Why You Need To Hire A London Party Wall Surveyor?

The Party Wall Act of 1996 is intended to help builders resolve disputes over party walls and boundary walls. If you want to execute any kind of building work covered by the Act, you have to inform your neighbours through advance notice. They have the right to disagree and stop your building works.

What is a Party Wall?

A Party Wall is a shared wall situated between two buildings that are owned by two or more different owners. Party Wall Agreements are required for building works like the insertion of damp-proof courses, digging foundations, demolishing internal walls, and much more. Before the building project affecting the Party Wall begins, you need to get a written Party Wall Agreement from all the adjoining neighbours who could be affected.

You need to send a Party Wall Notice to all the affected neighbours 2 months before the building works begin. To avoid the hassles of a Party wall dispute, click here to get the support of an expert party wall surveyor before undertaking any building works that will affect the Party wall.

What are the Reasons to Appoint a Party Wall Surveyor?

Party Wall surveyors are experts who settle any Party Wall disputes which might arise under the 1996 Party Wall Act.

Here are some reasons to have a party wall surveyor in London.

1. The most common party wall issues can only be resolved by the surveyor. These issues are the conversion of a loft, building an extension, developing a basement, and increasing the height of the boundary wall.
2. If you fail to serve a notice and comply with the Act of 1996, your neighbours can take you to court on a civil basis. You may need to stop your builder works until a proper party wall agreement is signed. This will cost you time and money. So, it is always a wise thing to appoint a surveyor before commencing any building works relating to Part Wall.
3. In case your neighbours prove that they have suffered a loss because of your work, you may need to pay compensation and have to demolish whatever you have built.
4. If an adjoining householder accepts a Party Wall Notice, then they might ask for a Schedule of Condition Report to be undertaken by a Party Wall surveyor. The surveyor inspects the adjoining property to make a report and carry out the building works.
5. If the adjoining owner may disagree with the Party Wall Notice, they can appoint their own Party Wall surveyor. The homeowner’s Party Wall surveyor and the adjoining owner’s surveyor jointly carry out a Schedule of Condition Reports. After cross-verification of the Schedule of Condition Report, the building works can be initiated.

If you are considering any building works on your property that will affect the Party Wall, it is worth consulting a Party Wall surveyor early in the process.

What to Do If Your Party Wall is Damaged by a Neighbour?

In case your property is damaged during party wall work of your neighbour, they have to repair your wall at their cost even if they have followed all the legal procedures.