Key points
- Check the minimum term, the notice period and whether the contract renews automatically.
- Add setup fees, per-user charges and paid modules to the headline price per site.
- Make sure your site teams and contractors can use it without extra licences.
- Confirm you can take all your data with you, in a usable format, at any time.
The contract
1. How long is the minimum term?
Twelve months is common, and multi-year terms are often offered in exchange for a lower price. A longer term only makes sense if you are confident the system will still suit you when your estate has grown or changed.
2. Does it renew automatically, and when do I have to give notice?
Auto-renewal with a long notice window, such as 90 days before the end of the term, is easy to miss. Put the notice date in your diary the day you sign, or ask for a contract that doesn't auto-renew.
3. What happens to the price at renewal?
Ask whether the price is fixed for the term and how renewal increases are set. A low first-year price can be followed by a much higher one.
The real cost
4. Is setup charged separately?
For some modular systems, configuration, data loading and training are charged on top of the subscription and can be significant. Ask for setup in writing, with what is included.
5. Which features are in the base price, and which are add-on modules?
Planned maintenance, compliance tracking, contractor management and cost control are sometimes sold separately. Price the configuration you will actually use, not the entry level.
6. Do you charge per user?
Per-user pricing quietly penalises you for involving site managers, area managers and finance. Check whether every person who needs to raise a fault or approve a job needs a paid seat.
Your people and contractors
7. How do contractors use it, and does it cost them anything?
If contractors need a login per engineer, or have to re-key every job, expect slower updates and higher rates. Ask to see the contractor's view of a job.
8. Does it work on a phone, in a basement kitchen, for someone who has never been trained?
Most faults are reported by site staff in the middle of service. If raising one takes more than a minute on a phone, people will go back to phoning and messaging, and your data will have gaps.
Your data
9. Can I export everything, at any time, at no charge?
That means your asset register, job history, certificates and photos, not just a summary report. Ask what format it comes in and whether you can do it yourself.
10. Where is my data hosted, and how is it kept separate from other customers?
For UK operators, hosting in the UK keeps things simple. Ask how the system keeps each customer's data apart, and what security certifications the supplier holds or is working towards.
Sales conversations are not contracts. Before you sign, check that the term, notice, renewal pricing, setup and export answers are all in the paperwork.
How Fabric answers them
- Term and notice: pay monthly and cancel with 30 days’ notice. Paying annually saves 15%, and we remind you 30 days before renewal.
- Setup: free for groups of up to 25 sites.
- Pricing: per site per month, with Fabric Core plus the bolt-ons you choose, or everything in Fabric Complete.
- Users: unlimited users on every plan. Staff and contractors never need a paid login.
- Contractors: work from a secure job link, or a free contractor portal.
- Hosting: in the UK, on Google Cloud in London, with each customer's data kept separate.
See pricing for the current plans, or start a free 30-day trial with your own sites.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Always read the full terms of any contract before you sign.
