My contract vs. their contract

[kbremn71]

When taking on a mowing or annual maintenance account, how do you approach a situation where the management company or property manager for a larger commercial account provides you with their standard contract? Do you simply use theirs, insist that they sign yours as well or try to merge the two somehow? What do you do if they refuse or give you a hard time about it?

[tiedeman]

I would first look over theres and if it looks ok then sign it, but you should also have them sign something of yours. If they refuse, then that is a red flag and you should move on

[kbremn71]

That was quick! The reason I ask is that I'm looking over a contract for an apartment complex for next season and they have a standard contract that includes most everything that mine does but there are a few other points that I would like included. This is a fairly large mgmt co. so I don't imagine that they will re-write the contract to include my concerns but I would like them addressed. Since there are so few differences should I write up an addendum or somehting similar or just give them a copy of my contract?

[lafrance4078]

Most people are reasonable folks. I would goto them and explain that you would like to include some other things in the contract. I would also tell them that these additions may be in their best interest. In my contracts, each different issue protects the customer from me and me from them. You obviously have a gift of selling your self b/c you got them to the signing phase. Just continue to sell them so that they will agree to the additions. Good luck. I haven't run into that problem yet. Let me know how it turns out.

[Team Gopher]

Hi kbremn71,

Since there are so few differences should I write up an addendum or somehting similar

You can try this and see if they agree. Let us know how this turns out.