South London Party Wall Surveyors specialise in covering all types of Party Wall issues. We can offer independent, impartial advice and building appraisals prior to work commencement.
Are you a building owner planning to carry out an extension or works to a wall, ceiling or floor shared with another property?
If you are the building owner…
Do you intend to carry out repairs, alterations or demolition to a wall, ceiling or floor shared with another property?
Are you proposing to build a rear extension within 3 or at 6 metres from a neighbouring structure?
Under The Party Wall, etc Act 1996 you are required to serve a Party Wall Notice upon your neighbour – “the adjoining owner” (or in some cases, “the occupier”) – to obtain their consent or dissent before the notifiable work starts, which is intended to safeguard their interests.
If their consent is not received… you as the building owner and your adjoining neighbour are then considered to be ‘in dispute’. Under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, a Party Wall Surveyor must be appointed to resolve the dispute by a Party Wall Award, often referred to as the ‘Agreement’ or the ‘Party Wall Agreement’.
PLEASE NOTE: The adjoining owner does not have the right to choose as to whether the notifiable works can proceed as, in most cases, only planning can stop you building on your own land.
If the Adjoining Owner or Occupier does dissent and wants to invoke the Act, it is at this point that a surveyor is appointed by both parties, which can be a single “Agreed” surveyor, and a Party Wall Award is served on the parties before the notifiable works can proceed.
Serving a Notice must also be considered if you are planning:
- An extension within 3 metres or at 6 metres of an adjoining structure, or any types of excavation within these distances.
- Conversion of a basement, garage or loft.
- Building a free standing wall / flank wall, up to or astride the boundary line – the ‘line of junction’ – with a neighbouring property.
- Underpinning, raising or thickening any Party Walls.
- Roofing works, which requires inserting steel beams in Party Walls, chimney stack or chimney breast removals.
- Remedial works to the Party Wall, such as the insertion of a damp proof course, etc.
PLEASE NOTE this list is not exhaustive.
South London Party Wall Surveyors can:
- Advise on all potential issues related to the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, advise you on the correct procedures, next course of action, to avoid the potential risk of costly disputes and subsequent damage.
- Act as your appointed Party Wall Surveyor where a dispute has arisen.
- Prepare and serve valid Party Wall Notices to your adjoining Owner(s) and / or Occupiers.
- Prepare and negotiate a Party Wall Award.
- Carry out a ‘Schedule of Condition’ to the adjoining structure.
*South London Surveyors offer a FREE advice service! T: 020 3150 4503 / 01444 523 541 M: 07534 892 123 E: danielross@slpws.co.uk
Are you the next door neighbour concerned or confused over the contents of a Party Wall Notice served prior to work proceeding?
If your adjoining neighbour is the building owner…
- Are they proposing building works?
- Are you concerned over the contents of the Party Wall Notice served prior to works proceeding?
- Has work already started but you’ve NOT received a Party Wall Notice?
To safeguard your interests, a key task is to assess the work proposals and determine initial impact on your property.
You may need to contact a Party Wall Surveyor to discuss.*
To identify and evaluate any potential risk to the adjoining building owners property, drawings are required to be thoroughly checked and structural calculations may also be analysed by a ‘Checking’ engineer, where necessary, to ensure they are complete and correct.
Where notifiable works are proposed, under The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 your adjoining neighbour, who proposes to carry out the works, is required to serve a Party Wall Notice to obtain your consent or dissent before work starts.
- You may have the legal right to be served notice by your neighbour if they are planning an extension within 3 metres or at 6 metres of an adjoining structure, or any types of excavation within these distances.
- Conversion of a basement, garage or loft.
- Building a free standing wall / flank wall, up to or astride the boundary line – the ‘line of junction’ – with a neighbouring property.
- Underpinning, raising or thickening any Party Walls.
- Roofing works, which requires inserting steel beams in Party Walls, chimney stack or chimney breast removals.
- Remedial works to the Party Wall, such as the insertion of a damp proof course, etc.
PLEASE NOTE this list is not exhaustive.
South London Party Wall Surveyors can:
- Advise on all potential issues related to the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, advise you on the correct procedures, next course of action, to avoid the potential risk of costly disputes and subsequent damage.
- Act as your appointed Party Wall Surveyor where a dispute has arisen.
- Prepare and serve valid Party Wall Notices to your adjoining Owner(s) and / or Occupiers.
- Prepare and negotiate a Party Wall Award.
- Carry out a ‘Schedule of Condition’ to your property, which is used to cross-reference all completed works and ensure no damage was caused.
What is a *Schedule of Condition?
A record of an Adjoining Owner’s property taken by an independent surveyor, which can be used as evidence if an adjoining owner brings a claim under the Party Wall, etc Act 1996, and protect the building owner from false claims being brought.
*South London Surveyors offer a FREE advice service! T: 020 3150 4503 / 01444 523 541 M: 07534 892 123 E: danielross@slpws.co.uk
Are you and an adjoining neighbour considering an ‘Agreed’ surveyor which is quicker and more cost-efficient?
If the building owner and adjoining neighbour share an ‘Agreed’ surveyor…
which is an appointment often favoured by a building owner as it is quicker and more cost-efficient.
It also means that no ‘third surveyor’ would be required if a dispute arises because both owners have appointed their own Party Wall surveyor who will determine all disputes, and make fair and reasonable decisions.
Under section 10 of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, where a dispute arises, both building owner and adjoining neighbour shall appoint their own surveyor or ‘agree’ to the appointment of one surveyor, known as the ‘Agreed’ surveyor.
The appointment of an Agreed Surveyor can only be withdrawn or cancelled if they become incapable of carrying out their duties, which they will confirm in writing. This also means that a surveyor cannot be dismissed or annulled if either building owner or adjoining neighbour disagrees with a decision.
South London Party Wall Surveyors can act as the ‘Agreed’ Surveyor if both owners accept the appointment.
*South London Surveyors offer a FREE advice service! T: 020 3150 4503 / 01444 523 541 M: 07534 892 123 E: danielross@slpws.co.uk