Construction

Government provides welcome advice on fire safety in residential buildings

The Government’s Expert Panel has now issued a consolidated advice note on fire safety following the Grenfell Tower tragedy. The note provides guidance for building owners to act on and highlights the importance of doing so promptly to ensure the safety of residents. The new guidance consolidates the 22 Advice Notes issued in the wake […]

Can a Company in a CVA Enforce an Adjudication Award?

In Indigo Projects London Ltd v Razin & Anor the Court declined to enforce an adjudicator’s decision as it would interfere with the accounting exercise of Indigo’s Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA).

Court of Appeal shuts the door on insolvent companies adjudicating

Fladgate acted for the successful respondent in MJ Lonsdale v Bresco. The Court of Appeal decision was handed down this morning. The judgment will inevitably impact on the construction industry. Digby Hebbard and Oliver Tobin discuss this important decision.

‘Practical Completion’ – Is your definition practically complete?

‘Practical Completion’ (PC) plays an important role on construction projects, often signifying the release of retention monies, ending the contractor’s liability for liquidated damages, commencing the defects liability period and passing possession of the works to the employer.  The term is almost universally used in the construction industry, yet, despite its significance, is not legally defined and is readily left undefined in building contracts.  What then does the term PC actually mean?

Professional negligence for gratuitous services

In Burgess & Anor v Lejonvarn [2018] EWHC 3166 (TCC), the Technology and Construction Court (TCC) has rejected a negligence claim against an architect for gratuitous services which she provided for her friends in connection with a landscape gardening project.

Found you! – Peering behind the corporate veil

In dismissing a defendant’s ‘corporate veil’ defence, the High Court has made it clear that it can and will allow claims to be made against directors and shareholders in the appropriate circumstances (Palmer Birch v Lloyd & Anor [2018] EWHC 2316 (TCC).

Duty of care – buyer beware!

A recent decision of the Technology and Construction Court emphasised the challenges a claimant faces establishing a duty of care in the absence of a contractual relationship.

Building safety, flammable cladding, and the Hackitt report

The fire at Grenfell Tower that took place in June 2017 resulted in 71 deaths and a large number of further injuries. Following the fire a number of inquiries and reviews were set up, including an independent review of fire safety and the current Building Regulations. This review was led by Dame Judith Hackitt and […]

Limitation for contribution claims – take care

In commercial disputes, it is not unusual for the claimant’s losses to be caused (or contributed to) by a number of different parties. For instance, the claimant may have elected to pursue the party with the deepest pockets, or the loss may have been caused by one of the defendant’s subcontractors. In such circumstances, the […]

Who should pay for replacing flammable cladding?

First legal case raises more questions than answers The first case on liability for the costs of replacing flammable cladding provides little comfort to lessees. The call by a first tier tribunal for the introduction of a warranty scheme to meet the repair costs was made after acknowledging that litigation on this issue is unlikely […]