Lawyers don't have good reputation for being easy to understand. However, a contract not written in plain intelligible language may not be enforceable against a consumer. It may be regarded as "unfair", as may a clause that causes significant imbalance to the detriment of the consumer.

To avoid this problem Harris + Harris have helped one of our clients gain accreditation from the Plain Language Commission. We drafted a Tenancy Agreement that has been accredited to meet the Clear English Standard. The Clear English Standard covers not only the words, but also the structure and design of the Agreement. The Tenancy Agreement will be used for thousands of tenants nationwide.

Roland Callaby, was the Partner responsible for drafting the Agreement. He said, "Legal contracts don't have to be complicated. The law says that contracts with consumers must not contain terms that are unfair. Our client wanted to go one step further and do everything to be sure that tenants understood what the agreement meant before signing it. Hopefully, this will avoid misunderstandings or disputes later."

Contact the Commercial Law Department at Harris + Harris