Defects liability meaning

This Flowchart explains what the requirements are for industrial action to qualify for statutory immunity under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (TULR(C)A 1992), as amended by the Employment Rights Act 2025 English law confers no positive entitlement to organise or take part in industrial action. As a matter of common law, such action is ordinarily unlawful. A trade union that calls industrial action will typically commit one or more of the so‑called economic or industrial torts. Individuals who join the action will frequently breach their contracts of employment. Statute nevertheless intervenes to grant a union immunity from tortious liability when organising industrial action, but that protection is bounded by substantial and intricate statutory requirements. Industrial action that satisfies those requirements is treated as protected. Where statutory immunity does not arise, or is lost, the action is unprotected. The ramifications for a union of initiating industrial action that lacks statutory immunity can be significant, with the possibility of damages being awarded against it and/or...

The FTT decision As noted in a previous Insight, the proprietor of Vista Tower ('Grey') applied for an RCO against the building’s original developer and 95 additional parties who met the definition of ‘associated persons’ due to shared directors during 2017 to 2022. The owner requested an order requiring the respondents to cover both historic and forthcoming costs to rectify fire safety defects, estimated at over £20m. The FTT granted that relief, on a joint and several liability basis, against 75 respondents. The appeal Certain respondents appealed on these grounds: whether the Tribunal can make RCOs rendering multiple respondents jointly and severally liable for the same overall sum, or whether it must make individual orders against each respondent for a specifically identified amount. whether the Tribunal misdirected itself on the “just and equitable” test, given that for many respondents there was no demonstration that they participated in the relevant development or obtained remuneration from it, and that the Tribunal improperly required respondents to...

In this issue: Building safety JCT contracts Adjudication Contract law Collateral Warranties Procurement Projects Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Construction trackers Building safety Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report On 4 September 2024, the Grenfell Tower Inquiry released its Phase 2 report into the fire at Grenfell Tower, which took place on 14 June 2017. The document aims to explain how the blaze was able to travel so rapidly, within a brief timeframe, through a residential building. It outlines shortcomings across numerous institutions, organisations and individuals over many years, whose combined failures brought about the disaster. The report concludes that the tragedy was the culmination of decades of failings by central government and other bodies with responsibilities within the construction industry...

In this issue: Building safety Procurement in construction Arbitration Planning in construction Infrastructure projects Tax for construction lawyers Construction industry news LexTalk®Construction: a Lexis®Nexis community Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Construction trackers Building safety Building liability orders—‘anticipatory’ orders and adjudication decisions (Crest Nicholson v Ardmore) In Crest Nicholson Regeneration Limited v Ardmore Construction Limited [2026] EWHC 789 (TCC), the TCC handed down what seems to be only the second judgment considering an applicant’s right to a building liability order (BLO) under section 130 of the Building Safety Act 2022. The applications arose from a dispute concerning fire safety and other defects at a residential scheme in Portsmouth. The applicants asked the court to grant: (i) ‘anticipatory’ BLOs against multiple defendants, making them jointly and severally liable for any liability the first defendant may ultimately be found to owe under section 1 of the Defective Premises Act 1972, or...

MF/2 MF/2 sits within the IET and Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ suite of Model Forms. It is intended for domestic (UK) or international agreements dealing solely with the supply of electrical, electronic or mechanical plant, and its full name is MF/2 Model Form of General Conditions of Contract for use in connection with home or overseas contracts for the supply of electrical, electronic or mechanical plant. The core terms have remained unchanged since 1999, save for amendment slips addressing the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 (C(RTP)A 1999) and proposals to align it with MF/1 revision 5. Depending on the contractor’s scope and site characteristics, MF/2 can amount to a contract for ‘construction operations’ and fall within the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 (HGCRA 1996). It contains no adjudication provision and its payment terms do not satisfy those statutory controls—such provisions would need to be added by adapting comparable wording from MF/1. See Practice Notes: What is a construction contract under the HGCRA 1996? ...

