As a building owner, do you want to: Work with a preexisting wall, ceiling or floor structure distributed to another property, Build on or at the boundary with another property?, Excavate near a neighboring building or structure? If you're planning any of these works, you have to learn whether the job falls within the scope of the Party Wall etc. The Government introduced the Act in 1997 to regulate building works to adjoining properties. It is designed to enable work to proceed while protecting adjoining owners and occupiers who may be afflicted with the work. Under the Act, the building owner who wishes to conduct such work must notify in sufficient time and in writing to adjoining owners of the proposed work. Adjoining owners may be owners or occupiers of adjacent residential, commercial and industrial land or buildings. If you share a celebration wall, party structure or even a party fence wall with another, you may be governed by the provisions of the Act.
Party walls are walls utilized by several owner, such as the dividing wall between two houses. Floors between flats are party structures. Boundary walls could be party fence walls. Loft conversions, extensions, structural focus on a party wall such as for example removing a chimney breast, excavation close to some other building or structure to a depth that exceeds the neighbor's foundations, or alteration to a masonry party garden wall are types of work governed by the Act. If the Party Wall Act relates 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. If the adjoining owner disagrees with the proposed work, the Party Wall Act serves to solve the dispute.
It is advisable to have a Schedule of Condition, a written report of the present condition of a building or structure before work commences. 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 for carrying out the work. An award allows the building owner the best to conduct work under the Act while ensuring the task is performed to guard the adjoining owners' interests. The surveyor may inspect the job during its progress to ensure all is being carried out properly and fairly. Before commencing any building work, determine if the Party Wall Act applies. Failure to adhere to the Act could end in the works being unlawful. If in down, consult a qualified party wall surveyor who's ideally a person in the Faculty (FPWS), as they'll have been trained to advise on party wall matters and are bound by the Faculty's Code of Conduct.


