Contracts and General Terms (GTCs): The Fine Print That Protects You

Most invoicing disputes trace back to unclear agreements. A written contract and general terms and conditions (GTCs) set the rules before any work begins.

What a contract should cover

Scope of work, price, timeline, payment terms, and what happens on late payment or cancellation. The clearer this is up front, the fewer surprises later.

Define the scope precisely enough that both sides know what is included and what counts as extra. A vague scope is the single most common source of dispute, because one more small change can quickly add up.

State the price or rate clearly and say whether it is fixed or based on time and materials. Also record how and when invoices will be issued, and when payment is actually due.

Cover the unhappy paths too: what happens if the client pays late, if the project is cancelled, or if the deliverables are rejected. Agreeing these rules in advance is far cheaper than arguing about them afterwards.

• Scope, price and timeline.
• Payment terms and late-payment consequences.
• Cancellation and liability provisions.

The role of GTCs

General terms cover the recurring rules — payment deadlines, dunning fees, interest, and dispute resolution — that apply to every engagement. Reference them in your contract or on your invoices.

GTCs save you from rewriting the same clauses in every contract. You write them once and incorporate them by reference, so each new client is bound by the same standard terms.

Common GTC clauses include payment deadlines, default interest, reminder fees, and the place of jurisdiction. Under Swiss law these clauses are enforceable as long as the client had a genuine chance to review them.

Keep the terms proportionate and written in plain language. Courts look less favourably on surprising or hidden clauses, so transparency protects you as much as it protects the client.

• Payment deadlines and fees.
• Default interest.
• Jurisdiction and dispute resolution.

Make them binding

Attach the GTCs to your offer or publish them on your website and reference the exact version. A bare line saying our general terms apply is usually not enough on its own.

Get written confirmation that the client received and accepted the terms. An email reply or a signed offer that references the GTCs is the cleanest evidence you can keep.

Record which version of the GTCs applied to each client. Terms change over time, and you need to know exactly what was in force when a given contract was signed.

• Send the GTCs with the offer.
• Reference the exact version.
• Keep proof of acceptance.

Keep them up to date

Review your GTCs at least once a year and whenever the law or your pricing changes. Outdated terms are worse than none, because they can be challenged in a dispute.

Changes to VAT rates, data protection rules, or your payment terms should trigger a revision. Swiss law and commercial practice evolve, and your terms should follow.

When you update the terms, the new version only binds new contracts unless existing clients agree to the change. Never assume old clients are automatically bound by new terms.

A lawyer can review the first version cheaply and give you a template you can maintain yourself afterwards. That up-front cost is small compared to an unenforceable term discovered in court.