contracts? <p></p><p> Yes. Any party to any (written) construction contract entered into on or after May 1 1998 has the right to take any dispute (meaning any material difference) to adjudication. </p><p> This came in with Part II of the Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. This covers more than just construction contracts or subcontracts for work and materials - it also covers professional agreements for design or project management etc.</p><p> All of the standard published building contract and professional agreements contain provisions for adjudication, as do most of the in-house forms we see, but the right to adjudicate cannot be avoided simply by not mentioning it. It is obviously best to set out the adjudication provisions so that everyone knows where they are but if nothing is said or if the written provisions do not comply with certain requirements of the Act, then a government adjudication scheme (published with the Act) will be implied into your construction contract. </p><p> All of the compliant procedures differ slightly but they must all provide that notice of intention to refer a dispute can be given at any time and then a timetable to secure appointment of an adjudicator within seven days …