The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) is an independent, accessible and in some cases less expensive pathway to help resolve a construction contract payment dispute.
You can apply to QCAT for certain types of domestic and commercial building disputes including:
disputes about unpaid debts
performance of the works
contractual disputes.
A dispute may be between:
a building owner and a building contractor
two or more building contractors
various other consultants and suppliers.
You can apply to QCAT for commercial building disputes for amounts of up to $50,000 (or more if both parties agree) or for domestic building disputes of any amount.
QCAT cannot review an adjudication decision.
Before applying to QCAT
Before making a commercial or domestic building dispute application to QCAT, parties are required to participate in a dispute resolution process with the QBCC.
The QCAT process
An application to QCAT must be accompanied by a letter from the QBCC detailing the outcome of the dispute resolution process. Failure to do so could result in dismissal of the application.
In addition to lodging an application with QCAT, claimants should also consider the following options as a way to prompt respondents to pay:
