The Party Wall Etc Act grants rights and imposes duties upon those wishing to work on, or close to a Party Wall or boundary. If you are contemplating works to a property, or if you receive a notice from a neighbour, intending to do works, you may need to appoint a Party Wall Surveyor.
The Act is intended to assist neighbours in the conduct of development works and provides some assurance to a neighbouring owner (known as an Adjoining Owner in the Act) that any damage caused by the work should be put right by the developer (known as the Building Owner). Commonly, a Schedule of Condition of the relevant parts of the property is prepared prior to the work, so that any damage can be easily identified.
Using an independent Chartered Surveyor to act in such matters keeps the process at arm's length and reduces the chances of a significant neighbourly dispute. In many cases, the Building Owner must pay the reasonable fees of the Adjoining Owner's surveyor.
I no longer act as an appointed party wall surveyor, however I recommend that you contact the following: -
Ann Marie Gruszkos and V Wyn Burgess
