Tag Archive for: security of payment act

AMENDMENTS MADE TO THE SECURITY OF PAYMENT REGIME IN NSW – WHAT BUILDERS NEED TO KNOW

/in

Further reforms to the Building and Construction Industry Security for Payment Act 1999 (NSW) (the Act) have been proposed with the Building and Construction Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 (the Bill) and in the Building and Construction Legislation Amendment Regulation 2022 (the Regulation). The Bill outlines various proposed amendments in relation to the role of adjudicators, the threshold of value of projects when triggering retention funds, and regarding the process of serving payment claims.

Proposed Amendments

The following are the key proposed amendments:

  • The introduction of an ‘adjudication review model’ will allow claimants and respondents to request a review of an adjudication determination.
  • There will be a significant reduction in the threshold of the value of projects in triggering retention funds from $20 million to $10 million.
  • Payment claims which are served on owner occupiers will need to attach a Homeowners Notice information to the payment claim to ensure homeowners understand the SOPA provisions relating to payment claims and to outline the consequences of non-compliance.
  • Increasing the powers of adjudicators in engaging experts to investigate aspects relevant to the adjudication.

Adjudication Review Model

The adjudication review model will allow claimants and respondents to request a review of an adjudication determination.

However, there will be some restrictions in applying for a review of a determination. The determined amount must be:

  • Equal or greater than $100,000 of the scheduled amount; or
  • Less than $100,000 of the claimed amount.

While this amendment will allow parties to have a determination reviewed in specific circumstances, it will also add a layer of extra time and cost to the adjudication process. This is despite security of payment processes generally being considered a timely and less expensive means to resolve payment claim disputes.

Decrease in Threshold When Triggering a Retention Fund

The threshold of the value of a project which requires a retention fund will be reduced from $20 million to $10 million. This will allow for greater protection of retention funds held for the benefit of subcontractors, especially in circumstances where the head contractor becomes insolvent.

New Requirements for Payment Claims

The Bill has proposed changes with respect to the issuing of payment claims to homeowners, with the new requirement that there be a Homeowners Notice enclosed.

The Homeowners Notice will include information regarding the reason that the payment claim is being issued, the correct procedure in responding to the payment claim, and the consequences of disregarding the payment claim.

The Homeowners Notice has been proposed due to the level of uncertainty among homeowners who are unfamiliar with the security of payment regime. It is inferred that issuing a Homeowners Notice will allow homeowners to adequately understand the procedure under the security of payment regime and respond appropriately.

Strengthening the Powers of Adjudicators

The Bill endeavours to afford adjudicators further power in settling disputes. In brief, the powers will extend to adjudicators engaging an independent expert to investigate the relevant works and provide a report indicating their findings.

To Consider

In light of the proposed amendments to the security of payment regime, it is crucial that those who are involved in the construction industry are aware of the proposed changes and, if implemented, take note of the date the legislation will be in effect.

Please click the following link to access the Bill and Regulation:

Regulations link

Bill link

The Importance of Distinguishing Domestic Works in Construction Contracts- Applying the Victorian Security of Payment Act to Contracts for Mixed-Use Developments

/in

Overview

The application of the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2002 (SOP Act) and the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 (DBC Act) were considered in the recent decision in Piastrino v Seascape Constructions Pty Ltd [2022] VSC 20, which emphasises the importance of avoiding ambiguity when drafting contracts, particularly when it involves domestic building work or mixed-use development projects. Clear drafting can protect builders under the SOP Act and limit the likelihood of the contract being excluded under the Act as “domestic building” works.

The Facts

A construction contract was entered into between Seascape Constructions (Builder) and Mr and Mrs Piastrino (Owners). It was agreed that the following works were to be completed:

  1. The construction of four apartments;
  2. Modifications to be made to a hair salon; and
  • The installation of a car stacker.

Following a dispute between the Builder and the Owners, the Builder issued an Adjudication Application under the SOP Act.

