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Retentions and progress claims — the CCA, done right

Toolie holds a retention ledger per job, tells you the day each retention is due for release, and turns a progress claim into a live Construction Contracts Act clock instead of a notice you print and forget.

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A retention ledger that knows the release date

The Construction Contracts Act lets you withhold a slice of each progress claim — commonly 5–10% — until the defect period ends, and that money must be held on trust, not spent on cash flow. Toolie keeps a per-job ledger of how much retention is held across your progress claims, works out the release date from the practical-completion date plus the defect months, and flags it the day it’s due so you release on time and get paid the rest.

Progress claims that stand up

The payment-claim clock — s21, s23, s24A

Toolie turns the s20 notice into a live clock. From valid service of the claim, the payer has 20 working days (holiday- and Matariki-aware) to give a payment schedule under s21. If they give none and don’t pay by the due date, the claimed amount can become a debt due under the s23 two-limb test; and Toolie can generate the s24A notice of intention to suspend work after at least five working days. It records how and when the claim was served, so the dates are defensible. This is a tracking tool, not legal advice — get advice on a specific dispute.

Where it fits

Retentions and progress claims are the money end of the contract, alongside variations, RFIs and the site diary that evidences the work. See invoicing and construction management.

More Toolie contract-admin tools: RFIs, variations, retentions & progress claims, site diary · or the full feature guide. Start free at app.toolie.co.nz.

Common questions

How does Toolie handle construction retentions?

It keeps a per-job ledger of retention held across your progress claims, calculates the release date from practical completion plus the defect period, and flags the retention the day it's due for release. Under the Construction Contracts Act, retentions must be held on trust and not used for cash flow.

What is a progress claim under the CCA?

A progress claim is a payment claim for work done to date on a construction contract. Toolie issues progress-claim invoices with the retention withheld and prints the Construction Contracts Act s20 notice, then tracks the 20-working-day payment-schedule window.

What is the 20 working day rule?

Under s21 of the Construction Contracts Act, once a payment claim is validly served the payer has 20 working days to provide a payment schedule. If they provide none and don't pay by the due date, the claimed amount can become a debt due (the s23 two-limb test). Toolie runs this clock; it isn't legal advice.

Can Toolie generate a suspension notice?

Yes - where the two-limb test is met, Toolie can generate the s24A notice of intention to suspend work, which needs at least five working days' notice, and files it against the job. Confirm your position with a professional before acting on it.

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