Party Wall Surveyor Kent

This process is all based around the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, which is all started by the issuing of a party wall notice in specific circumstances and it is something you are LEGALLY required to do.

The primary purpose of the Act is to provide a framework for amicably preventing and resolving disputes between neighbours in relation to Party Walls, Boundary Walls and Excavations near neighbouring buildings.

Building owners are given statutory rights that did not exist in existing common law when undertaking certain types of construction as defined by the Act.

The Party Wall Process Explained

The types of works covered by the Act are:

There are three types of party wall notice namely a Line of Junction Notice, Party Structure Notice and Section 6 Notice. The circumstances under which may be served are detailed below:

Section 1 Notice / Line of Junction Notice

If you are planning to build a new wall either as a Party Wall or a Party fence wall (astride a boundary) subject to your neighbour’s consent or up to the line of junction and wholly on your own land, a Section 1 Notice must be served.

Section 3 Notice / Party Structure Notice

If you are planning to cut into a Party Wall to insert flashings or a damp proof course, cut away chimney breasts or projections, raise, rebuild repair, underpin, expose the Party Wall to the weather or enclose upon a wall on or at the line of junction turning it into a Party Wall, in such cases a Section 3 Notice must be served.

Section 6 Notice / Notice of Adjacent Excavation:

If you are planning to excavate within 3m of the neighbour’s foundations to a lower depth, or within 6m to a lower depth than a line struck at 45 degrees down from the underside of the neighbour’s foundations, then a section 6 notice must be served.

These types of work all require notices to be served as required by the act, once notice has been served, if there is dissent then it is deemed there is a dispute and the Act allows for this, this would be the dispute or resolution stage. Most disputes arrive when the Adjoining Owner has worries or concerns with the proposed work or simply fails to respond in the statutory time to the building owner, for which there could be many reasons.

Where a dispute arises either due to non-consent or no response then the Act lays down the steps required to resolve the dispute this is where the Building Owner and the Adjoining Owner will each appoint their Surveyor this could be one each or even the same surveyor with an agreement for all parties working as the Agreed Surveyor.

Party Wall Surveyors, will deal with disputes by issuing an Award. Party Wall Award(s) are ways of dealing with disputes under the Party Wall etc. Act

At Home Heroes we are able to work on your behalf both before the need for a party wall surveyor by preparing and serving notice and once a dispute is deemed, we have experience working as building owners, adjoining owners and even an agreed surveyor.

Architects, Property Developers and Neighbours

We offer a free, no obligation review of plans and drawings in order that we can advise you and /or your Architect whether the Act applies to your proposed development or indeed whether you are likely to be affected by a development proposed by your neighbour. Click Here to send us the details

Wish to read more? Just click which one applies to you

I wish to do building work to my property

My neighbour is doing building works to their property

Contact Us Today:

Need Help….Still have questions about your work…. Why not complete the below form and tell us a little bit about your work and we will get back to you to answer your question alternatively you can ring for free no-obligation Party Wall Advice.

We cover Canterbury, Margate, Ramsgate, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Folkestone, Dover, Deal, Ash, Sandwich, Faversham, Sittingbourne and Other Kent Locations for all Our Party Wall, Building Surveys, Home Buyer Reports.

Downloads:

You can download a copy of the act, the explanatory guide for homeowners below