JUSTICE REPORT – PROTECTING THE HOUSEHOLDER AGAINST DEFECTIVE BUILDING WORK

Justice, the UK section of the International Commission of Jurists, held a meeting in the House of Lords on 4 December to review its report, “Protecting the householder against defective building work”. The main thrust of the report (£4.50 from Justice, 0171 327 5100) is to recommend that builders undertaking work over a threshold value should not be entitled to recover the price unless registered under an approved warranty scheme, and actually providing a warranty under such a scheme, and that the Defective Premises Act 1972 be extended to cover all building work (not merely work in connection with the provision of a dwelling) other than work of a purely decorative or cosmetic nature. The suggested threshold is between £1,000 and £5,000 and there are some other detailed recommendations.