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United Kingdom

Key definition

Dispute board definition

What does Dispute board mean? A dispute board is a panel appointed under a construction contract to help avoid and resolve project disputes by issuing recommendations or decisions on matters referred by the parties. It is a contractual mechanism (not defined by legislation), with its powers, procedures and the effect of its outcomes set out in the relevant contract, commonly standard forms such as fidic. Two main models are used: - Dispute review board (DRB): gives non‑binding recommendations. - Dispute adjudication board (DAB) and, in newer FIDIC forms, dispute avoidance/adjudication board (DAAB): issues decisions that are contractually binding, often on an interim “binding unless and until...

Dispute boards in construction: selecting and appointing members, standing boards and site visits, procedures and natural justice, interim-binding decisions, and FIDIC DAAB guidance and practice notes

Published by a LexisNexis Construction expert

Practice notes

Choosing to include a dispute board within a construction contract’s dispute resolution process is merely the starting point. Once the parties have reached agreement on using a board, attention has to turn to practical matters: who ought to sit on it, the procedure for appointing them, and the way in which the board will carry out its role in practice. This Practice Note addresses the selection and appointment of dispute board members, together with guidance on their operation after appointment.

Characteristics of good dispute board members

The initial issue for the parties is deciding who should serve on the board. In many agreements, a three-person board is standard, though some also permit a sole-member alternative. The fidic forms of contract illustrate this position; they set a three-member board as the default arrangement, yet give both parties the option to choose a single-member board instead. A single appointee quite plainly cuts costs alone, whereas a three-member panel brings a diversity of opinion, a broader spread of experience, and can lessen worries about possible partiality by diluting the influence of any one individual. Each option balances reduced expense against wider experience and enhanced perceptions of neutrality when resolving issues during a project...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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