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Construction matters blog
Construction: what to expect in 2021
18 Jan, 2021
Whilst the news at the moment seems relentlessly depressing, January gives us an opportunity to take stock of what has gone before. The impact that 2020 had on the construction...
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Construction matters blog
The new VAT reverse charge mechanism for construction services
11 Jan, 2021
From 1 March 2021, after a year and a half delay, a domestic 'reverse charge' will be introduced for specified construction services. Under the new legislation, the recipient of...
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Construction matters blog
Professional indemnity insurance premiums go sky-high following the Grenfell tragedy
15 Jan, 2020
Who needs PI and what is it? Professional indemnity insurance is taken out to protect professionals in the construction industry in the event of a negligence claim, as very few...
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Construction matters blog
Modular builds and (in)adequate payment mechanisms
16 Dec, 2019
Bennett (Construction) Ltd v CIMC MBS Ltd (formerly Verbus Systems Ltd) [2019] EWCA Civ 1515 Modular builds are undoubtedly resolving persistent issues in construction projects...
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Construction matters blog
Is down still the new up or have we seen the end of the "bankers' bunkers" boom?
7 Nov, 2019
Few people will have pounded the pavements of London in the past few years without bumping into a soil-removal conveyor pouring a continuous stream of rubble into an awaiting skip...
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Construction matters blog
Raising the roof: legal issues in off-site construction
18 Oct, 2019
Articles in the construction press often discuss the advantages and disadvantages of modular/off-site construction methods. But, the height of 101 George Street suggests, quite...
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Construction matters blog
Approved inspectors in 2019 - tough gig
26 Sep, 2019
I imagine that approved inspectors across England and Wales collectively sighed in relief when Waksman J in the Court of Appeal ruled that "... an Approved Inspector ... has no...
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Construction matters blog
No oral modifications - worth the paper they're written on?
18 Sep, 2019
Commercial contracts will often contain provisions relating to variations and amendments. Typically such provisions require all variations to be in writing and signed by both...
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Construction matters blog
Beep beep: VAT reverse charge reversing
10 Sep, 2019
Further to our previous blog published on 5 September, please note that the government has, over the weekend, pushed back its decision to bring its new VAT reverse charge...
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Construction matters blog
New VAT reverse charge mechanism for construction services coming into force on 1 October
5 Sep, 2019
The UK government loses around £100m a year from construction companies failing to account to HMRC with accurate VAT revenues. As a result, it has decided to combat this type of...
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Construction matters blog
ConTech - a short lived fad or the future?
8 May, 2019
It is undeniable that society is undergoing a digital transformation in a bid to be more innovative, sustainable and cost efficient, and the construction industry is no...
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Construction matters blog
What does "practical completion" mean?
3 May, 2019
In most standard form building contracts, "practical completion" is not defined or not defined precisely. It is left to the contract administrator to certify it, using their...
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Construction matters blog
Interpreting contracts in the digital age
3 May, 2019
The way of doing things has been transformed by the digital economy. So much is now done online, from ordering food, buying goods, submitting tax returns, reading the news - the...
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Construction matters blog
Availability of liquidated damages - an update from the Court of Appeal
22 Mar, 2019
Most construction contracts contain liquidated damages clauses that provide the employer with a defined rate of compensation if a project is delivered late. But what happens if...
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Construction matters blog
Collateral warranties - just when you thought it was safe to go in the water again ...
1 Mar, 2019
Let us imagine a pretty typical development project. The scheme is a retail unit. The developer engages a main contractor. The unit is pre-let to a tenant on full repairing...
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Construction matters blog
SCL Kent Construction Seminar - 5 February 2019
17 Jan, 2019
Cripps Pemberton Greenish is delighted to be hosting the first of the SCL Kent Region’s 2019 seminars on 5 February. The speaker will be Ebony Alleyne, construction specialist at...
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Construction matters blog
Latest on Liquidated Damages
16 Jan, 2019
The recent case of GPP Big Field LLP v Solar EPC Solutions SL (formerly Prosolia Siglio XXI) [2018] EWHC 2866 (Comm) discusses some interesting issues affecting the application of...
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Construction matters blog
Public procurement and development agreements
30 Nov, 2018
he public procurement rules are complex. A Local Authority in particular has to find its way through a myriad of regulations to ensure that what it is doing is lawful. First of...
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Construction matters blog
Cripps Pemberton Greenish Annual Construction Seminar 2018
22 Nov, 2018
Unfortunately, the threat of insolvency has once again raised its head in the construction industry. The industry saw 2,633 company insolvencies in 2017. The number of construction...
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Construction matters blog
Kent Construction Expo, 4 October 2018
11 Oct, 2018
James Lee and I made our annual trip to the Kent Construction Expo last week and enjoyed it as much as ever. It was good to see the Event Centre busy and lively, with delegates...
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