We’ve had a few conversations recently regarding issues with claims. In all cases these issues could have been resolved or avoided if adequate contemporaneous records had been taken.

Many times, records consist of a couple of lines in a site diary or programme marked up to show progress.

How are few lines supposed to support your position & marking up what you have done doesn’t give the reader any information as to why the delay occurred or its consequences.

Remember those who have the best records have the greatest chance of success, so treat them seriously & take the time to record issues properly.

Here are a few tips, to ensure proper record keeping:

• They should record issue, the causes & the consequences
• They should be written so that someone unfamiliar with the project can understand the issue
• They should be contemporary
• They should contain marked up programmes highlighting the delay & its consequences

And, don’t underestimate the power of photos. You all know the saying a photo says a thousand words, it can & there’s no refuting it. We all have cameras on our phones so there’s no excuse.