The Owners disputed this application on the basis that the SOP Act excludes domestic building contracts as per section 7(2)(b) which provides that the Act does not apply to:

a construction contract which is a domestic building contract within the meaning of the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 between a builder and a building owner (within the meaning of that Act), for the carrying out of domestic building work (within the meaning of that Act), other than a contract where the building owner is in the business of building residences and the contract is entered into in the course of, or in connection with, that business.

The determination concluded that the SOP Act did in fact apply and that the adjudicator therefore had jurisdiction to issue a determination under the SOP Act.  The adjudicator’s reasoning included consideration that the Owners were in the business of building residences and that the above exception applied.  The Owners applied to the Court for a certiorari to override the adjudicator’s determination.

Proceedings

Three questions arose when the Court considered whether the exclusion in section 7(2)(b) applied in the above-mentioned circumstances.

Mixed-Used Developments and Domestic Building Work

The first question was whether the exception under section 7(2)(b) regarding mixed-use developments applied. Namely, if there was domestic building work in addition to work of a different nature that had been distinguished in the contract.

Under section 12(2) of the DBC Act, a builder is only entitled to payment for carrying out domestic building work if the builder clearly identifies and distinguishes:

(a) the domestic building work from the other work or reason; and

(b) the amount of money the builder is to receive under the contract as a result of carrying out the     domestic building work from the amount of money the builder is to receive under the contract as a result of carrying out the other work or for the other reason.

It was found that the Contract did not distinguish the domestic building work from any other kind of work.

As a result, the Court applied the “dominant character” test in determining whether the construction works under the Contract were considered domestic building work, upon which the SOP Act would apply to the entirety of the contract. As the Contract involved the construction of apartments, the Court held that the dominant character of work was that of domestic building work, meaning that the exclusion under section 7(2)(b) could potentially be applicable to the contract as a whole.

The Business of Building Residences

Although the Owners had a minor victory in relation to the first question with the Court concluding that the building works were not considered “mixed-use developments”, it was held that despite this, the Owners were in the business of building residences and that the construction contract was entered into in connection with that business. Though the Owners had not previously engaged in the business of building residences, their initial intention of entering into the Contract for the purposes of contracting and leasing the apartments for profit in the future was found to be in the course of business. It was further found that the commercial scale and nature of the project to redevelop the property and the long-term objective of holding the property as an investment aligned with the scope in relation of business of building residences.

Accordingly, the section 7(2)(b) exclusion of the SOP Act did not operate in the favour of the Owners and the application for certiorari to quash the adjudication determination was denied.

 

To Consider

As highlighted in this matter, it is crucial that builders distinguish “domestic building work” as required under the DBC Act. This is to avoid a potential fine under the act, in addition to preventing pecuniary losses in circumstances where the “dominant character” of the work is found to be domestic building work, the consequences of which would potentially lead to the construction contract, as a whole, being excluded from section 7(2)(b) of the SOP Act. Likewise, even when carrying out domestic building work, it is important for principals to consider the nature of the construction contract at hand and be aware that the SOP Act could potentially apply to the project.

How security of payment mistakes can turn the tables in a negotiation

/in

We recently assisted a contractor client on a major infrastructure project in Queensland who was engaged in the early stages of dispute with the principal.  The contractor claimed to be entitled to significant additional time and costs under the contract, yet was facing a principal who:

  1. was generally unwilling to engage and properly consider the contractor’s claims; and
  2. had routinely failed to correctly apply contractual provisions.

Some of our client’s claims had been under consideration or assessment for several months and when decisions were ultimately made, reasons for those decisions were scarce or demonstrated the principal’s failure to properly consider the claims and apply the contract.

Strategy

We developed a without prejudice paper for the contractor to submit to the principal.  This paper set out in detail the contractual and evidentiary basis for the contractor’s claims and included the provision of expert reports where necessary.  The claims were ultimately put to the principal by contractual notices and open letters, which were then being discussed and negotiated between the parties.

