Arbitration Practice in Construction Contracts

Since it came into force on 31 January 1997 the Arbitration Act1996 has generally been welcomed by users and practitioners in theconstruction industry. It has fulfilled expectations that it wouldprovide a user-friendly and practical basis of resolving disputesarising from construction contracts in a fair, expeditious andeconomical way. In doing so it has generated a modest volume ofcase law that has demonstrated the excellence of the Act'sprovisions and its drafting. Since the Fourth Edition of this book appeared in 1997 theHousing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 with itsScheme for Construction Contracts Regulations 1998 have come intoforce, as have the Civil Procedure Rules 1998, both of which affectthe resolution of disputes arising from construction contracts.Case law has arisen from the Construction Act, and from the Houseof Lords' judgment in the Beaufort Developments case, overturningthe much-criticised judgment of the Court of Appeal in Crouch. In this Fifth Edition of an established text the author dealswith each stage of an arbitration, explaining in practical termsthe procedures to be adopted in avoiding disputes and in dealingwith them efficiently when they do arise. It features over 20specimen arbitration documents and includes the full text of theAct. It also covers several important developments in case lawaffecting construction arbitrations, and refers to the introductionand case law arising from adjudication under the Housing Grants,Construction and Regeneration Act 1996.