Litigation
Contract of Service
California
Can a service provider unilaterally modify the terms of a Service Legal Agreement without seeking consent from the customer?
I recently signed up for a service that required me to agree to a Service Legal Agreement, which outlined the terms and conditions of the service. However, after a few months of using the service, the service provider sent out an email stating that they were making significant changes to the Agreement, including increasing fees and reducing the level of service provided. I did not agree to these changes, but the service provider claims that they have the right to modify the Agreement without seeking consent from the customer. I am wondering if this is legally permissible, and if not, what recourse do I have as a customer?
1 Attorney answer
Answer
Litigation
California
Dolan W.
ContractsCounsel verified
Hello! I'm so sorry that this happened to you. To modify a contract legally, the following requirements must be met: All parties to the contract must agree to the modification. This means that both parties must sign and date the amendment to the contract. The parties to the contract need new consideration -- something of legal value -- to modify a contract. For example, if a party wants more money for something they would need to provide additional performance in exchange. A writing is not required for a modification, but it is recommended. If they are making changes to the agreement, then they have to wait until the term is over (e.g. every 30 days) before they can make any changes. Best of luck to you!