This practice note addresses the 2nd Edition of the Burgundy Book, released in 2013, with particular emphasis on its role as a target cost form. In line with all IChemE agreements, the Burgundy Book contains thorough requirements for testing at completion and for commissioning, making it especially well suited to process engineering sectors such as nuclear, water, petrochemicals, and food. The suite adopts an almost entirely uniform structure across clauses, presentation and schedules. Departure from the standard drafting occurs only where needed to set out the mechanism delivering the risk/reward regime—in this instance, remuneration on a target cost footing. See also Practice Notes: IChemE Conditions 5th Edition—‘Red Book’ and IChemE Conditions ‘Green Book’ 4th Edition. Nature of Target Cost Contracts Target cost denotes that the contractor receives payment of the ‘actual cost’ it incurs (as defined), akin to a reimbursable arrangement but constrained by an agreed target cost. Where the actual cost surpasses the target, any additional sum payable to the contractor is reduced—often to nil. If the...

This training pack offers template PowerPoint decks with accompanying notes, intended for trainers when delivering a general introduction to the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA 2022). It covers: the background and overview of BSA 2022, the Building Safety Regulator, dutyholders, the Higher-Risk Building Regime, and claims and liabilities arising from building safety defects and construction products. The materials are available in both PowerPoint and Word file formats and are fully customisable throughout...

The Contract comprises the completed Standard Building Contract Without Quantities for use in Scotland 2016 published by the SBCC subject to the following amendments: Recitals and Articles updated: contractor to provide a master programme and Schedule of Information Requirements; CDP responsibility accepted; Principal Contractor duties priced; arbitration deleted; Schedule of Amendments prevails; Third Party Agreements duties. Contract Particulars: arbitration entries removed; Rectification Period set at 12 months; fluctuations and certain PII/guarantee entries deleted. Conditions: key definitions revised (Practical Completion, Copyright Material, Design sub‑contractors, Funder, Site); Scottish jurisdiction; approvals mean principles only; entire agreement; variations in writing. Design/materials/programming: contractor accepts ER/CP; quality and non‑deleterious materials; programme reporting; site risk; drawings/info supply; tighter discrepancy notices. Time/defects: mitigate and advise on delay; narrower Relevant Events; Practical Completion clarified; stronger rectification, consequential damage and indemnity; phased as‑built/occupation information. IP/confidentiality/BIM: broader licence, moral rights waivers and delivery; confidentiality reinforced; BIM where adopted. Management/sub‑contracting: access, approved Site Manager, meetings; prescribed sub‑contracts; collateral warranties/third‑party rights; CDM duties; insurance...

The Contract comprises the completed Standard Building Contract With Approximate Quantities 2016 published by the JCT subject to the following amendments: This Contract adopts JCT SBC/AQ 2016 with extensive modifications to reflect design responsibility, building safety and commercial controls. Recitals: Contractor to provide a master programme and Schedule of Information Requirements; confirms site due diligence and accepts full CDP design liability. Articles: Dutyholder Regulations added; Tender Price covers Principal Contractor duties; arbitration removed; Schedule of Amendments prevails; strict protection of Third Party Agreements. Definitions/governance: new and revised terms (Building Safety Regulator, HRB, Practical Completion, Copyright Material, Design Sub‑contractors, Dutyholder Regulations); several deletions; English court jurisdiction. Design/materials/information: skill‑and‑care design and coordination; only new, compliant, non‑deleterious materials; golden thread storage; monthly programme reporting; site risks at Contractor’s risk. Procedures/controls: tighter instruction, testing, defects and as‑built duties; enhanced confidentiality and IP licences; HRB assistance; CDM/Dutyholder competency confirmations. Sub‑contracting/rights: prescribed sub‑contracts, insurances and delivery of collateral warranties/third‑party rights; limits on assignment. Payment/commercial: 28‑day final...

Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ], [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) ], whose registered office is at [ address ] [ together with an address for service in England and Wales at [ address ] ] (the Landlord); [ name of Tenant ], [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) ], with its registered office at [ address ] [ and an address for service in England and Wales at [ address ] ] (the Tenant); [ [ name of Guarantor ], [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) ], having its registered office at [ address ] [ and an address for service in England and Wales at [ address ] ] (the Guarantor) ]...

Retention Retention describes the portion of interim payments the employer withholds as security for the contractor’s future performance of its duties and to encourage the contractor to discharge those duties in full and properly. For further details, consult the Practice Note: Retention of payment in construction contracts. When retention is to be released to the contractor depends on the particular contract terms for the project. Typically, half of the retained sum is paid out at practical completion, with the balance thereafter following completion of any remedial works for defects reported within the defects liability period. Consequently, if these milestones are reached before the final certificate is issued, the contractor may have a right to seek payment of some or all of the retention...