We were recently appointed by a Building Owner to serve Party Wall Notices relating to a proposed single storey rear extension in Harrow.
Background of the project
We were initially contacted by the Building Owner shortly before the proposed start date for their works.
As is often common with regards to party wall matters, the Building Owner had only just been made aware that they had to comply with the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, and were seeking our services ahead of an imminent start by their contractor. We therefore informed the Building Owner of their responsibilities under the Act, explaining how the process works. In particular, we provided detailed advice on party wall notices, party wall awards, timelines and likely costs.
Serving party wall notices
Given the impending start date, we served party wall notices on the neighbours (two adjoining properties) following the Building Owner’s appointment. This involved service of a Section 6 Adjacent Excavation Notice and a Section 1(5) Line of Junction Notice. In tandem with this, we also advised the Building Owner to inform the neighbours that they had appointed us to handle party wall matters, and if possible, we advised discussing the works with the neighbours.
Progressing the party wall process
What followed was a positive overall result for the Building Owner.
One neighbour consented to the works and requested a Schedule of Condition, which involved us recording the relevant parts of the neighbour’s property ahead of the notifiable works commencing. Given our locality in nearby Ealing, we were able to quickly accommodate this and provided copies of the Schedule of Condition to the respective owners soon after.
By contrast, the remaining neighbour dissented to the notices and appointed Maurice & Associates as their surveyor. While the implications of this was that a Party Wall Award would be required and the Building Owner would face additional costs by way of the surveyor’s fees, we were able to promptly conclude matters. A Schedule of Condition and Party Wall Award were prepared and agreed with Maurice & Associate.
How we can help you
It’s always good practice to run proposed building works past a party wall surveyor to determine whether your proposed works are notifiable under the Act.
This helps to avoid unnecessary surprises, delays and costs which could hamper your build (read this).
If you need any support with regards to party wall matters, you can get in touch with us by phone, email or by Contact Us.
Call us: 0203 951 1032
Email us: info@ekron.co.uk
Book a meeting with us: Contact Us
Ekron is regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
This article covers one part of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. For the full picture, including notices, awards, timescales and disputes, read The Party Wall Act Explained: A Complete Guide for London Homeowners.
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