One of the strategies we recommended was submitting these claims for assessment as part of a payment claim made under the Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld) (BIFA).  On previous occasions, the principal had failed to state or properly explain why the amount proposed to be paid in relation to certain claims was less, including their reasons for withholding any payment, as required by section 69(c) of the BIFA.

Accordingly, our view was that the principal may again slip-up by giving inadequate reasons in respect of certain claims, meaning that the contractor would be in a good position to run an adjudication.  This is because section 82(4) of the BIFA would operate to prohibit the principal from including reasons for withholding in any adjudication response that were not included in the payment schedule.

We assisted the contractor in formulating and submitting the payment claim, which claimed the significant additional costs that had been put to the principal via the without prejudice paper and contractual notices.

The principal’s mistake

As it transpired, the principal failed to serve a payment schedule within the time required under the BIFA.  The principal was only one business day late.  Nevertheless, this meant that the principal would become liable to pay the full claimed amount on the due date for payment under the BIFA[1].

The scheduled amount given by the principal was markedly less than the claimed amount.  While the principal had given some reasons in respect of some additional costs claims, the payment schedule ultimately served (and the arguments made within it) could not be relied upon by the principal for the purposes of the BIFA.

Our client was free to recover the full claimed amount as a debt due and owing in the Supreme Court of Queensland[2].  The principal would not be entitled to bring any counterclaim in those proceedings, nor raise any contractual defence to the action[3].

Letter of demand and engaging with the principal

We drafted an open letter of demand from the contractor to the principal, highlighting the mistake and advising that if payment of the full claimed amount was not received on or before the due date for payment under the BIFA, the contractor would take necessary steps to recover[4].

The next letter we assisted with was a without prejudice letter which set out why the principal’s position as put in the payment schedule was incorrect and demonstrated a failure to properly apply the contract.  This is important because the principal would be liable to pay the full claimed amount under the BIFA, however the BIFA provides the parties with interim rights only.  It would be open to the principal in future to exercise contractual rights to engage in dispute resolution and ultimately litigation.

Progress of negotiation

The principal’s level of engagement with the contractor increased noticeably once there was recognition that they were now liable to the contractor for the full amount claimed and could soon be the listed defendant in judgment debt proceedings for the full amount.  It was now in the principal’s best interests to try to cut a deal with the contractor to avoid the embarrassment and adverse financial impact of court proceedings.

The contractor was now in a position where it all but literally had the disputed sums in its pocket in the ensuing negotiations and discussions.  It was now up to the principal to work through the various claims and supporting documentation that the contractor had provided and come to the contractor with a reasonable settlement offer to avoid proceedings.

Furthermore, the principal was effectively forced to step into the shoes of a plaintiff should it wish to commence a contractual dispute that the contractor had been overpaid to overturn or circumvent the outcome of the BIFA.  Running this dispute would take a great deal of time and effort for the principal.

The contractor advised that the principal’s engagement on the issues had drastically increased in without prejudice discussions.  The principal had now given indications when it would revert to the contractor with assessments and offers on claims.

We recommended that any agreement reached in discussions be formally documented by a succinctly drafted deed of settlement and release.

We regularly assist construction industry participants Australia-wide in contractual disputes and security of payment processes.  Please feel free to get in touch if you would like assistance with these issues.

[1] Section 77(2) of the BIFA.

[2] Section 78(1) of the BIFA.

[3] Section 100(3) of the BIFA.

[4] The first step would be serving of a “warning notice” as required by section 99 of the BIFA.

Statutory duty of care – don’t get caught out by a poorly drafted claim.

/in

The Supreme Court’s decision in The Owners – Strata Plan No. 87060 v Loulach Developments Pty Ltd (No.2) provides useful insights into the newly created statutory duty of care by section 37 of the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW) (Act).

Recap of the Duty of Care

The Act was enacted in 2020 and introduced significant legislative changes to the building industry. One such change was the creation of a statutory duty of care owed by any person who carries out construction work to exercise reasonable care to avoid economic loss caused by defects:

  • in or related to a building for which the work is done; and
  • arising from the construction work.

