A nationwide facilities maintenance company claimed £320,000 from a housing association whose housing stock it had maintained. There were a huge number of invoices involved. The association claimed the work had either not been done, had been done shoddily or had been double charged.
Taking the case to trial would have involved a major accounting exercise and much expert evidence. Lovetts therefore used the Construction and Engineering Protocol to bring about payment. This involved providing information and documents to the association's lawyers and, upon receipt of its reply, answering the queries raised.
A meeting of the parties and their lawyers took place at which Lovetts took a tough line against certain doubtful arguments raised by the association. The meeting broke down when Lovetts carried out their threat to walk out. Rather than face the prospect of legal proceedings, the association then paid £290,000 to settle the dispute.
Back
