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I have just put together a simple website for a friend who is setting up his company. He wants to pay me for this because he wants "a professional job". It would cost me more to go to a lawyer than the job is worth.

I thought I should write up some sort of contract, just in case something happens. Basically, I want to sell the source code (ASP.Net) "as is" without liability or warranty. As I understand it, currently I am the "sole trader" which means it is important for me to make clear that I do not accept any liability or warranty.

Is there anything I need to watch out for when wording this contract?

EDIT:

After searching around, below are some links that I thought might be useful, but I would appreciate any advice from anyone who actually has gone though this.

How to Write an End User License Agreement

How to Write a Payment Contract

(cant post more than 2 hyperlinks cause I dont have enough rep)!!!!!!!!!!

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Wording of a contract all depends on what country and jurisdiction you are in. For example, US law on contracts is very different to Australian or Swedish law on contracts. I highly recommend seeking advice from a local legal agency who can point you in the right direction, if you are worried about it. – Deco Aug 12 '12 at 14:51
I think this question is a valid one. People like me, who are just starting out with web-development may be a bit unsure of what to do. This question does not deserve a down vote! ... but if it gets another then I will vote for it to be deleted. – Ben Aug 12 '12 at 15:07
Although it is a valid question, it's not something that can be reasonably answered here - especially without context and the fact we're not lawyers. Contract law (especially in Australia) is really complex and there's a number of Acts that govern it. – Deco Aug 12 '12 at 15:18
@Deco Please see my edit as possible starting points for answers. – Ben Aug 12 '12 at 15:20
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I agree with the above, but it still comes under •freelancing and business concerns which are in the FAQs therefor it shouldent have been closed. There may be members of the site that are leagal proffesionals. – geminiCoder Aug 17 '12 at 13:25
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closed as off topic by Thomas Owens♦ Aug 13 '12 at 11:08

Questions on Programmers Stack Exchange are expected to relate to software development within the scope defined in the FAQ. Consider editing the question or leaving comments for improvement if you believe the question can be reworded to fit within the scope. Read more about closed questions here.

2 Answers

up vote 2 down vote accepted

If you are based in the UK, the Professional Contractors Guild offers members access to a range of boilerplate software contracts.

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Thanks Gary, I am in the UK and I will definately look in to this. I would +1 this answer but I don't have enough rep yet. – Ben Aug 12 '12 at 16:02
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Is there anything I need to watch out for when wording this contract?

Make sure you pay a lawyer to write it.

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Where do I find a free lawyer? – Ben Aug 12 '12 at 14:49
Asking for free legal advice is like asking a friend to build you a web site for free. If you want a professional job, go to a professional. – Avner Shahar-Kashtan Aug 12 '12 at 15:14
I am a professional software developer. And I built a website for my friend. And now he wants to pay me for it. But I am not a lawyer and I can't aford one. This is why I need help – Ben Aug 12 '12 at 15:38
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You can't afford a lawyer but you can afford losing everything you own, your entire life savings, your home, your car, your future? – Jörg W Mittag Aug 13 '12 at 2:05

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