New JCT Minor Works Contracts

Last week the first of the 2016 crop of new JCT Contracts landed on our desks.

Three new documents arrived:

• the Minor Works form;
• the with contractor’s design version; and
• the sub-contractor’s design version.

All are updates from the 2011 forms.

The revisions are not merely cosmetic, there are real and significant changes. The wording in several places is altered so its clearer.

Highlights include the authority of the Architect/CA being more clearly set out; the liability on sub-contracting more simply set out; CDM updated so Amendment 1 is no longer necessary; the payment clauses restructured and the interim payment and final payment processes put into plainer English; the insurance wording broadened and definition of insolvency leading to termination simplified.

The list above is only an indication of some of the changes. Do not assume the 2016 form is just 2011 rebadged.

There is a useful tracked change version of  the Minor Works form to draw on.

Hopefully this gives you a starting point to work from.