An independent reference guide to everyday contracts. It is not legal advice, a law firm or a government body, and it is not connected with the previous website on this domain.
Guides
Everyday contracts differ in subject, but the same mistakes keep recurring: a forgotten deadline, a vague price, no acceptance certificate, a copy kept by only one party. This section has short checklists for the most common cases and a general way to read any contract.
If someone is rushing you to sign, that alone is a reason to slow down. An honest deal can survive an evening of thought and a couple of follow-up questions.
These checklists show what to pay attention to and do not replace the terms of your contract. They reflect Russian law; rules differ in other countries, so check your own law or ask a local lawyer. We do not provide ready-made wording or templates. If the deal is large, involves housing or has already turned into a dispute, see a lawyer.
Four common everyday contracts and the questions worth asking before you sign.
Make sure the landlord is entitled to let the flat, and record in the contract the condition of the home and its contents, how rent and utilities are paid, and how the deposit is returned and move-out works. Back up the inventory with photos.
Set out the list of works, the materials and who buys them, the total cost, the stages and the completion date. Record acceptance with a certificate, and put quality complaints in writing straight away, not after the final payment.
Inspect the item in the seller's presence, check its documents if it has any, and agree what happens if hidden defects appear. Confirm the handover of money and the item with a receipt or a short contract.
By clicking "I accept" you agree to a text that hardly anyone reads. Save a copy of the terms as of the day you agreed, and find the sections on payment, cancellation and changes to the rules.
Ask for the contract to be sent before you meet so you can read it without haste and without someone looking over your shoulder.
Highlight the subject, price, deadlines and payment terms. If these clauses are hard to find, the contract should be rewritten more clearly.
Inventories, cost estimates, payment schedules and rules often sit separately but form part of the contract. They should be attached and signed.
Work out what sanctions apply to breaches and how to end the contract early if circumstances change.
Clarify unclear points in messages and ask for changes to be made in the text itself rather than promised verbally.
Check that every copy and annex is signed and dated, and that your own copy stays with you.
What proves an agreement: the contract, a receipt, an acceptance certificate, messages, a payment slip; when the law requires writing and why deadlines matter.
Hypothetical cases: a delayed repair job, a deposit not returned, a friend's unpaid loan, changed online terms, a faulty second-hand item, an undated contract.
Short answers to common questions about signing contracts, lending money, receipts and everyday disputes, based on Russian law.
These materials are based on the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and describe Russian law. Rules change over time, so check the article against the current version on the official Russian legal information portal, and take a real dispute to a lawyer. Rules differ in other countries: check your own law or ask a local lawyer.