How do you get an opportunity to actually read contracts?

[tim5478]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA

You know how everyone says you must read before you sign something; I'm wondering how many of you actually get that opportunity?

I mean, every time when I must sign something, the person handing a contract / agreement - be it at a store, or a mechanic, or banks, etc - hands it over and points sign here, then sign there, etc etc.

And they're usually like minimum 5+ pages in tiny print.

It annoys me and makes me feel uncomfortable, and I just sign away not knowing what I signed.

I've always assumed that I can just null whatever I signed if it's unreasonable, but I'm not sure anymore.

I wish they mail things like that to read at home.

What do you guys do?

 

[TheGeekess]

I tell them to give me a few minutes while I look it over. Then I start getting rid of the arbitration clauses.

 

[Antigone*]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA

You know how everyone says you must read before you sign something; I'm wondering how many of you actually get that opportunity?

I mean, every time when I must sign something, the person handing a contract / agreement - be it at a store, or a mechanic, or banks, etc - hands it over and points sign here, then sign there, etc etc.

And they're usually like minimum 5+ pages in tiny print.

It annoys me and makes me feel uncomfortable, and I just sign away not knowing what I signed.

I've always assumed that I can just null whatever I signed if it's unreasonable, but I'm not sure anymore.

I wish they mail things like that to read at home.

What do you guys do?

Take it home and then bring it back if it is too long, or I am all feeling pressured to sign right then and there

 

[justalayman]

You should have seen me at my house closing. They hated it when they started handing me pages to sign and I would take each one and read it. When prompted to sign, I said after I read everything and understand it.

If they didn't want to wait, they should have sent me everything a week ahead of time so I could read it.



If you sign a contract, it will be accepted that you read and understood the contract. Claiming ignorance of the contents of the contract in an attempt to void it will not fly.

If you want to take the time to read it, do so. If they want your money, they will wait.

 

[confused14law]

If they want the sale that bad, they will give you all the time you need to read everything. Dont feel pressured.

 

[cosine]

Annoy them back and actually READ the contract, word for word ... out loud.

 

[CourtClerk]

Annoy them back and actually READ the contract, word for word ... out loud.

AGREED!!!!!

I don't feel pressured by other people, so I just take my time and read what I have to read. If they feel like they have something else to do while I read it, they are free to go ahead and do whatever else they need to do.

This is why I like to finance my cars through my bank. They send home the loan docs and the blank check, then you read, sign and write the check at your leisure.

 

[Ben@drcotliar]

I read the full contract as well, without regard to the seller.

I tell them to give me a few minutes while I look it over. Then I start getting rid of the arbitration clauses.

May I ask how you accomplish this? In my experience, it is nearly impossible to simply strike specific clauses from prearranged contracts. The only option I have ever been given is to reject the contract in its entirety, and forgo the contract.

 

[cosine]

May I ask how you accomplish this? In my experience, it is nearly impossible to simply strike specific clauses from prearranged contracts. The only option I have ever been given is to reject the contract in its entirety, and forgo the contract.

I was once given a contract to sign for a short term employment gig to set up a network and servers for a hosting company. One of the terms in the contract said I cannot go to work for a competitor for a year afterwards. But since (at that time) my entirely livelihood was doing this for these kinds of companies (and this was the 4th one I did), I simply struck out the clause. The CFO at first said that he'd have to send it back to the lawyer to re-approve and that would cost $250. I said "just read what I struck out yourself and you'll see it makes no sense for me to agree to such a thing because I'd be out of work for a year". He did and I worked for them for the full term and ended on good terms.

YMMV depending on who and what the contract is about.