The Act states that this duty of care is owed to each owner of the land on which the construction is carried out. The duty of care extends to all subsequent owners of that land.

The duty of care operates retrospectively in that it applies to economic loss caused by a breach of duty of care if the loss first became apparent within the 10 years immediately before the commencement of the duty of care.

How to correctly plead a claim for a breach of the duty of care?

When the statutory duty of care was first enacted, there was uncertainty among the legal profession on how a claim for a breach of the statutory duty of care should be pleaded, and what elements and evidence will be required to successfully prove economic loss arising from a breach.

The Supreme Court in The Owners – Strata Plan No. 87060 v Loulach Developments Pty Ltd (No.2) has provided clarification on this matter.

Facts & Issues

In this case, the Owners alleged that there were a number of large defects in the works performed by the developer and builder, Loulach. The Owners claim was based on the alleged breaches of statutory warranties implied by the Home Building Act 1989 (NSW).

The Owners subsequently sought leave to amend their claim to also include a claim for an alleged breach of the statutory duty of care.

The Owners argued that the mere fact that there was a defect in the building, established that the defect was a result of the breach of the statutory duty of care, and had Loulach not been negligent, there wouldn’t be defects.[1]

Loulach opposed leave being granted to the Owners to plead its case in this way and contended that whilst there was no dispute that a duty of care existed, the proposed pleading did not properly articulate the breach of that duty.[2]

The Court agreed with Loulach and rejected the Owners’ position.[3]  The Court noted that the Owners’ argument posed difficulty as it was unclear what breach the Owners were alleging in relation to each item of the Scott Schedule.[4]

For instance, one of the defects in the Scott Schedule was identified as “Unit 5- Bathroom: Corrosion affecting the door jambs”. But what was the breach of duty alleged to have caused the corrosion? Was it:

  • installing the wrong PC item; or
  • installing the wrong lining; or
  • something else?

A similar difficulty was present in most of the 451 defects identified in the Scott Schedule.

Decision

The Court held that Act is designed to remove the hurdle for the Owners to establish that a duty of care is owed, and it is not intended to provide a shortcut manner in which a  breach of that duty might be established.[5]

In that sense, a party looking to claim a breach of the statutory duty, must also prove the other elements of a negligence claim in order to show a breach and then losses from that breach.

A claim for negligence, must satisfy the following elements:

  1. That a duty of care existed between the parties; and
  2. That the duty of care was breached; and 
  3. That the breach caused loss.

Section 37 of the Act simply answers the first element; however a party must also answer the balance of the elements in order to succeed on their claim for a breach of the statutory duty of care. There is no provision in the Act to suggest that a mere fact of a defect establishes breach.[6]

Furthermore, a claim for negligence also requires a party to identify the “risk of harm” and show that the person who owed the duty of care knew, or ought to have known of the risk of harm and failed to take precautions against a risk of harm that a reasonable person would have.

In this case, the Court was not satisfied that the Owners’ proposed pleading:

  • showed that the statutory duty of care was breached;
  • identified the specific risks that Loulach was required to manage; and
  • the precautions that should have been taken to manage those risks.

It was not sufficient for the Owners to simply assert a defect and allege that Loulach was required to take whatever precautions were needed to ensure that the defect not be present.

Therefore, the Court refused the Owners’ application for leave to amend their claim to include a claim for a breach of the statutory duty of care. It was also noted that the required degree of specificity may have been achieved if the Owner’s List Statement referred to the Scott Schedule and the Scott Schedule was revised to include further information regarding each defect, the relevant risk and what the Owners contend Loulach should have done in relation to that risk.[7]

Key Takeaways

The statutory duty of care established by the Act can provide an extremely useful remedy for parties such as the Owners, however, such a claim should be carefully drafted to avoid the risk of missing out because of a poorly drafted claim.

All three elements must be established for a party to succeed in a claim for a breach of statutory duty:

  • that a duty of care exists (this is automatically proven by existence of section 37 of the Act); and
  • that the duty was breached; and
  • that the breach caused harm (loss or damage).

