What is a Party Wall Surveyor?
Your latest building project has just hit a roadblock in the form of a party wall. Although you might have heard the term party wall surveyor here and there, knowing if you need one is something else entirely. Let’s take a closer look at party wall surveyors and see why hiring one is essential to a successful building project.
What is a Party Wall?
Before we dive into the world of party wall surveyors, we need to identify what a party wall is.
A party wall is a wall that sits astride your property line or one that is shared with your neighbour’s building. Building on your land’s boundary line or excavating near your neighbour’s house are both covered under the Party Wall Act.
While it’s easy to identify a shared wall between two houses, it’s much more challenging to determine where shared boundaries lie and if your wall sits astride these or simply next to them.
A rule of thumb is, if the planned building works will affect a shared element of your neighbour’s home, it will likely fall under the Party Wall Act. If you’re still unsure, this is where a party wall surveyor can be of assistance.
What does a Party Wall Surveyor do?
Before a building owner can start construction, they need written consent from their neighbours or a Party Wall Award from a party wall surveyor. A party wall surveyor’s responsibilities can be broken down into two parts:
Represent the Building Owner: The building owner must serve a party wall notice of intended works. They can request the party wall surveyor to serve these notices as a representative of the building owner. This notice generally includes a letter of acknowledgement for the owner to sign and return.
Mediate Disputes Under The Party Wall Act: If a neighbour doesn’t agree to the works and a dispute arises, party walls surveyors work to protect the interests of both parties under the Party Wall Act. Since the party wall surveyor is appointed by law, they are impartial and will help to resolve disputes fairly and practically. In addition, they will prepare a Party Wall Award that includes a Schedule of Condition. They will serve this document to both parties. If either party is unhappy with the Award, they have 14 days in which they can dispute it at County Court.
Benefits of Using a Party Wall Surveyor
Why should you use a party wall surveyor? Here are a few of the benefits:
Record of property condition: Before any building works occur, the party wall surveyor will visit the neighbor’s property and make a record of its condition. If damage occurs during construction work, this documentation can quickly identify any damage. The building owner is then under a legal obligation to repair it.
Resolve disputes quickly: If any disputes arise once the construction has commenced, the party wall surveyor will resolve the dispute with a Party Wall Award.
Abide by the law: Using a party wall surveyor ensures that you follow the Party Wall Act correctly and all building works that commence after are lawful. Unlawful works can affect your ability to sell your house, the value of your house and lead to prosecution for damages under common law.
Saves time and money: Failure to serve your neighbors with a notice can result in a costly legal trial that will set you back months. Investing in a party wall surveyor at the start of your project can save you valuable time and money.
Who Pays for the Party Wall Surveyor?
The building owner typically pays for the costs and fees of the party wall surveyor. While both parties may share the costs in some cases, this is generally quite rare.
Contact Cubit Party Wall Surveyors in London
If you’re looking for a party wall surveyor in the Greater London area, Cubit Party Wall Surveyors is here to help. Contact us today to see how we can help you with your building project and help keep things moving smoothly.
