Current issues on the legal situation of subcontractors in construction contracts

Glede pravnih razmerij med podizvajalcem, naročnikom in glavnim izvajalcem obstaja več vprašanj, mnenja glede nekaterih so deljena. Veliko dilem se nanaša na ureditev neposrednega zahtevka podizvajalca do naročnika, glede katerega je sodna praksa tudi dodatno izoblikovala pogoje za njegovo uspešno uveljavitev, med katerimi pa je najbolj sporen pogoj koneksnosti. Obseg, v katerem bo naročnik neposrednemu zahtevku ugodil, je lahko odvisen tudi od načina določitve cene v gradbeni pogodbi. Po sodni praksi začetek stečajnega postopka nad glavnim izvajalcem na možnost uveljavitve neposrednega zahtevka ne vpliva. Vprašanja se postavljajo tudi glede odgovornosti v razmerjih s podizvajalci. Glavni izvajalec svojo odgovornost za delo podizvajalca težko izključi. Na drugi strani pa je naročnik podizvajalcu, če je bil z določenimi dejstvi seznanjen, neposredno odškodninsko odgovoren v primeru neunovčitve bančne garancije ter tudi v primeru, ko terjatev za podizvajalčeva opravljena dela plača cesionarju glavnega izvajalca namesto podizvajalcu, ki je zahteval plačilo.There are several open issues regarding legal relationships between the subcontractor, the investor and the main contractor. Opinions on some of these issues are divided. Many of the issues regard the regulation of the claim for direct payment from the investor to the subcontractor, regarding which the case-law has additionally shaped the conditions required for a successful claim. The most debatable condition is the connectedness of debts. The range in which the claim will be paid can be dependent on the determination of the costs in the contract. In accordance with the case-law, the beginning of bankruptcy proceedings for the main contractor does not have any negative effect for the subcontractor\u27s chance of direct payment. The issues also refer to questions of liability in the legal relationships with the subcontractor. The main contractor will have difficulties excluding his liability for the work done by the subcontractor. On the other hand, the investor is liable directly to the subcontractor, if he was aware of certain facts, in case he refuses to realize a bank guarantee and in case he pays his debt for the work done, to the transferee of the main contractor and not to the subcontractor when he demanded such payment