We regularly assist parties which may find themselves either in the position of the Owners or Loulach. We can assist you with preparing your claim for a breach of the statutory duty of care, or help you defend a such a claim brought by an owner. For specialist and tailored advice, please contact a member of our team by phone on (02) 9030 7400 or by email at info@bradburylegal.com.au.

 

 

[1] [20] – [22] The Owners – Strata Plan No 87060 v Loulach Developments Pty Ltd (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1068.

[2] [19] The Owners – Strata Plan No 87060 v Loulach Developments Pty Ltd (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1068.

[3] [23] The Owners – Strata Plan No 87060 v Loulach Developments Pty Ltd (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1068.

[4] [24] – [34] The Owners – Strata Plan No 87060 v Loulach Developments Pty Ltd (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1068.

[5] [35] – [36] The Owners – Strata Plan No 87060 v Loulach Developments Pty Ltd (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1068.

[6] [38] The Owners – Strata Plan No 87060 v Loulach Developments Pty Ltd (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1068

[7] [44] The Owners – Strata Plan No 87060 v Loulach Developments Pty Ltd (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1068.

Security Of Payment Reminder: Christmas Is Coming, But Adjudicator Shopping Is Not Permitted

/in

The Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act (NSW) (‘SOPA’) is touted as establishing a scheme of “pay now, argue later” which promotes the speedy payment of progress claims and resolution of disputes. While these objects do not prevent parties from serving multiple payment claims in respect of the same amount,[1] they do dictate that parties will not be permitted to reagitate the same issues at multiple adjudications. It is necessary to examine the circumstances in which a previous adjudicator’s finding will be binding in a subsequent adjudication.

 

Section 22(4) of SOPA

Section 22(4) of the SOPA provides a helpful starting point for this analysis. This section provides that where one adjudicator has determined the value of any construction work or of any related goods or services under a construction contract, an adjudicator in a subsequent adjudication must give the work (or goods or services) the same value as previously determined, unless satisfied that the value has since changed.

 

Back in 2009, the New South Wales Court of Appeal considered the effect of section 22(4) of the SOPA in the decision of Dualcorp Pty Ltd v Remo Constructions Pty Ltd.[2] Macfarlan JA held that section 22(4) is not an exhaustive statement of the matters determined by an earlier adjudication which are binding on a subsequent adjudicator. His Honour held that the Act as a whole “manifests an intention to preclude reagitation of the same issues”.[3]

 

Objects of SOPA

Section 3 of the SOPA sets out the objects of the Act: promoting the prompt making and payment of progress claims and speedy resolution of disputes. In Dualcorp, the court held that it would be inconsistent with this objective to allow a claimant who was dissatisfied with the outcome of an adjudication to obtain a fresh reconsideration of its claim by simply serving an identical payment claim. If this were possible, there would be no limit to the number of times a claimant could seek to reagitate the same issues at adjudication.[4] Clearly, such abuse would be inconsistent with the object of the legislation.

 

Did the previous adjudicator determine the merits of the issue?

A claimant will only be barred from reagitating an issue addressed in a previous adjudication where the adjudicator decided the merits of the issue. This point was emphasised by the New South Wales Supreme Court in Arconic Australia Rolled Products Pty Ltd v McMahon Services Australia Pty Ltd.[5] In that case, McMahon made three contentious payment claims describing costs for delay and variations. In a fourth adjudication between the parties, Arconic argued that McMahon was not entitled to reagitate its claim since it had been determined by the previous adjudicator.[6]

 

The Court followed the approach in Dualcorp[7] but clarified that the objects of the SOPA would only be frustrated where the first adjudicator had heard and decided the merits of the claim.[8] Here, the adjudicator had rejected the relevant payment claim as it was made prematurely by McMahon. Given that the adjudicator did not consider the merits of the claim, McMahon was entitled to reagitate the issues raised in that payment claim in a subsequent adjudication.[9]

 

Take home tips

Parties should be wary that they are not entitled to raise the same issues at multiple adjudications.

