BUSINESS & COMMERCIAL LAW · TERMS OF TRADE

Good trading terms do their work before a payment problem or dispute begins.

Clear expectations. Better leverage. Stronger trading protection.

Canterbury Legal helps businesses create and review terms of trade that reflect how they actually sell, supply, invoice and manage risk.

Put the rules in place before the transaction

Terms of trade are most useful when they are tailored, incorporated correctly and aligned with the way your business deals with customers. Generic wording that nobody follows can create a false sense of protection.

The contract needs to match the commercial reality.

We can help with…

  • terms of trade drafting and review

  • payment and credit terms

  • retention of title and security provisions

  • limits of liability and warranties

  • contract acceptance and implementation
Practical protection built into everyday business

How we help strengthen trading terms.

Drafting

Create terms that reflect your products, services and trading model.

Payment protection

Set clear payment dates, default consequences and recovery provisions.

Security rights

Consider retention of title and security arrangements where appropriate.

Liability allocation

Define warranties, exclusions and risk allocation within legal limits.

Acceptance process

Make sure customers are actually bound by the terms at the right time.

Review & update

Keep the terms aligned with changing law, services and business practices.
Terms of Trade & Trading Protection

People who can help.

Commercial advice that helps businesses trade on clearer terms.

Clive Cousins

Director

Grant Smith

Director

Callum McPetrie

Associate - Property & Commercial

What happens next.

  1. We learn how you trade, including quoting, ordering, supply and payment.

  2. We identify the main risks and where the current process is exposed.

  3. We draft or update the terms to match the business model.

  4. We help with implementation so the terms are incorporated properly.

  5. The documents are reviewed when the business or law materially changes.

Related business services

Commercial contracts & negotiation
Support for broader commercial agreements and deal terms.

Finance, securities & guarantees
Understand secured lending and guarantee exposure.

Business structuring
Align trading risk with ownership and entity structure.

Useful contract and trading insights

Practical guidance on contracts, trading risk and commercial agreements.

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Clear terms. Better leverage. Fewer avoidable disputes.

If your terms have not kept pace with the way you trade, talk with our commercial team before the next problem tests them.

Phone: +64 3 377 0792

Send enquiry.

Contact Form (#10)

Frequently asked questions.

Not every business uses the same document, but businesses that supply goods or services on repeat terms usually benefit from clear contractual rules tailored to their trading model.

That is risky. The wording may not fit your services, legal obligations or actual sales process, and it may not be incorporated correctly into your customer contracts.

That depends on how and when the terms are communicated and accepted. The process matters as much as the wording.

Well-drafted terms can clarify payment dates, default consequences, recovery costs and any available security rights, although enforceability always depends on the facts and law.

Review them when your products, services, payment model or risk profile changes, and periodically to ensure they still fit current law and business practice.

Christchurch-Based Lawyers Serving Canterbury & New Zealand Since 1991

CL LOGO WHITE LSCPE

Clear, strategic legal advice for property, business, personal planning and dispute resolution across Canterbury.

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Canterbury Legal Building
Level 2, Durham Street South
Christchurch Central 8011, New Zealand

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Phone: +64 3 377 0792

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