Overview

• Nearly two-thirds of solicitors surveyed reported delays in the past year due to building failures that led to closures, adjournments and venue changes.
• Reported hazards include Raac at courts in Doncaster, Preston and Harrow, asbestos and mould, sewage leaks and a South Shields closure after maggots fell from rotting seagulls in the roof.
• One in five respondents said court technology was not fit for purpose, citing poor remote hearings, software failures and a lack of working power sockets.
• Disabled solicitors were far more likely to deem buildings not fit for purpose, pointing to broken lifts and missing ramps that hinder access.
• The Law Society calls for investment to address a £1.3bn maintenance backlog, while the Ministry of Justice cites £148.5m in capital funding and about one million maintenance visits this year.