Party Wall Surveys
If you are about to, or intend to carry out work to your property, there are certain works which fall under the Party Wall etc Act 1996. You may very well have a Statutory Duty to serve notice on the owners of adjoining properties.
Our aim is to ensure that any works that are subject to the Act are notified correctly.
You can have your plans assessed FREE of CHARGE
to establish if Party Wall Notices are legally required for your work. If no notice is required, we will tell you and your neighbour - no fees will have been incurred.
Go to our contact page, attach and send a copy of the plans to the email address supplied.
Where notices are not required it may still a sensible precaution to offer a condition survey of their property to your neighbour which records the pre-building work condition. This makes it easier to establish the exact extent of the damage caused by your works, if any.
If you want to avail of our FREE initial 30min telephone consultation then book a time HERE.
Our expertise in negotiating party wall matters ensures that the building work proceeds legally and without unnecessary delays or inconvenience to either party thereby minimising overall costs.
We will ensure that the rights and duties of both parties are fully understood and observed.
Party Wall Disputes
If your neighbour consents to the notices then you can carry on with the work subject to notices periods having expired. There is no need to appoint a Party Wall Surveyor. It is still a sensible precaution to offer a condition survey of their property which records the pre-building work condition. This makes it easier to establish the exact extent of the damage caused by your works, if any.
Where notices are required but your neighbour does not consent (a dispute has arisen), a party wall award must be made. Both parties must instruct a surveyor (or two) to determine how the works should proceed.
If we are not appointed as an Agreed Surveyor and a dispute has arisen, the neighbour must appoint a surveyor under the Act. These are known as the adjoining owners surveyor.
We provide Party Wall advice and services in respect of properties across the whole of Kent, including:
-
Advice on the correct Party Wall process
-
Serving Party Wall Notices
-
Acting as your appointed Surveyor
-
Actings as the Agreed Surveyor for both parties (Building Owner and Adjoining Owner)
-
Preparing a Schedule of Condition
-
Legally agree Party Wall Awards (or as they are commonly referred to: 'Party Wall Agreements')
The Party Wall 'Test'
Do you intend to carry out work which involves...
Work on an existing wall, ceiling or floor structure shared with another property?
Building on or at the boundary with another property?
Excavating near a neighbouring building or structure?
If so, you must find out whether the work falls within the scope of the Act, and if it does, you must serve the statutory notice on all those defined in the act as 'adjoining owners'.
"
It's a good idea to serve notice before you make a Planning Application or your neighbours may be notified by other surveyors encouraging them to dissent and appoint them as their advisers.
"
Party Wall Information Video
Glossary of terms
Don't be dismayed by the jargon. We provide further explanations of common terms found thoughout the Party Wall process.