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The Construction Leadership Council’s (CLC) covid-19 task force has published practical guidelines for all companies in the construction supply chain on how to avoid disputes during the coronavirus pandemic.
The CLC said there was “real concern” that there could be costly and long-running disputes over the effects of the outbreak on projects if there weren’t collaborative discussions to resolve issues.
The document published by the task force aims to provide examples of the types of issues that are likely to arise, together with practical advice on how to resolve them in a constructive manner. It is supported by a statement from government outlining its behavioural expectations between businesses.
Andy Mitchell, co-chair of the Construction Leadership Council, said: “In the light of the pandemic, it is vital that we all work together to minimise potential disputes in order to secure the industry for the long-term.
“As such we have worked across industry to develop practical guidance for businesses, which complements the approach already set out by the public sector.
“We welcome the endorsement of our approach from the UK government in its Guidance on responsible contractual behaviour in the performance and enhancement of contracts impacted by the Covid-19 emergency.
“This is a rapidly developing situation and we are continuously seeking feedback from industry on the challenges faced and the measures announced to date. “We anticipate that all businesses will understand the unprecedented situation we find ourselves in and work collaboratively, thus avoiding the need for future legislation.”
A full copy of the guidance can be found here.
