Contract disputes hit record high

The latest figures, from the Construction Industry Council, show that January also had the highest number of adjudication appointments ever seen in this month. A total of 11 were recorded.

Graham Watts, CIC chief executive, said the high figures were an indictment of the economic turmoil that had rocked the industry in recent months.

The CIC, which is a nominating body for adjudications for Joint Contract Tribunal contracts, has been forced to take on a new member of staff to cope with the high number of appointments.

“It is a sad fact of life that when the economy tightens, companies look to dispute resolutions for relatively mundane matters when previously they would have sorted it out among themselves,” said Watts.