Legal Comment – Page 95
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Comment
Disputes in the desert
With construction wrangles in Dubai likely to increase, you’ll need to know how to go about resolving them …
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CommentDraft Construction Bill: I’m amphibious about it
The reform of the Construction Act will probably right some obvious wrongs, but why couldn’t it have been written in plain English? Take the payment rules for instance …
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CommentGalliford Try vs Mott MacDonald: A sense of loss
If a consultant causes a contractor economic damage, does it have to compensate the wrong party even if there is no contract between them?
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CommentLet’s ditch the training levy
The ConstructionSkills levy is making enemies and criminals out of contractors and not getting much training done either. There must be a better way …
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CommentRecord keeping: The art of self-defence
Conscientious record-keeping can give you invaluable ammunition should you want to blame others when things go wrong. Worth every dull moment
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CommentFramework contracts: The people vs Camden council
Government agencies are encouraging local authorities to adopt strategic procurement arrangements but the courts are taking a dim view of them
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CommentA slippery slope
A recent order by a judge for a party to reveal its insurance details has sparked concern that claimants will now be able to request this information all the time
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CommentVictorious losers
EU rules insist that public contracts be run in a fair and open way. So, if you miss out, and you think the client wasn’t fair, you can ask a court for damages. A lot of damages …
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CommentDomestic builds: Identifying the rogue element
Things often go awry with domestic projects, but they may not always be the fault of cowboy builders
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CommentOlympic hopeful
Never trust an Olympic Delivery Authority until you can see the white of its balance sheet. On the strength of this, Tony Bingham is quite encouraged, actually
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Comment
Sharpening the knives in Dubai
Despite the number and scale of construction projects in Dubai, disputes have been few and far between. But several recent changes could set the lawyers’ phones ringing
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CommentExpert determination: Oi, Brünnhilde, you’re on
Overturning a decision made by an expert in a dispute-deciding ‘expert determination’ is like trying to roll a fat lady up a hill while singing Siegfried – well, anyway, terribly hard
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CommentMisery: Crest Nicholson vs Mr & Mrs Western
So you buy a new house, find some flaws, get nowhere with the builder and go to arbitration. At which point your troubles really begin …
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CommentPFI: Opportunity still knocks
Although PFI disaster stories receive a fair bit of publicity, they haven’t dissuaded contractors from signing up
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CommentChina special: dispute resolution
The Chinese legal system is improving rapidly, but foreign parties still need to approach its dispute resolution procedures with caution
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Comment
China: the tendering process
China’s fledgling tendering process has overcome many of its teething problems, but is still unsuited to large complicated projects. Here’s how it works
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CommentThe accidental criminal
New trading regulations that target misleading marketing are there to catch the rogues. But their remit is so broad you could inadvertently commit an offence, too
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CommentLiving in sin: Haden Young vs Laing O'Rourke Midlands
The dangers of contractor and subcontractor co-habiting out of wedlock were highlighted when Hayden Young went to work for Laing O’Rourke on Coventry City’s Ricoh arena
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CommentCome again: Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
The EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive hasn’t had much of an impact so far. So now the EU is rushing out a more ambitious successor …
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CommentLook who’s footing the bill
Using outsiders to bankroll disputes has been treated with some suspicion by the courts. But the construction industry would be well advised to explore it