Grenfell Tower: Government dismisses conflict of interest concerns over chair of independent buildings review – The Independent

‘There is no “conflict of interest” over a former role held by the woman leading a probe into building regulations in the wake of the Grenfell disaster, the Government has said.’

Full Story

The Independent, 9th August 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Supreme Court rules on contractor’s liability for design – OUT-LAW.com

Posted August 4th, 2017 in construction industry, contracts, energy, guarantees, news by sally

‘A warranty provided by construction company MT Hojgaard (MTH) that the underlying works would have a service life of 20 years took precedence over conflicting terms in the contract, including adherence to industry standards, the UK’s highest court has ruled.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 3rd August 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

HMRC policy on VAT and student accommodation is wrong, says Tribunal – OUT-LAW.com

Posted August 3rd, 2017 in construction industry, HM Revenue & Customs, news, universities, VAT by tracey

‘There is “absolutely no basis” for an HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) policy that the VAT treatment of supplies made in relation to a building by a sub-contractor depends upon the treatment adopted by the main contractor, the UK’s First-tier Tribunal has decided in a case concerning student accommodation.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 3rd August 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Law firm should have warned property investor clients of “Mafia risk”, CA rules – Legal Futures

‘A law firm with offices in Italy and England has lost its appeal against a High Court ruling that it was under a duty to warn British and Irish property investors of the risks of investing in a part of Italy associated with organised crime.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 2nd August 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Building regulations to be reviewed after safety tests following Grenfell – The Guardian

‘The government has announced an independent review of building regulations after tests showed that at least 82 residential high-rises use a combination of insulation and cladding that does not meet fire safety standards.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 28th July 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Crossrail worker death: Firms fined £1m for safety breaches – BBC News

Posted July 28th, 2017 in construction industry, fines, health & safety, news, railways by tracey

‘Companies working for Crossrail have been fined £1m for three sets of failures, one of which led to the death of a construction worker.’

Full Story

BBC News, 28th July 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Leaseholds on new-build houses in England to be banned – The Guardian

Posted July 25th, 2017 in construction industry, housing, leases, news by sally

‘Builders are to be banned by the government from selling houses as leasehold in England and ground rents on flats could be cut to zero following widespread outrage over exploitative contracts.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 25th July 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Rogue builder jailed for tricking homeowners out of thousands of pounds – Crown Prosecution Service

‘A rogue builder who tricked homeowners out of hundreds of thousands of pounds has today (20th July) been jailed for fraud.’

Full Story

Crown Prosecution Service, 20th July 2017

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Issues highlighted by GB Building Ltd v SFS Fire Services Ltd – Hardwicke Chambers

‘Practical completion is a key concept in any construction project. It has a significant impact on a party’s rights and obligations, and represents a major milestone in the overall project timetable. Under the majority of construction projects, it marks the point at which the clock starts running for the overall transfer of risk from the contractor to the owner.’

Full Story

Hardwicke Chambers, 30th June 2017

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Disclosure and production in construction cases – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted May 16th, 2017 in civil procedure rules, construction industry, disclosure by sally

‘The evolution of the CPR in the wake of the Jackson reforms included the well-known introduction of the “menu” of disclosure options at CPR 31.5(7). The net effect was to promote, as appropriate and applicable, a movement away from well-established “standard” disclosure to a more tailored approach. With the accompanying provisions of CPR 31 and its Practice Directions, the new approach to disclosure was designed to force parties (and the courts) to consider disclosure and production (and the best approach to adopt) at a very early stage.’

Full story

Hardwicke Chambers, 5th May 2017

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Construction v Insolvency: Adjudicators’ decisions will be enforced, despite a statutory moratorium – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted May 16th, 2017 in arbitration, construction industry, enforcement, insolvency, news by sally

‘The Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 (as amended)(“the Construction Act”) implies terms concerning payment and the right to adjudicate in construction contracts. Despite this Act being primarily concerned with construction contract issues, insolvency practitioners are becoming increasingly familiar with its provisions because of the rights to payment the Act creates. These rights are increasingly being used as a basis to commence insolvency proceedings.’

Full story

Hardwicke Chambers, 24th April 2017

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

The more things change, the more they stay the same – Hardwicke Chambers

‘Every time we think the courts might have given defendants in adjudication enforcement proceedings slightly more latitude in raising their dissatisfaction with an adjudicator’s decision, the court brings us back down to earth with a bump and reminds us that, in fact, no matter how hard done by our clients feel, they will have to “pay now and argue later”, save in the rarest of cases.’

Full story

Hardwicke Chambers, 27th March 2017

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

‘Reverse VAT charge’ proposed to tackle construction sector labour fraud – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 29th, 2017 in construction industry, fraud, news, VAT by sally

‘Contractors could become responsible for accounting for VAT on construction labour services that they purchase under plans put forward for consultation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 27th March 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Latest draft legislation on interest restriction more helpful for infrastructure and real estate, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 24th, 2017 in bills, construction industry, interest, news, taxation by sally

‘Amended draft legislation to restrict tax relief for interest payments includes changes to a new ‘public infrastructure’ exemption which will be helpful for infrastructure and real estate companies, according to a tax expert.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 21st March 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Paying your fair share: when can an adjudicator decide more than the notified sum must be paid? – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted February 7th, 2017 in arbitration, construction industry, contracts, housing, news by sally

‘Judgment in the case of Kersfield Developments (Bridge Road) Ltd v Bray & Slaughter Ltd, handed down on 19 January 2017, is a new authority in the line of case law providing guidance on the provisions governing interim payments in Construction Contracts in the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, as amended (“the Act”).’

Full story

Hardwicke Chambers, 2nd February 2017

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

JCT updates design and build contract, but uncertainty surrounds new loss clause, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 24th, 2017 in construction industry, contracts, news by sally

‘Changes to the Joint Construction Tribunal (JCT) standard form ‘design and build’ contract introduce new uncertainties for contractors around loss and expense claims, an expert has warned.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 24th January 2017

Source: www.out-law.com

Property developer ordered to pay £55k over listed building offences – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 19th, 2017 in construction industry, costs, fines, historic buildings, local government, news by tracey

‘A property development business, a director and a site manager have been ordered to pay more than £55,000 between them after removing historic fixtures in every room of a grade-II listed house in Lincoln without consent.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 17th January 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Works and quiet enjoyment – Nearly Legal

Posted January 5th, 2017 in construction industry, covenants, landlord & tenant, leases, news, noise, rent by tracey

‘Timothy Taylor Ltd v Mayfair House Corporation & Anor [2016] EWHC 1075 (Ch). It is a commercial property case, but has interesting elements on the way in which building works may be reasonably carried out.’

Full story

Nearly Legal, 4th January 2017

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Tribunal: ‘public interest’ need for social housing justified breach of covenant – OUT-LAW.com

‘A tribunal has agreed to a property developer’s request to modify a restrictive covenant preventing the use of land for anything other than car parking, even though the developer had already built social housing on the land in breach of that covenant.’

Full story

OUt-LAW.com, 6th December 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

Insurance surgery: A call to action over construction costs – New Law Journal

Posted November 29th, 2016 in construction industry, insurance, news, reports by sally

‘How can losses incurred from construction & engineering disputes be avoided, asks Paul Lowe.’

Full story

New Law Journal, 23rd November 2016

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk