Can a contract be changed by email?
Only if the contract allows it. Many contracts require variations to be in writing and signed by both parties, and courts will generally enforce that requirement.
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Variation agreement (England and Wales)
A variation changes the terms of a contract that has already been signed — extending the term, changing the price or adding new services — while leaving the rest of the contract in force. It should identify the original contract, set out each change precisely, and be signed in the way the original contract requires.
When you need one
Use one whenever the parties agree to change a signed commercial contract. It is not for varying a will or an estate, which is a different kind of document.
What it should contain
Original agreement
Its title, date and parties.
The variations
Each change, clause by clause.
Effective date
When the changes take effect.
Continuation
Everything else in the original contract stays the same.
Formalities
Signed as the original's variation clause requires.
Points specific to England and Wales
- Many contracts say they can only be varied in writing signed by both parties, and the Supreme Court confirmed in Rock Advertising v MWB (2018) that such clauses are effective. A variation needs consideration unless it is made by deed; Be Contract Wise prepares it as a signed agreement in which each party agrees to the changes and a nominal sum is paid, which provides it.
Different rules can apply elsewhere in the UK: see the Scotland version of this guide.
Common mistakes
- Agreeing changes by email when the contract says variations must be signed in writing.
- Vague changes that do not say which clause is amended.
- Forgetting that a guarantor's consent may be needed.
See a specimen variation agreement — a short illustration of the structure and key clauses, laid out as the app produces them.
Quick answers
Does a variation replace the original contract?
No. It amends the specified clauses, and the rest of the original contract continues unchanged.
Draft your variation agreement now
Be Contract Wise's powerful, carefully prepared drafting tools turn a short set of plain-English questions into a variation agreement under the law of England and Wales, laid out to a professional standard, with an explanation of every clause. Simple or complex, export to Word or PDF.
Start drafting — freeBrowse all guidesReviewed 2026-09-24. General legal information about the law of England and Wales, not legal advice.