A Party Wall Surveyor is an expert in settling disputes originating from the Party Wall etc Act 1996. This law only applies to England and Wales, and it replaced Part VI of the London Building Acts (Amendment) Act 1939, which only applied to the Inner London Boroughs, on July 1, 1997. When you know that construction work is going to take place or, as is often the case, has already begun without your awareness, it can be unnerving.

 

But don’t fear; professional assistance is available. Act processors are trained to take you through this official process, preventing any structural issues that would arise otherwise.

– The authorities can act on behalf of both Building Owners and Adjoining Owners, as defined by the Act, because they are members of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors.

– provide developers, architects, and landowners with pre-construction assistance.

– negotiate and generate crane over sail agreements and access permissions.

– advice and direction on any boundary concerns that may develop as a result of the construction.

This legislation is not optional and expensive legal bills have been known to occur where the parties involved fall out and fail to agree the best way forward. If you are a building owner planning to begin construction on your land, you must notify neighboring property owners of your plans. They propose that one of our professional party wall surveyors review your designs to ensure that the work falls within the Act’s ambit. If necessary, they may draft the requisite notice(s) to guarantee that the notices are delivered correctly and legally.

When a nearby property owner receives a Party Wall notification, they are often unaware of their neighbor’s plans to carry out work under the Act. They have the choice of agreeing or disagreeing with the works proposed. The parties are deemed to be in dispute under the Act if no response is received within 14 days. Canham Consulting can be appointed as a Party Wall Surveyor or the Agreed Party Wall Surveyor for both property owners in the event of a disagreement, allowing the Party Wall Award to be decided in accordance with section 10 of the Act.

Their  surveyors have dealt with a wide range of Party Wall difficulties and can help you with the following:

– Placing Party Notices on the Wall

– Creating a comprehensive Schedule of Condition Reports

– Preparing and serving legally binding Party Wall Awards in compliance with the Act, ensuring that all Owners’ rights are protected.

– THE PARTY WALL AND OTHER ACTS OF 1996

– Since the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 took effect, householders in England and Wales have been required to follow the Party Wall Act procedures when carrying out construction work that affects a Party Wall or Party Structure.

– Party Walls and Party Structures are found in all semi-detached and terraced residences, as well as flats. A Party Wall or Structure is a barrier between your property and that of your neighbor.

The Party Wall Act regulates three sorts of work. Alterations and corrective work to a shared Party Wall or Party Fence wall, the construction of additional walls on the boundary, and excavation work to level which is at a deeper level than your neighbor’s foundations are all examples of these. If the neighboring property is within 3 meters (or in some situations 6 meters) of the Party Wall or Party Structure, a Party Wall or Party Structure dispute will develop.

Typical works that have an impact on the Party Wall include, but are not limited to:

– Adding on to your home

– The process of damp proofing is effective.

– Alterations to the structure from the inside or outside (e.g. removing walls and inserting structural steel beams to the Party Wall, loft conversions alterations to roof structure and covering)

– Excavation for foundations and basement construction

– changes to the party wall/party fence wall on the inside

 

If you are undertaking notifiable building work, you are the ‘Building Owner,’ and if you are the neighbor, you are the ‘Adjoining Owner,’ in simple terms.

  1. When notifiable work is envisaged, the Building Owner should first serve valid Notice(s) on Adjoining Owner(s). See the ‘Building Owners’ tab for more information. Building owners frequently prepare invalid Notices, which means they must begin the process all over again. Building owners frequently issue the incorrect types of notices.
  2. If an Adjoining Owner (neighbor) receives a Notice, they have the right to dissent and choose their own Party Wall Surveyor. The Building Owner is normally responsible for the costs of this Surveyor.
  3. When the Adjoining Owner engages a Party Wall Surveyor, the Building Owner is required to appoint a Party Wall Surveyor as well. The two surveyors should next collaborate to reach an agreement on the parameters of a Party Wall Award, which will authorize the notifiable work.
  4. Alternatively, a single Agreed Surveyor can act for both Owners and produce and serve a Party Wall Award on their behalf.

Party Wall Surveyors designated under the Act have a “quasi-judicial” function, which means they must be unbiased and not favor their owners. Parties to a Party Wall Dispute can grow difficult, so we recommend seeking professional counsel before serving a Notice yourself or if one has been delivered through your letterbox.

So it can be said that there are some reasons to hire or contact a party wall surveyor. Like –

The Purchase of a New Property- A Party Wall Surveyor London can assist you with the purchase of a new home. Especially if you’re thinking about doing something that might have an impact on your next-door neighbor. This will ensure that you avoid any potential complications or fees throughout the purchasing process or afterward. Furthermore, the cost of a Party Wall Surveyor London will not be as high as you may believe.

Save money- Choosing to proceed with work without first consulting a surveyor can only cause issues. This can take the form of legal issues or structural issues with any project. Fortunately, using a survey can save you money, and the Party Wall survey cost is not as exorbitant as you might imagine.

London Party Wall Advice – If you are doing work on an adjoining wall, you must legally notify your neighbor. Failure to do so will result in you breaching the law. So, if you need Party Wall advice, you’ll need to see a professional.

London’s Party Wall Experts If you require Party Walls support, it is critical that you seek the guidance and assistance of DF Party Walls. This means you’ll be able to make well-informed judgments and stay on the right side of the law, which is critical for avoiding conflicts and troubles.