If you are claimant considering whether to proceed with a second adjudication application, you should carefully consider whether the merits of your claim has been determined by a previous adjudicator.

We can assist with advice regarding a previous adjudication determination and the prospects of seeking a further determination.

[1] SOPA s 13(6).

[2] [2009] NSWCA 69 (‘Dualcorp’).

[3] At [67].

[4] At [52].

[5] [2017] NSWSC 1114.

[6] At [3]–[9].

[7] At [13]–[15].

[8] At [29].

[9] At [31]–[32].

Case Study – Architect’s Adjudication

/in

In December, Bradbury Legal acted for a Queensland architecture firm in preparing an adjudication application against a builder for unpaid payment claims and variations claims. The architect was engaged to design an aged care facility in the New South Wales area. The builder sought to withhold over $200,000 from our client’s payment claim, citing back charges, defects, and unapproved variations.

In late October, our client submitted its payment claim for approximately $335,000. After issuing the section 17(2) notice, the builder certified just under $103,000, a difference of over $200,000. The Adjudication Application involved numerous late nights (including an all-nighter by Vinesh, Frankie, and Lachy), reviewing various documents, and drafting submissions and statutory declarations so that the Adjudication Application would be served before the Christmas shutdown period. In the end, the Adjudication Application totaled six folders worth of documents substantiating our client’s right to payment. This was a phenomenal effort by the Bradbury Legal team given the quantity of documents involved, the complexity of the issues, and the strict timeframes under the Security of Payment Act.

The Adjudicator awarded an Adjudication Amount of over $240,000 in favour of our client, representing an incredible result which the client was incredibly thankful for. The Adjudication Amount represented more than double the scheduled amount by the builder, promoting greater cashflow for the architecture firm.

Bradbury Legal is highly experienced in preparing and responding to adjudication applications. If you or anyone you know is struggling to be paid from a head contractor or developer or you have received an adjudication application, please contact Bradbury Legal.

Attention residential builders in NSW – big changes ahead from 1 March 2021 you will be able to use the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act to recover money owed by homeowners

/in

On 1 September 2020, the NSW Government released the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Regulation 2020 (2020 Regulation) which radically changes the way residential builders and homeowners resolve disputes in relation to outstanding progress claims after 1 March 2021.

Currently, section 7(5) of the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW) (the Act) and section 4(1) of the Act provide that the Act does not apply to owner occupier construction contracts, that is, contracts where the homeowners intend to live in the premises.  In these instances, residential builders cannot use the Act to recover outstanding progress claims due from homeowners.

This will all change on 1 March 2021 when the 2020 Regulation commences which will remove owner occupier construction contracts as a prescribed class to which the Act does not apply.

This means come 1 March 2021, residential builders will have a statutory right to payment and be able to serve payment claims on homeowners under the Act and apply for adjudication in relation to any outstanding progress claims.

This is a big game changer for residential builders as it will improve cash flow and mean that residential builders will be able to claim outstanding progress claims from homeowners without having to get involved in expensive and lengthy Tribunal and Court proceedings in order to get paid.

Whilst homeowners will still be entitled to bring a building claim in the Tribunal or Court for defective work and the like, such a claim will not defeat or delay residential builder’s entitlements under the Act.  This means that homeowners will be required to pay any amount awarded pursuant to an Adjudication Determination prior to the determination of any Tribunal or Court proceedings which will (in most cases) reduce in the issues in dispute in any Tribunal or Court proceedings.

