Are these terms written correctly for a contract?

Question

Are these terms written correctly for a contract?

The contract is valid for an unlimited period of time. The video files will be archived on a hard drive for one year.

The contract takes effect the day on which the bride and groom sign the contract.

If the videograpger can't cover the wedding due to sickness or circumstances outside his control, he will make sure a colleague of his covers the wedding. The videographer will let the client know by email or phone.

Overtime will be charged at 130 € / hour. The same goes for non-contractual costs incurred at the last minute.

Any demand needs to be sent by registered mail and postmarked no more than seven days from the date of payment.

Thank you

Deadrat · Accepted Answer

If you're asking whether the language is written in grammatical English, the answer is yes. Although "beyond his control" is preferred to "outside his control."

Whether you've got suitable contractual language is impossible to say. Consult a lawyer who specializes in contract and business law in your jurisdiction. Is it possible in your jurisdiction to write a contract that's valid in perpetuity? Why are you restricting yourself to a hard drive for archival purposes or to the videographer's colleagues for substitutes? Have you defined "non-contractual costs" and "last minute"? All contracts take effect when the parties reach agreement, usually documented by signature. At least under English common law.

What's a "demand" in this context? As a legal term, it means a statement requiring performance of the contractual terms.

Anonymous · Answer

The contract is valid for an unlimited period of time. The video files will be archived on a hard drive for one year.
What do you mean by :
Why are you restricting yourself to a hard drive for archival purposes or to the videographer's colleagues for substitutes?

The contract takes effect the day on which the bride and groom sign the contract.
Are you saying that I don't need to state this?
All contracts take effect when the parties reach agreement, usually documented by signature. At least under English common law.

If the videograpger can't cover the wedding due to sickness or circumstances outside his control, he will make sure a colleague of his covers the wedding. The videographer will let the client know by email or phone.
What do you mean? I should give them an alternative?
Why are you restricting yourself to a hard drive for archival purposes or to the videographer's colleagues for substitutes?

Overtime will be charged at 130 € / hour. The same goes for non-contractual costs incurred at the last minute.
Do I really have to define "non contractual costs" and "last minute"? The terms are straight forward.
Have you defined "non-contractual costs" and "last minute"?

Are the terms naturally written though?

Thank you very much

Deadrat · Answer

I'll try again. Your language is written naturally enough in conversational English. And that's a problem, because conversational English is often unsuitable for contracts. I'm fairly sure you drafted the language yourself, and I'm also fairly sure that you're not an attorney. Now you've got two more problems. When you try to enforce your contract during a dispute, you'll find you have even more. Spend a couple of hundred euros and get some decent professional advice on business law.

The archival stuff is just a simple example. Your clients care only that their video files are safely backed up, but you've committed yourself to a hard drive? Why? Suppose you want to use a memory stick or the cloud?

And you think "last minute" is straightforward (one word, by the way)? Just wait until you get an unreasonable demand one hour before a wedding from a client who says that it can't be last minute (singular) because it's last 60 minutes (plural).

I'm not a lawyer either, so the only legal advice you should heed is the advice to hire one.

Are these terms written correctly for a contract?

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