Contractor insolvency is continuing to dominate headlines with the recent announcement of the Stewart Milne Group entering administration. By August 2023 as many as 35 construction firms had gone under since June – 29 went under in July alone, six more than in July 2022.

With contractor insolvencies on the rise, we’re providing five essential tips to manage contractor insolvency in construction contracts and to avoid pitfalls. In all circumstances of insolvency, it is important to seek the right legal and commercial advice to avoid making a bad situation worse.

Background

The claimant, Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Limited, sought judgment for £3,316,487.55 to enforce an adjudicator's decision in its favour against Carmarthenshire County Council.

Better late than never, the Third Party (Rights Against Insurers) Act of 2010 finally came into force in an amended form on 1 August 2016. It applies across the UK, with minor variances between Scotland and England and Wales. The Act updates third party creditors’ rights against insurers under the 1930 Act of the same name, permitting a streamlined and more cost-efficient procedure for creditors’ claims against insurers in circumstances where the insured company/ individual which took out the liability insurance has suffered an insolvency event.

Historic Position

The insolvency of one or other of the parties to a dispute has become commonplace in recent times, particularly in construction related disputes. Practitioners are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about the implications of insolvency on procedure and the potential remedies available.