What residential builders need to know now

The NSW Government has given residential builders and homeowners a transition period to adjust to these major reforms.  We suggest during this period residential builders should familiarise themselves with the Act and their contracts in relation to:

  • the requirements of valid payment claims including serving supporting statements with all payment claims where builders contract directly with homeowners;
  • the dates from and methods of service of valid payment claims;
  • identification of a valid payment schedules by homeowners;
  • review of your standard contracts to ensure that they comply with the minimum contracting requirements and minimum variation requirements under the Home Building Act 1989 NSW (HBA), as this may effect how an adjudicator assesses amounts payable under the contract so your paperwork has to be in order;
  • review your practices and procedures to ensure that you have the necessary resources to utilise the adjudication process and respond within the strict time frames. The benefit of this is that it will reduce the time and cost (in most cases) of litigation as an Adjudication Determination will usually be received within 21 days of lodging the Adjudication Application; and
  • get legal advice to set yourself up so you can utilise the Act and put yourself in the best position to get paid.

How the new 2020 SOPA Regulation will affect owner occupier construction contracts: the key changes that you need to know

/in

Following our article HERE that summarised the reforms introduced by the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Regulation 2020 (NSW) (2020 Regulation), this article explains in detail one of the key reforms.

Reform effecting owner occupier construction contracts

Currently, section 7(5) of the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW) (the Act) and clause 4(1) of the provide that the Act does not apply to the prescribed class of owner occupier construction contracts.

An owner occupier construction contract is a construction contract for the carrying out of residential building work (as defined in the Home Building Act 1989 (NSW)) on such part of any premises as the party for whom the work is carried out resides or proposes to reside in. Accordingly, for this type of construction contract, builders are not able to apply for adjudication if there is a payment dispute.

This position will change when Schedule 2 of the 2020 Regulation commences on 1 March 2021. Schedule 2 of the 2020 Regulation will omit the current clause 4(1) of the 2020 Regulation and remove owner occupier construction contracts as a prescribed class to which the Act does not apply. The effect of this is will be that the Act will apply to owner occupier construction contracts so that builders will be able to serve payment claims on owner occupiers under the Act and apply for adjudication.

What residential home builders and owner occupiers need to know

While the 2020 Regulation commenced on 1 September 2020 and currently provides that the Act does not apply to owner occupied construction contracts, it seems that the NSW Government has provided residential home builders and owner occupiers with a transition period to adjust to the reform.

The period from now until 1 March 2021 should be utilised to understand how the changes will effect residential home builders and owner occupiers. Importantly, both parties should be aware that:

  • Residential home builders will be able to serve payment claims pursuant to the Act on owner occupiers.
  • Owner occupiers should familiarise themselves with the Act as it will apply to contracts entered into for residential building work at their residence (or proposed residence). Most significantly, owner occupiers should be aware of the requirement to serve a payment schedule within 10 business days after the payment claims is served by the builder if the amount claimed is disputed and will not be paid in full. The consequences of not serving a payment schedule within the timeframe prescribed in the Act are serious and may compromise an owner occupier’s right to participate in an adjudication.
  • The due date for payments will be effected. In accordance with section 11(1C) of the Act, a progress payment becomes due and payable on the date on which the payment becomes due and payable in accordance with the contract or within 10 business days after a payment claim is made (if the contract has no express provision regarding the due date for payment).
  • As the adjudication process is relatively quick and cheap to recover progress payments compared to litigation (in some circumstances), it is likely that adjudication will become a popular method for resolving payment disputes under owner occupier construction contracts.

If you would like to discuss or would like any more information, please contact us at info@bradburylegal.com.au or (02) 9248 3450.

 

 

Spring is here and so is the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Regulation 2020

/in

On 1 September 2020, the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Regulation 2020 commenced (2020 Regulation) repealing the 2008 Regulation.

The 2020 Regulation will provide the legislative support and administrative detail for the operation of the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW) (Act) as provided by the amendments which commenced on 21 October 2019. These amendments came about to address poor payment practices and the high incidence of insolvencies in the building and construction industry and also, to facilitate prompt payment, preserve cash flow and resolve disputes quickly and efficiently.

The 2020 Regulation is not retrospective and will not apply to contracts entered into prior to its commencement date.

