As a building owner, can you intend to:

Work on a preexisting wall, ceiling or floor structure distributed to another property
Build on or at the boundary with another property?

Excavate near a neighbouring building or structure?

If you're planning these works, you must learn if the work falls within the scope of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. The Act was introduced by the federal government in 1997, within the whole of England and Wales to modify building works to adjoining properties. It is intended to enable work to proceed while protecting adjoining owners and occupiers who could be affected by the task. Under the Act, the building owner who wishes to conduct such work must provide notification in sufficient time and on paper to adjoining owners of the proposed work. Adjoining owners could be owners or occupiers of adjacent residential, commercial and industrial land or buildings.

If you share a celebration wall, party structure or a party fence wall with another, you may well be governed by the provisions of the Act. https://greaterlondonsurveyor.co.uk/best-daylight-analysis-london/ are walls utilized by multiple owner, including the dividing wall between two houses. Floors between flats are party structures. Boundary walls can be party fence walls. Loft conversions, extensions, structural focus on a party wall such as for example removing a chimney breast, excavation close to another building or structure to a depth that exceeds that of the neighbour's foundations, or alteration to a masonry party garden wall are types of work governed by the Act.

If the Party Wall Act applies to the planned work, the building owner is obliged to serve notice on the adjoining owner/occupier. Upon written consent by the adjoining owner, the task can proceed. It is advisable to take a Schedule of Condition, that is a report of the existing condition of a building or structure, before work commences. If the adjoining owner disagrees with the proposed work, the Party Wall Act serves to resolve the dispute.

Resolving disputes

In the event of a dispute between owners, the Act provides procedures for appointing surveyors who is able to resolve issues through an award, specifying the format to carry out the work. An award allows the building owner the proper to conduct work beneath the Act, while ensuring the work is done in a fashion that protects the adjoining owners' interests. The surveyor may inspect the task during its progress to make sure all is being carried out properly and fairly.

What you should do

Before commencing any building work, check to see if the Party Wall Act applies. Failure to adhere to the Act you could end up the works being unlawful. If in down consult a qualified party wall surveyor who's ideally an associate of the Faculty (FPWS), as they will have been trained to advise on party wall matters and so are bound by the Faculty's Code of Conduct.