How to resolve a construction dispute

Any work that you have carried out on your home or business premises must meet strict standards. These standards are called the building regulations.

The planning department in your local authority enforces these regulations. You will have to make an initial planning application for your construction work that will later be inspected to ensure it complies with all the building regulations that impact upon it.

Bad worksmanship

If your building work fails any of the building regulations you may be able to begin a construction dispute with the builder or contractor that completed (or didn’t complete) the work for you.

You should, as a consumer, be confident that any work carried out on your behalf will meet all current building laws and regulations. If the work you have paid for doesn’t, beginning a construction dispute could enable you to claim compensation.

Compensation

A claim for compensation within a construction dispute will be based on a number of factors. You should have a complete and comprehensive contract with your builder or contractor.

Using this document can often ensure your dispute is successful as your solicitor can show that your builder or contractor did not complete the work they were contracted for.

Moreover, your solicitor can argue that your dispute is based on shoddy workmanship that does not meet current building regulations - something that you would expect your builder or contractor to be fully aware of.

A construction dispute is very much like any other dispute over breaches of contract. It is critical that you have legal representation. If your builder or contractor is a member of a trade body, they are likely to be supported with legal representation.

Your solicitor can give you not only an initial opinion of the likely success of your case, they may also be able to give you an indication of the level of compensation you could win if your case was successful. Never try and bring a construction dispute case without legal representation as these cases can often become highly complex.

If you would like to obtain legal advice about building disputes, Contact Law can put you in touch with a local specialist building regulations / construction solicitor free of charge. So, if you have any questions or would like our help in finding local building regulations / construction solicitors please call us on 0800 1777 162 or complete the web-form above.

Last Updated on 11/01/2013