- Home
- News
- Verbal Agreements versus Legal Agreements
Verbal Agreements versus Legal Agreements
Most of us have never lived in a day when Verbal Agreement ‘Contracts’ were the norm and a man's word was as good as his signature or credit score. Back in those days your honour and reputation was all you had and not living up to your word was the kiss of death for business as well a social relationships.
Unfortunately, things have changed today. There are a lot more flakes in the world that couldn't care any less about their reputation or the value of their word, so the value of Verbal Legal Agreements has changed as well.
Verbal Agreements
A Verbal Agreement Contract occurs when two or more people agree to something in spoken form. You may talk over the phone or face-to-face, but if it never gets written down and signed by both parties then it is considered a Verbal Agreement.
Many people enter into Verbal Agreements thinking they are completely Legally Binding. They trust the word of the person they are talking to and believe everything is going to unfold as planned. The problem with a Verbal Agreement Contract is that far too often complications arise where the parties disagree on something or one person simply does not live up to their end of the deal.
That's when the big pitfall of a Verbal Agreement Contract hits home: legally most verbal agreements are legally binding, but in practice, you have little proof of what the agreement was or that there even was an agreement! If there is a disagreement you have nothing written down to refer back to and if it ends up in court or legal mediation you have no proof of what the agreement was. It is essentially your word against theirs.
Legal Agreements
Written Legal Agreements help to protect your rights! If there is a dispute over what someone was supposed to do you can always refer back to the details in your written agreement and if the other person fails to live up to your Legally Binding Agreement you have proof of what they agreed to with their signature on that written agreement.
In order for your rights to be fully protected and your written Legal Agreements to be as functional as possible, make sure you include every small detail of the agreement on the paper. Don't leave anything out, no matter how minor you think it may be. Absolutely every aspect of the deal must be specified on your written agreement and then the agreement must be signed and dated by everyone involved in the deal.
Get Legal Agreements Online
To make sure you include all of the needed information in your written Legal Agreements, consider finding legal agreement forms at trustworthy sites like Agreements Online.
These legal agreement forms will show you what type of information should typically be included for just about any variety of agreement you may enter into. If you enter into a Verbal Agreement, don't expect it to protect you when things go wrong. Even family members and close friends can break an agreement that ends up costing you money, tons of time, or just giving you a big headache. In those cases you need the peace of mind and legal protection that comes with written legal agreements.
Even agreements between friends and family members should be solidified with Written Legal Agreements. If you aren't sure how to draw up a legal document that will serve as a point of reference for all parties in the deal, check out go to Agreements Online and browse their Legal Agreements now.
Please note that this information is supplied for general information and does not constitute legal advice. It is advisable for you to contact a legal practitioner for guidance in respect of your unique requirements.