduct and news value affect what is achievable. Reporting should be described so that the client knows what it will see.

Approvals, spokespeople and accuracy

The terms should provide that press releases, statements and quotes are issued only with the client's written approval, that the client is responsible for the accuracy of what it approves, for regulatory compliance of its announcements and for any defamation risk under the Defamation Act 2013 in statements about others, and that spokespeople who go off script are the client's responsibility. Where the agency ghost-writes quotes, approval is what turns the agency's words into the client's.

Crisis work and out-of-hours

Crisis and issues work is different from a retainer, and the terms should say so: a separate rate or fee for out-of-hours and rapid response work, the agency's authority to act within agreed parameters, and the client's obligation to give the agency the facts. A crisis retainer with a defined response commitment is a product the terms can describe; an open-ended promise to be available is not.

Retainers, fees, third-party costs and notice

Retainers are invoiced monthly in advance with a minimum term and a notice period, with interest and fixed compensation on late payment under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 and a right to suspend. Media monitoring, distribution services, event costs and travel are third-party costs passed on with a stated handling charge. On notice, the agency completes or hands over work in progress and is paid for it.

Confidentiality, conflicts, liability and data

PR agencies hold price-sensitive and embarrassing information, and for a listed client inside information is controlled by the UK Market Abuse Regulation, so and the terms should impose confidentiality on both sides with a carve-out for what the client authorises the agency to say. Conflicts of interest between clients should be dealt with by disclosure and, where needed, declining work. Liability should be capped at a figure matching the agency's insurance, with consequential loss and reputational loss excluded, tested for reasonableness under the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977. Media lists and journalist contacts are personal data under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 and the terms should say who holds them.

What it costs

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

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want them checked and brought up to date. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Email me at geoffrey@caesar.co.uk with what you need and any documents, and I will confirm the scope and the fee in writing, usually the same working day. If you would rather pay straight away, 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 will be in touch promptly to get started.

What you get

• A full set of bespoke terms drafted for your business, reflecting the legal requirements that apply to your business and sector
• A note in plain English explaining the terms I have drafted for you
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions that protect your position and are drafted to withstand scrutiny from the other side
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly
• Your questions and comments answered by email or phone
• One round of amendments to finalise the terms ready for use

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers (I am happy to quote for this as an additional service if required)
• 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
• Tax advice

Questions I am often asked

The client says three months of retainer produced no coverage and refuses to pay. Where do we stand?

If the terms say coverage is not guaranteed and fees are for the services performed, the fees are due for the work done. Activity reports showing pitches, calls and drafts are what evidence it.

A quote we drafted was published and the client now says it was never approved. Who is responsible?

The approval record. If the terms require written approval before issue and you have it, the client is responsible for the content. If you issued without approval, the agency is exposed, which is why the approval process is not optional.

Can we take on a competitor of an existing client?

The terms should address conflicts: disclosure to both, information barriers, and the right of either client to object, with the agency deciding whether to decline. An undisclosed conflict is the one that costs the account.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Contract review, £495
• Terms and conditions for a marketing agency
• Terms and conditions for a content agency

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.