A party wall is the dividing wall between your neighbour's property and your property, or an excavation which is within close proximity to a neighbouring property. The Party Wall Act came into English law in July 1997 whereby any construction or refurbishment project which involves building works to a 'party wall' comes under strict regulations set out in the Act itself.
If you are carrying out any building work which could affect the support function or the strength of a party wall, then you will need to bare in mind the Party Wall Act. Or it is relevant if the building work has the risk of causing damage to the neighbouring side of the wall.
The Party Wall Act will need to be correctly followed and administered if it does apply to any building works. We will need to obtain an in-depth understanding of the construction so that we can advise what is and what is not permissible. It is vital that the Act is correctly followed and if it is not, there may be extra costs and delays which incur when attempting to resolve any issues.
There is the possibilities that disputes can arise at any point during building projects and if an agreement can't be reached between both parties, then we are able to assist in resolving the situation. We are completely impartial and can liaise directly with your neighbours and their surveyors to ensure everyone is treated fairly.
Southdown Surveyors are a practice of Chartered Surveyors and Building Consultants based in Eastbourne and serving the surrounding areas including Polegate. We are a team of experts in the Party Wall Act, always supplying professional advice on unique situations. We can implement the necessary legal procedures to ensure all proposals are undertaken within the parameters of the Party Wall Act 1996.
Southdown Surveyors was founded by Matthew Symmonds, who is highly experienced working with this specific piece of legislation. Matthew is a member of The Pyramus & Thisbe Club which is an organisation that promotes best practice in the application of the Party Wall Act 1996.
We have experience in a range of party wall matters such as acting as the building owner's Surveyor or the adjoining owner's surveyor - wherever the project is being undertaken. We have the knowledge to give you professional advice so the project can be handled and completed successfully.
We recommend that before you complete any building work, professional advice is obtained in order to understand the obligations of the Party Wall Act. For any further guidance please read this explanatory booklet. More details regarding an overview from the Government can be read here. The following links supply useful information regarding The Party Wall Act:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/party-wall-etc-act-1996-guidance - Advice on preventing and resolving party wall disputes.
http://www.rics.org/uk/knowledge/glossary/party-walls/ - A clear and impartial guide to party walls
For any further advice you may require - please contact our team today.
Southdown Surveyors took over the management of South Cliff Tower a year ago and have proved excellent agents to date. At present the tower is undergoing a complete refurbishment programme, this has resulted in substantial service charge demands and a great deal of paperwork. It has been extremely well handled by Lynne and her team. They have dealt with managing the building with efficiency, tact and charm. We have been impressed with the breadth of knowledge of Landlord & Tenant Act, Health & Safety matters that they have displayed.
I have been most pleasantly surprised by the high-level service Southdown have supplied, they are small enough for them to know their client’s needs and for those clients to have a name and face to respond to when necessary, whilst still having qualified surveyors on board.
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