Wise Up Wednesday: Urgent Advice For Subcontractors
Video and Other Advice for Subcontractors. It’s ‘Wise Up Wednesday’ and we just want to let you know that it’s business as usual at StreetwiseSubbie as we are all working safely from home, or with only a single person in the office if need be.
Video Advice For Subcontractors On Taking Action To Protect Your Business – Coronavirus
I have recorded a short video which should be uploaded to our site today Wednesday 1 April 2020. And no it isn’t a joke!
Nor is this devastating virus and you MUST take action to protect your commercial and contractual interests or your business will suffer or go broke!
The video will be here: Video Advice Protect Your Business but please come back later if it isn’t there when you click through, as I promise it will be there as soon as possible.
Last week’s Wise Up Wednesday stressed the importance of taking action to ensure your interests were protected in the light of the coronavirus pandemic. The video summarises what we have said thus far.
Please accept that if you do not protect your contractual interests properly you will be making a bad situation worse by getting clobbered for delays because you can’t get to site (locked down), or half your team or subcontractors are self isolating,or getting the blame when you withdraw your labour.
And, whilst I directed everyone to this link on our website; Don’t Let Coronavirus Destroy My Business!
… and said that doing nothing is not an option, what I need to stress is that doing the wrong thing is not a good idea either!
What I said was that there is no single “one size fits all” answer.
What you need to do depends on the specific details of your contract and what the Employer, Main Contractor or Customer is doing.
You cannot adopt a blanket approach to this.
Every contract, every situation will be different.
LET ME REPEAT THAT: you must look at each individual situation and contract and tailor what you say, or do accordingly.
Doing The Wrong Thing Is Worse Than Doing Nothing!
THE SITUATION IS VOLATILE We are already getting feedback that shows that despite the top brass of various companies saying they are doing the right thing, their army of commercial managers and QS’s are making sure that they pass all the financial consequences down to their supply chain!
And despite Some of the feedback we have had, is that despite our advice people are looking for an easy solution that they can apply.
And whilst this may be being done with the best of intentions, in certain cases saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, may actually give the unscrupulous Contractors an opportunity to say that what you have said amounts to a repudiatory breach of contract.
The consequences could be the immediate termination of your contract and no further payment for literally months!
So, please take the contractual side of things very seriously indeed and please do not think that this is going to be simple and straightforward, or that common sense and fair play will prevail…
… it might, but it might just as easily go very wrong, very quickly!
Negotiate With Your Suppliers and Subcontractors
Obviously this has to be done very carefully and diplomatically, but you should talk to everyone you owe money to whether that be your subcontractors or suppliers.
You should try and limit the flow of money out of your business in just the same way as you are trying to maximise the flow into the business. It isn’t going to be easy and every situation is unique so don’t think there is one simple way you can do this.
If you are fair and reasonable and honest, then you should be able to reach appropriate agreements.
BE PREPARED FOR A LOCKDOWN!
Whilst the government have recommended that everyone that can work from home should do so, and whilst the current madness of keeping sites open continues for the moment, there is inevitably going to be a full lockdown, there has to be at some point.
So, please make sure that you, or someone in your team has access to every contract that you are working on currently, or have money outstanding on.
Because when you need help, the first question we are going to ask you is what does the contract say? And if you can’t answer that question because you can’t get to the office to get it, then it is impossible to advise you!
And if anyone advises you differently, then run a mile from that advice!
Advice For Subcontractors. Protecting You And Your Business
Our specific focus, our business, is all about protecting the interests of Specialist Contractors, Trade Contractors and Subcontractors in the construction industry.
So, please minimise the commercial and contractual risk to the future of your company.
Please read; Don’t Let Coronavirus Destroy My Business!
And Please Donate Your PPE
This bit is inspired by the brilliant work of Martin Rigley MBE and his firm in donating PPE.
The NHS would welcome donations of;
- FFP 2 or FFP 3 Masks
- Visors or goggles
- Nitrile gloves
- Disposable overalls
If anyone can help please contact your local A&E which you can find here; Accident and Emergency
And please share this message as widely as possible. Come on construction lets show em what we can do!
#goingaboveandbeyond #nhs
Call Our Helpline Sooner Rather Than Later
Our friendly team are on hand to ensure that you get the help and support you need. Call us on 01773 712116 or email here.
Please take on board what we saying, his is not some scaremongering BS, because I see first hand what happens to naive Subcontractors.
Take action now to protect your business, your team, and your family.
Stay safe.
Advice For Subcontractors – Ask Streetwise.
Remember it’s all too easy to ignore this and put your business at risk. Please don’t do that. Give our friendly team a call on 01773 712116, or email here today.
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