Maintenance firm sues North Norfolk District Council for £104,000

A property maintenance firm wants North Norfolk District Council to pay it £104,000 for terminating a contract after accusing the firm of health and safety breaches.

Colchester firm Roalco is suing the council for not paying bills relating to repair and maintenance work on buildings, car parks and beach areas in North Norfolk.

The Essex firm completed dozens of jobs for the council, many under £5,000, from December 2006 and would also advise the authority when other works in the area were necessary.

But in a writ filed at the Technology and Construction Court, Roalco claim the council stopped paying invoices on 4 December 2007 and now owe it £104,000.

On 30 November 2007 the council wrote to Roalco alleging health and safety breaches on some of its work sites.

It terminated all contracts with the firm, although there were no express or implied terms that allowed it to.

In a letter to Roalco, the council said the payment of invoices would be withheld until it dealt with all the alleged breaches.

Roalco claim the council has paid only £246,571.49 of a £351,298.11 bill and is seeking payment plus interest.