Charlotte Heywood

Charlotte advises contractors, employers and real estate funders in resolving a wide range of construction, infrastructure, transport and energy disputes both internationally and domestically.  

She has experience in a wide range of sectors including: commercial, hospitality and leisure, infrastructure, residential, health and education, industrial and logistics and energy and power.  

• Rail dispute resolution

  • Maintenance Agreement  - Advising in respect of a £10 million dispute arising out of the interpretation of a maintenance agreement for rolling stock. 
  • Rolling Stock Manufacturer - Advising a rolling stock manufacturer in respect of a claim for more than £27 million of liquidated damages for late delivery of units.
  • TOC  - Advising a TOC in relation to a significant multi-million dispute arising out of the impact of a change in government fares regulation policy including which fares were affected the TOC's obligations as a result of the change and modelling the impact of the change.
  • Revenue indexation - Advising a TOC in relation to a £9 million claim relating to the amounts attributed to staff costs and how those staff costs were to be indexed under the franchise agreement.
  • Timetable planning rules - Advising a TOC in relation to a dispute under the Access Dispute Resolution Rules arising out of proposed changes to the Timetable Planning Rules that had a detrimental impact upon the proposed services.
  • Industrial Action Claim  - Advising a TOC in respect of claims for compensation arising out of Network Rail industrial action and the resulting impact on services.  

• Construction and engineering and PFI dispute resolution

  • M&E Dispute  - Successfully acting for the owners of a high rise commercial building in respect of a dispute with the main contractor arising from the termination of a contract for the design and installation of a new staircore pressurisation system including associated asbestos removal – see BNP Paribas Depositary Services v Briggs & Forrester Engineering Services Ltd [2024] EWHC 2903 (TCC)  
  • Major international contractor - Successfully acting for a major international contractor in defending a claim brought in adjudication by its façade sub-contractor for extensions of time arising from works done to a new tower development in London 
  • Cladding Dispute - Acting for a main contractor in defending claims brought by a local council in respect of defective cladding works to three residential tower blocks in London and bringing associated claims against the architect, cladding subcontractor and manufacturer of the relevant materials. 
  • One Hyde Park - Acting for the owners of One Hyde Park, a luxury residential development, in a significant claim against Laing O'Rourke arising from the defective installation of chilled water pipework. 
  • International Contractor - Defending an international contractor in respect of a £20 million claim brought by the owner of a renewable energy plant alleging a failure to properly manage significant upgrade works.  
  • ABB Ltd  - Advising ABB Ltd in a £50 million dispute with its sub-contractor BAM Nuttall Ltd arising from power upgrade works to the London Underground.  
  • Hospital PFI Dispute - Advising a project company in alternative dispute resolution against the Authority arising out of the proper interpretation of its obligations in respect of the facilities management of a major hospital  
  • Hotel Development  - Advising the fund that invested in a new build hotel development in claims arising from the insolvency of the main contractor including claims under performance and retention bonds and bringing a £15 million claim against the M&E engineer and designer in respect of multiple defects 
  • FM Contractor - Successfully defending a FM Contractor in an adjudication brought by the Project Company arising out of pipework defects in a school 
  • PFI Dispute - Advising a FM Contractor in respect of multiple claims against the project company arising out of wrongful deductions made in respect of alleged performance failures at a number of schools  
  • Multi Storey Car Park - Acting for the main contractor in a £20 million dispute arising out of the design and construction of a multi storey car park including defending claims from the employer for liquidated damages and bringing various claims downstream.