The Christmas and New Year’s holiday is almost here and is often a well-deserved break for those in the building and construction industry.
Unfortunately, deadlines which fall on or around this period can be a potential source of stress, confusion and conflict for owners, developers and contractors alike and if missed, can result in financial burden. Pay special attention to any specified timeframes and the definition outlined for the terms ‘working days’, ‘business days’ and ‘days’.
Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (BIF Act), grants an entitlement to progress payments, establishes a procedure for making and responding to payment claims and enables the use of a statutory charge in favour of subcontractors for the work they do.
For the purpose of the BIF Act, the period between 20 December 2021 and 10 January 2022 are not business days.
Make sure you are on the front foot with any potential contract issues and chat with a lawyer if you need clarification.
It’s also important to keep your staff in the loop in the lead up to your office closure. Make sure team members know when your business is closed and direct any concerns or queries to the right person. Having a seamless and robust communication process in place in the lead up to your Christmas Shutdown, can help reduce potential issues and confusion when you are closed.
Do you need some legal help in the lead up to your Christmas Shutdown? Contact our team for a no-obligation chat.