With new office and residential building work taking place around the Island, the ways in which owners and lessees can protect themselves against potential defects caused by the contractors and their professional team is particularly topical. This briefing explains how a site owner or lessee of a new building can introduce duty of care deeds, otherwise known as collateral warranties.

The owner of a site has entered into an agreement with a contractor to develop that site - as offices, for example – with the usual facilities including car parking.

If the owner is prudent he will have already made an arrangement with someone to lease the premises once they are complete. The lease, as is usual these days, would be fully repairing/insuring.