Key reforms of the 2020 Regulation include:

  • removing the annual reporting requirements for trust accounts to NSW Fair Trading,
  • introducing a requirement for head contractors to keep a ledger for retention money held in relation to each subcontractor and provide the subcontractor with a copy of a ledger at least once every 3 months or longer period of 6 months if agreed in writing, and also to provide trust account records to subcontractors if their money is held in trust,
  • supporting statements are only required for subcontractors or suppliers directly engaged by the head contractor,
  • removing owner occupier construction contracts as a prescribed class of construction contract to which the Act does not apply, and
  • introducing qualifications and eligibility requirements for adjudicators to improve the quality of adjudication determinations under the Act.  The eligibility requirements include either a degree or diploma in a relevant specified field with at least 5 years’ experience, or at least 10 years’ experience in a relevant specified field.  The continuing professional development requirements for adjudicators will commence on 1 September 2021.

Of particular note, the project value threshold (value of the head contractor’s contract with the principal) for retention money trust account requirements will not be reduced from $20 million to $10 million as previously foreshadowed. The existing threshold will remain. Perhaps, given the current climate, it was considered too much of an administrative burden on head contractors who are already dealing with the pressures of delivering projects during Covid. A copy of the 2020 Regulation is  here.

If you would like to discuss or would like any more information, please contact us at info@bradburylegal.com.au or (02) 9248 3450.

If you would like to receive our regular newsletters, please click  here.

When are settlement agreements concerning payment claims void under SOPA?

/in

If a respondent fails to issue a payment schedule in time, but the parties then reach a settlement agreement in relation to the payment claim and construction contract, can the claimant still pursue summary judgment for the full claimed amount due to s.34 of the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 (NSW) (SOPA)?

Facts

In Reward Interiors Pty Ltd v Master Fabrication (NSW AU) Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 1251, the claimant served a payment claim and the respondent did not respond within 10 business days as required by the SOPA.  The parties attended a meeting three weeks after the payment claim was issued and agreed to a reduced amount to be paid on the payment claim.[1]  The respondent paid the settlement amount the following day.[2]

The respondent then commenced proceedings against the claimant for damages arising from work performed by the claimant.

The claimant cross-claimed and sought summary judgment on the full payment claim amount. The claimant argued that s.34, which prohibits parties from contracting out of the SOPA, rendered the settlement agreement void.[3]

Decision

The claimant offered no authority for the argument that s.34 of the SOPA renders void settlement agreements which compromise a dispute concerning an amount claimed in a payment claim or the construction contract between the parties generally.[4]  The claimant had agreed not to move for summary judgment on the full claimed amount by accepting the reduced settlement amount.[5]

Stevenson J held that it was at least arguable that the settlement agreement was not rendered void because it acknowledged the operation of the SOPA, yet recorded the parties’ intention that in the particular circumstances their rights would instead be governed by their agreement.[6]  This did not constitute an ‘attempt to deter a person from taking action under’ the SOPA.[7]

Tips for binding settlement agreements on payment claims

The answer to the question posed in the introduction is no.  Assuming the settlement agreement seeks to properly compromise existing entitlements, it will not be voided by s.34 of the SOPA.

The terms should be clearly expressed and specific.  It should state that the claimant has agreed to accept the settlement amount in “full and final satisfaction” of the payment claim and claims made in the payment claim. The terms should provide that once the respondent pays the settlement amount, the claimant “releases” the respondent from any claims or proceedings in respect of the payment claim and claims made in the payment claim.

Where settlement agreement may be rendered void under s 34 is where it seeks to exclude or restrict rights or entitlements arising in the future.  For example, where the parties simply agree (without more) that the claimant will have no entitlement to submit further payment claims.

Of course, the respondent should always serve a proper payment schedule (scheduling nil or a reduced amount and giving reasons) in response to a payment claim, even if confident in securing a settlement, in order to avoid the type of argument raised in Reward Interiors.

[1] At [11].

[2] At [14].

[3] At [15].

[4] At [19].

[5] At [23].

[6] At [24] and [26].

[7] At [25], re s.34(2)(b).