What is it about hotel refurbs that means they so often end in dispute? The ultra-posh Dorchester Hotel engaged Vivid Interiors, part of Morgan Sindall, for works and now they are in a spat about the final account. Vivid's draft final account was issued in March last year and there was the usual toing and froing over the next nine months. Then, come 12 December, Vivid served a notice of adjudication. The "referral" arrived on 19 December. The box contained 37 lever arch files and a 92-page referral notice. A little tag said "Happy Christmas". The fact that folk go on holiday at Christmas is just hard luck. So by my calculation Vivid is entitled to the adjudicator's decision by 20 January 2009. Now comes the real row.
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