Changes to the Construction Act

In this free webinar IBB Solicitors’ Partner Paul Brampton explains how the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 will make far reaching changes to the Construction Act, and how day-to-day payment procedures and the rules on suspension and adjudication will be affected. He will also examine the impact on the development and construction industries and looks at the simple steps that companies can take to avoid falling foul of the new rules.

The Construction Act 1996 became law on 1 May 1998. At the time Building magazine described it as “the most significant piece of legislation to hit the industry for decades”. It was a legislative result of the 1994 Latham report and was intended to make payment practices fairer, introducing industry-wide adjudication, which was intended to be faster and cheaper than litigation and arbitration for resolving disputes. Few construction practitioners can say that they have not been affected by the legislation – it has been a very prevalent part of the landscape for the past 13 years. But this is all set to change on 1 October 2011.

Paul Brampton has been a specialist construction and engineering solicitor for 15 years and advises on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious work. He is ranked as a leader in his field in the Chambers legal directory and his work is recommended in the Legal 500. Paul holds a degree in civil and structural engineering, and has written for Building Magazine, Construction News, Legal Week and the Financial Times. He sits on the Committee of the London Constructing Excellence Club.