Adjudication
Introduced in 1998 by the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 as an alternative to court proceedings, adjudication offers a quick, straightforward and relatively informal way of resolving disputes arising out of construction contracts, binding on the parties unless and until challenged in court or arbitration.
With decisions made typically within 28 days of the case being referred to an independent adjudicator, and with no limit on the value of the dispute, adjudication is a commercially attractive option to many clients.
The 28-day time limit means that parties involved need to be highly organised and resourceful if they are to be successful. Defendants may have to prepare a defence to a major claim in a very few days, while claimants need to be ready to deal with a substantial defence at very short notice.