Construction Disputes Solicitors

Adjudication under the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 gives you a binding decision within 28 days of referral, on a pay now, argue later basis that courts enforce through summary judgment with only narrow grounds for resistance.

If you are a developer, contractor, or subcontractor caught in a dispute over payment, defects, or delay in England and Wales, adjudication is usually the fastest route to a binding outcome, provided you serve the right notices at the right time under the Construction Act. Our corporate and commercial law solicitors advise employers, contractors, and subcontractors on construction disputes, and our multilingual team can manage the English law position clearly where a party to the project is based overseas.

What does our construction disputes service cover?

Construction disputes move on tight statutory and contractual timescales, and missing a deadline can decide the outcome before the underlying merits are even argued. We advise and act on:

Statutory adjudication under section 108 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, representing referring and responding parties.
Enforcing adjudicator’s decisions through the courts, and defending enforcement on natural justice or jurisdiction grounds.
Payment disputes, including serving and challenging payment notices and pay less notices under the Construction Act.
Defects claims, including remedial cost claims and claims under the Defective Premises Act 1972.
Delay and extension of time disputes, including liquidated damages claims under standard form contracts.
Disputes arising under JCT, NEC, and bespoke construction contracts.
Final account disputes between employers and contractors, or between contractors and subcontractors.
Building Safety Act 2022 claims relating to fire safety and building defects in higher-risk buildings.
Arbitration and litigation where adjudication does not resolve a construction dispute permanently.

Why choose Law Lane Solicitors for construction disputes?

A construction dispute referred to adjudication runs to a strict statutory clock, appointment within seven days and a decision within 28, and preparing a referral or a response within that window takes the same discipline we apply to a completion deadline on a corporate transaction. Our company and commercial team has the procedural fluency to build a case that holds up within that timetable, not just legal argument that would work if there were months to prepare it.

We give you a straight assessment of your position under the specific contract and notices in play, rather than generic advice that ignores the procedural traps built into construction law. We act decisively in adjudication, where delay costs you the initiative, and we bring the same rigour into enforcement proceedings, arbitration, or litigation where a dispute needs a final resolution. As a full-service firm, we also advise on the wider corporate and insurance issues that can accompany a construction dispute.

Get in touch

If you are an employer, contractor, or subcontractor, our commercial team can advise you on the strongest and most cost-effective way forward. Phone 020 7870 4870 or email info@lawlanesolicitors.co.uk to make an appointment.

Got any questions?

* Required

"*" indicates required fields

“We had a great experience with Tahira during our commercial lease renewal. She was professional, responsive and provided clear advice throughout what was a fairly complex process. We really appreciated her commercial understanding and attention to detail. Highly recommended.“ – A (July 2026)

Frequently Asked Questions – Construction Disputes

How does statutory adjudication actually work?

Under section 108 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, either party can refer a construction dispute to adjudication at any time, and the contract must provide for an adjudicator to be appointed within seven days of the notice of adjudication and to reach a decision within 28 days of referral, extendable by up to 14 days with the referring party’s consent. The adjudicator’s decision is often described as ‘pay now, argue later’, because it is binding and must be complied with immediately, even though either party can still pursue litigation or arbitration afterwards to finally resolve the dispute. We represent both referring and responding parties through the full 28-day timetable.

Is an adjudicator's decision final, or can it be challenged later?

An adjudicator’s decision is temporarily binding, meaning it must be honoured immediately, but it is not final and can be reopened in litigation or arbitration, or superseded by agreement between the parties. Courts will enforce an adjudicator’s decision through summary judgment, and will only refuse enforcement in limited circumstances, such as a breach of natural justice or the adjudicator acting outside their jurisdiction. We advise on both enforcing a favourable adjudication decision and on the narrow grounds available to resist enforcement.

Can I withhold payment from a contractor?

Under the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, you can only withhold payment if you serve a valid pay less notice by the deadline set out in the contract, otherwise you risk having to pay the full sum stated as due in the payee’s payment notice. Getting the notice timing or content wrong is one of the most common and costly mistakes in construction payment disputes, and has repeatedly been tested and enforced strictly by the courts. We advise on serving compliant notices and on challenging notices served against you.

What can I do if a contractor's work is defective?

Your options depend on what the contract says about defects, but generally include requiring the contractor to rectify the work, withholding payment to the extent permitted by a valid pay less notice, or claiming damages for the cost of remedial work. The Defective Premises Act 1972 and, for newer defects in higher-risk buildings, the Building Safety Act 2022 can also provide additional routes to a claim depending on the property and the defect. We assess which route gives you the strongest and fastest remedy, alongside or instead of adjudication.

How much does an initial consultation cost?

We offer a fixed-fee initial consultation for construction dispute matters. At that meeting, we listen to your situation, identify the legal issues, and explain the steps and costs involved. Get in touch to arrange a time.