We provide a wide range of services to suit your unique circumstances. We also provide specialist advice every step of the way.
- We contact your neighbours for you and deal with any concerns you may have directly with them or their appointed surveyor. If you do not know them, we carry out searches to identify legal owners and serve them notices on your behalf.
- We liaise with your neighbours about either your proposed works or theirs and ensure that parties have appropriate safeguards in place to prevent damage.
- We annotate your drawings and liaise with other professionals (Structural Engineers, Architects, etc) to ensure your drawings meet the requirements of notices.
- We draft all necessary notices on your behalf and serve them for you, after discussing your concerns and needs (if Building Owner).
- We receive notices on your behalf and respond, liaise and negotiate with your neighbours or their Surveyors (if Adjoining Owner).
- We carry out a ‘Schedule of Condition’ survey of your property or your neighbour’s property, recording the condition of the premises before any intended works. This means that there is a photographic record and a report to rely on if there are any problems down the road.
- We provide you with independent advice about your unique circumstances and have these addressed (in an Award, if appropriate).
- We bring in experts, if necessary, to ensure your interests are safeguarded in contentious situations (as disbursements). These experts may include an Advising Engineer to check over plans on your behalf.
- We carry out site inspections after the works are concluded (if required).
Our Fees are dependent on the complexity of the works. We offer fixed fees to Building Owners (owners who want to carry out works). Please contact us to get a quote!
When representing the Adjoining Owners (neighbours affected by works), we charge an hourly rate.
Party Wall Notices
As the Building Owners (owners carrying out works), you would need to formally write to the Adjoining Owners likely to be affected by your works near or on the boundary.
We recommend that notices are served at least four to eight weeks before the proposed works are due to start. Not all works are notifiable. We clearly inform you if part or most of your works are notifiable or not, before starting the process so you’re able to plan forward.
The simplest way to get this right is to call us. We can discuss your project and advise you. We may ask to look over your drawings and plans to better guide you.
We can serve notices on your behalf to all adjoining owners likely to be affected, once we have been instructed. If you do not know your neighbours, we will carry out necessary searches to to do this on your behalf.
Party Wall Disputes
- Neighbours may be unable to agree on a way forward for a number of reasons. These may sometimes be as simple as the complexity of the proposed works or, may be that the parties do not know each other. Often when dealing a company (UK based or overseas) – homeowners are more inclined to appoint a surveyor and request a formal process.
- A dispute would mean the neighbour affected by the works (Adjoining Owner), may appoint either an ‘Agreed Surveyor’ or their own independent surveyor.
- As the Building Owner, it would always be preferable to appoint a single surveyor for both parties to ensure the process progresses expediently and to keep costs down. However, this is not always the best way forward for parties when the dispute involves costs to be shared between parties.
- If you choose to dissent or decide against appointing an Agreed Surveyor, it is your right to appoint your own Surveyor to represent you as an Adjoining Owner.
We are often appointed by both parties jointly as ‘Agreed Surveyor’.
During the process, we speak to owners on either side and draft an independent and fair Award that both parties rely on to carry out the works.
When appointed by either side individually, the process is not too different. We work closely with the appointing owner and the Surveyor on the other side to come to an Agreement (Award).
Our expertise in negotiating party wall matters ensures that building work proceeds legally and without unnecessary delays, costs or inconvenience to either party.
We will ensure that the rights and duties of both parties are fully understood and observed.
In most circumstances, all reasonable fees are payable by the Building Owner. Please see our Supplemental Terms for more information.
Dissenting to a notice would mean requesting that a written agreement (An Award) is put in place.
If you choose to dissent, your neighbour carrying out the works would ask you about either involving one Surveyor to act independently for both of you – or to appoint your own Surveyor.
Party Wall Awards
We will assess project proposals and look at the initial impact on your property to ensure that your interests are safeguarded. We will also assess if there are any likely long term issues that could arise long after the builder and architect have moved on.
We often work with other professionals such as Structural Engineers, Architects, and other experts to ensure all technical sides of the proposal are adequately covered. While dealing with basements, we have also included firms providing movement monitoring to ensure that parties are adequately protected.
If you have any queries about our services please feel free to contact us.