Party Wall Advice for Building Owners
Your responsibilities connected with carrying out building works, or a building project, where a neighbour’s adjoining wall and / or building may be affected are clearly laid out under the Party Wall etc Act 1996.
If appropriate, you will need to carry out certain specific actions within a designated timeframe – and receive responses – before you start any works associated with the adjoining wall and / or neighbours building or structure. The process is not complicated, however, serious, (and costly), delays can occur if it is not carried out properly.
Other than offering a full range of services associated with the Party Wall Act, we have provided all of the necessary forms and guidance notes and are more than happy to answer any questions or queries you might have.
Key Points For Owners
- Notices must be served in advance of notifiable works
- Delays can result if failure to notify your neighbour
- Your neighbour needs to respond within 14 days
- Starting works before serving notice may result in legal action
- If neighbours dissent or do not reply then the dispute is resolved by Party Wall Surveyor(s)
- You will be responsible for fees charged by your own surveyor
- You will also be responsible for your neighbour’s reasonable costs which will include their party wall surveyor’s fees.
What Owners Must do to Comply with the Act
- Notices must be served at least 1 or 2 months in advance of work depending on what the works involve.
- Your neighbour needs to respond within 14 days or they are deemed to have dissented
- If your neighbour does not respond you need to inform them that they have a further 10 days to reply or you will appoint a surveyor for them.
- If they consent to the works then that is where the process under the Act ends; we strongly recommend a schedule of condition is prepared even when consent if given.
- If they dissent then you must both appoint a surveyor or agree on one surveyor to act as the Agreed Surveyor.
- After this stage the dispute is in the hands of the surveyor(s) who will prepare a Party Wall Award which resolved the dispute.
How Can We Assist
We would be pleased to prepare and serve the notices on your behalf. Please follow this link and complete the form on the Client Party Wall Notices Completion page.
If your neighbour dissents or does not respond to the notice (irrespective of whether you have served the notice or we have served them for you) then we would be pleased to act as your party wall surveyor to settle the dispute.
Any professional guidance and advice we offer is dealt with by Allen Norman, a Chartered Building Surveyor and a Fellow of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors. If you have specific questions, or wish to discuss your situation with Allen, please email: mail@elydesigngroup.co.uk or call the Stretham office on 01353 649649.
Please note that your call will be answered by Ely Design Group.