Want to start 2026 legally bombproof? Don't wait until it goes wrong, update your general terms and conditions now

Contract Law

15 January 2026

Want to start 2026 legally bombproof? Don’t wait until it goes wrong, update your general terms and conditions now

Stelt u zich eens voor: u werkt al jaren met dezelfde zelfstandige. Hij stuurt facturen, factureert btw en heeft een eigen kvk-nummer. Toch krijgt u in 2026 ineens vragen van de Belastingdienst over de aard van uw samenwerking. Hoe heeft het zo ver kunnen komen?

General terms and conditions are not a formality, nor a standard document you can simply cut and paste. These terms determine your entire legal position the moment something goes wrong, and that is precisely where things often go wrong in practice.

We regularly see that many entrepreneurs still operate without general terms and conditions, or with a set that has since become outdated. Meanwhile, the legislation has changed, courts test terms more strictly, and the business itself has often developed considerably, expanding or discontinuing its working methods, services or products. The result: general terms and conditions that have become a paper tiger and that, in practice, are of no use to you any more, or worse, land you in trouble.

Why are your general terms and conditions so important?

They determine how you handle complaints and problems with customers, how your liability is arranged, when payment is due, whether and how you or your customer can terminate, and how and where a dispute must be fought out. If those provisions no longer align with the law or with how you actually work, a false sense of security arises. We also often see a lack of strict general terms and conditions. That is not a wise choice, because it is better to have strict terms so that you can show leniency on them during negotiations. That makes your negotiating position much stronger: you then have something to give away, and you have bargaining chips.

Only in the event of a conflict do you then discover that crucial clauses are not enforceable, or are even annulled because they are unreasonable. By that point, it is too late.

When should you update your general terms and conditions?

Updating your general terms and conditions is advisable in any case when:

your terms are outdated and no longer align with current laws and regulations;
your business activities have changed or expanded;
your working method has changed, for example due to digitalisation or new contract forms;
your agreements with customers have changed in substance;
your insurer imposes (new) requirements on liability or coverage;
your terms no longer match your day-to-day practice.

Anyone who does not anticipate this in time runs the risk that (parts of) the general terms and conditions have no effect at the moment you rely on them.

What risks do you run with outdated general terms and conditions?

If you work with outdated general terms and conditions, you run structural legal risks that often only become apparent once something goes wrong. Think of:

limitations of liability that are (partly) annulled;
disputes over interest, collection costs or termination;
proceedings before a court unfavourable to you;
insufficient protection of your intellectual property;
loss of negotiating position and rising legal costs.

In short: your terms no longer offer you effective protection at the moments you need them most.

Why waiting is not an option

As of 1 January, new contracts are often concluded, agreements renewed and rates adjusted. If you work with outdated terms in 2026, you put your business at a legal disadvantage for an entire financial year. Updating preventively is almost always more effective and cheaper than repairing things once they go wrong. The question, therefore, is not whether you should do this, but whether you accept the risk of not doing it.

Need help?

Do you want to prevent outdated general terms and conditions from working against you in 2026? The corporate lawyers of The Legal Company are happy to help you draft or update your B2B and B2C terms and conditions. Please feel free to contact us via info@thelegalcompany.nl or call 020-3450152.

De afgelopen jaren stonden in het teken van de Wet VBAR, het wetsvoorstel dat een einde moest maken aan onduidelijkheid over de zzp’er. Het kabinet heeft delen van dat voorstel inmiddels geschrapt. Op het eerste gezicht is dat goed nieuws: minder regels, minder administratieve last. Maar in de praktijk blijven dezelfde toetsen overeind.

“De inhoud van de samenwerking is leidend, niet wat er op papier staat.”

De Belastingdienst handhaaft sinds 1 januari 2025 weer actief op schijnzelfstandigheid. En recente uitspraken van de Hoge Raad bevestigen dat rechters strikt toetsen of er sprake is van ondergeschiktheid en gezagsverhouding.

Voor uw praktijk betekent dit drie dingen. Een: leg de samenwerking duidelijk vast, met aandacht voor de inhoud. Twee: voorkom dat een zzp’er feitelijk werkt als werknemer. Drie: wees voorbereid op een controle, en weet hoe u de relatie kunt herzien als dat moet.

Heeft u vragen over uw concrete situatie? Wij sparren dagelijks met opdrachtgevers over hun zzp-relaties. Vraag een offerte op of bekijk onze Legal Safe abonnementen.