Service and maintenance agreements – SLA, response time and liability
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A service agreement or maintenance agreement should describe more than just that the provider will “handle service.” A good agreement makes it measurable what is included, how quickly faults should be handled, how preventive maintenance is planned, and how responsibility, pricing, and follow-up work over time.
Quick Overview
- Define exactly which items, systems, or facilities are covered.
- Distinguish between preventive maintenance, corrective service, and project work.
- Specify SLAs with clear metrics for, for example, response time, arrival time, and restoration.
- Regulate spare parts, travel, on-call services, price adjustments, and items not included.
- Describe how faults, service visits, and deviations are to be documented.
| Scope | List equipment, locations, services, and explicit exclusions. |
| SLA | Define priority levels, service hours, response times, and restoration targets. |
| Maintenance plan | Determine intervals, checkpoints, and responsibility for booking and reporting. |
| Price | Fixed fee, hourly rate, on-call fees, materials, indexation, and payment terms. |
| Responsibility | Complaints, consequential damages, liability caps, insurance, and force majeure. |
SLA – from vague promises to measurable service levels
An SLA should specify what is being measured and from what point in time the clock starts ticking. There is a big difference between the provider having to acknowledge a case within two hours and the fault actually being rectified within two hours. The agreement should therefore distinguish between response time, arrival time, workarounds, and final resolution.
- Define support and service hours.
- Specify how critical faults are classified.
- Describe escalation when the SLA is not met.
- Determine what reporting the customer should receive.
Preventive maintenance and maintenance plan
Preventive service should be described with intervals, checkpoints, and responsibility for planning. If the provider is to leave protocols, measurements, or recommendations after each visit, this should be stated explicitly. This turns the agreement into a practical governing document for operations and follow-up.
Price, spare parts, and additional work
Many disputes arise because the parties have not separated the contract price from costs for materials, spare parts, travel, emergency call-outs, and work outside regular service hours. A price appendix should therefore state what the base fee covers and how additions are approved before costs are incurred.
Responsibility, documentation, and termination
Service failures can have major consequences if important equipment is down. The liability clause should be adapted to the business's actual risks and interact with insurance, complaint rules, and any liability caps. Also, regulate what happens to service history, keys, authorizations, and ongoing cases when the agreement ends.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Unclear what is included in the fixed fee.
- SLA lacks a definition of start and end times.
- Spare parts and travel costs are not regulated.
- No routine for changes in scope or price.
- The agreement lacks a handover plan upon a change of supplier.
Frequently asked questions
Are service agreements and SLAs the same thing?
No. The service agreement regulates the entire relationship, while the SLA is normally the part that describes measurable service levels and follow-up.
Should the maintenance plan be an appendix?
It is often practical. That way, intervals and checkpoints can be updated without having to rewrite the entire main agreement, provided that the change routine is clear.
Can the price be indexed?
Yes, if the parties agree to it. Specify which index is to be used, the base month, and when adjustments may occur.
What happens if the SLA is missed?
The agreement may, for example, include service credits, requirements for an action plan, or the right to terminate in the event of repeated material breaches.
Are liability caps needed?
In B2B agreements, liability caps are common, but the level and exceptions should reflect the actual risk profile and insurance coverage.
Template package for service and maintenance
Mallbutiken's package includes a service agreement, SLA structure, maintenance plan, price appendix, and user guide.
Read also
Sources and further reading
- Contracts Act (1915:218) – The Swedish Parliament
- Sale of Goods Act (1990:931) – The Swedish Parliament
Last updated: October 5, 2026. This article provides general information and does not replace individual legal, tax, or pension-related advice.
