Articles

Construction Contracts Act 2002 – Are resubmitted invoices capable of being payment claims?

I wish to review the September 2016 decision of Auckland Electrical Solutions Limited v The Warrington Group Limited.  This was a claim that started as a summary judgment application in the District Court where summary judgment was declined.  It ended up before Justice Downs in the High Court. Factual background.  The Appellant (Auckland Electrical) sent [...]

Liability of a cladding supplier/manufacturer Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 – Strike out application fails – Carter & Ors v Metal Design Solutions Limited & Mico New Zealand Limited.

In this month’s article I wish to focus upon a decision where the liability of a supplier/manufacturer was considered under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.  This was an interlocutory decision as to whether to strike out the claims brought in negligence, and under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, on the basis that that they were [...]

In Response to Mike Fox – Retentions under the Construction Contracts Act 2002 .

In last month’s article Mike Fox brought to the attention of readers his concerns with the amendments made to the Construction Contracts Act 2002 (CCA), which bring into play a new retentions regime.  These amendments come into force from 31 March 2017.  I wish to more fully outline the regime to be introduced and comment [...]

Construction Contracts Amendment Act 2015

In this final article of 2015, I wish to summarise changes brought about to the Construction Contracts Act 2002 (“the Act”) by operation of the Construction Contracts Amendment Act 2015 (“the Amendment Act”).  The Amendment Act was given royal assent on 22 October 2015.  Many of the changes come into force on 1 December 2015, [...]

Carring out building work without a building consent – Tan v Auckland Council

In this month’s article, I wish to review the recent decision of Tan v Auckland Council.  The Appellant Mr Tan had been charged by the Auckland Council with one charge of carrying out building work without a building consent contrary to section 40 of the Building Act 2004.  By way of background section 40 states:- [...]

Professional Indemnity Insurance – limitations to cover – quantity surveyors.

  In the first article for 2016 I wish to look at a recent Court of Appeal decision JCS Cost Management Limited v SR Johnson & QBE Insurance (International) Ltd which shows the limitations that come with professional indemnity cover.    Facts. In this decision, (which was an appeal from a High Court decision in [...]

Building suppliers potentially liable to end users in negligence/Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.

Carter Holt Harvey Limited v Minister of Education. In this month’s article, I wish to summarise the key findings contained in the aforementioned Court of Appeal decision.  Facts. Many schools located around New Zealand owned or administered by the Ministry of Education have been affected by weathertightness.  The Ministry filed a product liability claim in [...]