Terms of engagement - Acceptable format?

dantray

Hello,

Instead of issuing a 10-20 page LOE to clients (which is then duplicated if you consider the file copy), is the following an acceptable alternative:

Putting all standard terms of engagement on a client-only section of the website and sending a client a covering/summary letter, "our standard terms of engagement can be viewed on our website, you may log in using following username/password. The areas for your concern are

Service 1
Service 2
Service 3
Etc."

The covering/summary letter would also state key dates/deadlines, associated costs etc. (All of this would obviously need to be carefully worded to avoid any confusion) and referenced appropriately.

So on the accountancy section for example could state something along the lines of: we will prepare your accounts to meet your submission deadline, which can be found on your summary letter.

then a client signature line at the end similar to normal LOE " I confirm I have read the appropriate section of the terms of engagement on the website bla bla bla".

Main long term benefit (apart from obvious cost and economical) is that any changes can be notified with a single letter - "we have made changes to the following services terms of engagement please view the website and sign this letter confirming of acceptance". or something to that effect.

Could someone please advise if this is acceptable?

Thanks in advance.
Dan.

Monsoon

That's just what I do, broadly speaking.

I have a Terms of Engagement which is a PDF which is on the website (not yet live, currently just emailing to people, but will be on a password protected area like you say).

I then have a 1 page letter which the client signs, which explicitly refers to the Terms as part of the LoE.

AAT have said this is fine as long as it's clear and covers all the things a LoE needs to.

My Letter says " by signing this you agree to this and future revisions of the Terms. If you don't agree with future revisions please let us know in writing" and gives a spiel about how this saves on admin by not having to reissue the terms every time they change.