NEC4 Early Warning Notice Template (Clause 15.1)
Written from experience on CTRL, Crossrail and Network Rail
This NEC4 early warning notice template lets you raise a problem formally under clause 15.1 as soon as you spot it, while there is still time to do something about it. It identifies the matter, ticks which of the four clause 15.1 effects it could have, proposes actions, and asks for it to go on the Early Warning Register.
See what you get →Completed except the facts only you know
£29 + VAT
£34.80 inc. VAT
- Fills in: The letter, from the event or matter you describe, with the contract clauses set out.
- Stays [TO CONFIRM]: Contract number, Project Manager, dates and amounts.
- A competent person must review before use.
- Company logo in header
- Delivered in minutes
- Word document (.docx)
Template
£12 + VAT
£14.40 inc. VAT
Blank NEC4 notice — fill in yourself
- Word document (.docx)
- Guidance notes included
- Instant download
- Use on any project
Prices exclude VAT: UK customers pay 20% VAT; VAT is not charged for customers outside the UK.All documents are drafts. Placeholders marked [TO CONFIRM] must be completed with your details. Check it against your contract before it’s sent.
What it's for
Early warnings are how NEC4 expects both parties to manage risk together. They are also commercially important for the contractor. If the Project Manager decides that an experienced contractor could have given an early warning of a compensation event and you did not, the event is assessed as if you had, which can reduce what you recover.
When you need it
As soon as you become aware of any matter that could increase the total of the Prices, delay Completion, delay meeting a Key Date, or impair the performance of the works in use. Examples include an unexpected service, design information arriving late, a supplier problem or bad ground ahead of the works.
Who signs it
Usually the site or project manager, or another person authorised to give notices under the contract. Send it through the communication system named in the Scope.
What's inside
- Contract, project and early warning reference
- A description of the matter and where it was seen
- Tick boxes for the four clause 15.1 effects
- The expected size of the effect
- Your proposals to avoid or reduce it
- A request to add it to the Early Warning Register and hold an early warning meeting under clause 15.2
- A note reminding you that a compensation event must still be notified separately under clause 61.3
FAQ
- Does giving an early warning get me more money?
- Not by itself. It records the risk so it can be managed. If the matter is also a compensation event, notify that separately within eight weeks.
- Who keeps the Early Warning Register?
- The Project Manager. They should issue the first register within one week of the starting date and update it after each early warning meeting.
- Can the Project Manager give early warnings too?
- Yes. Both the Project Manager and the contractor must give early warnings when they become aware of a relevant matter.
- Is there a deadline for an early warning?
- There is no fixed number of days. The duty is to give it as soon as you become aware of the matter, so send it promptly.
- What is [TO CONFIRM]?
- Details only you know: the contract number, the Project Manager’s name, dates and amounts. We never guess these. They appear as highlighted [TO CONFIRM] placeholders, and the NEC4 notice opens with a list of every one, so you can complete them before it’s sent.
- Can I edit the document?
- Yes. Both options are Word documents you can edit freely.
- Do I still need to review it?
- Yes. A competent person must check every document against the actual site and works before it is used. ClarusDocs gives you a complete first draft, not a substitute for that check.
Related documents
- NEC4 Communications LogEvery formal communication, every deadline — in one log
- CE Notification LetterThe letter that tells the Project Manager about a compensation event — within 8 weeks
- Site Instruction LogLog every instruction now — so you can claim it later
- Permit to DigSign-off that buried services are found and marked before anyone breaks ground
- Hot Works PermitApproval for welding, cutting or grinding, with the fire watch afterwards
- Permit to AccessApproval to work in a client's or tenant's premises, applied for 24 hours ahead
Keeping this record every day? ClarusPM keeps it on a tablet on site and on the office computer. See ClarusPM →