Party Walls Look Like This

If you need help and advise with regard to disputes, particularly party walls matters, or you require a structural report or a building report or a schedule of condition or any other property matters please call 0800 298 5424 for a friendly chat.

We think the Party Wall Etc. Act 1996 is an excellent piece of legislation.

•  It gives both rights to the building owner (who is normally the one carrying out the work) and the adjoining owner (who is normally the one where the work is being carried out).

•  There is a system of time limits for responses from 14 days to a month. It is managed by appointed party wall surveyors with the aid, sometimes, of a third surveyor (a quasi Judge), without, in most cases, major intervention by solicitors and lawyers. Therefore, costs are kept to a minimum. However, your wall needs to be a party wall to get the benefits of the Party Wall Etc Act 1996.

What does a party wall look like?

Common sense party walls

There are three definitions of a party wall, which we would think that if most people were asked what a party wall was they would come up with:

1. A wall that separates two buildings, where the boundary line between the buildings runs through the wall. It doesn't have to run centrally through the wall, it just has to run through the wall (although it is very hard to define exactly where a boundary line is unless you are very lucky with Deeds and the documentation.

3.   A wall that isn't part of a building that sits on a boundary line, interestingly known as a party fence!

In all these cases you would have a party wall if you had a wall which fits these definitions and therefore you have the rights and benefits that the Party Wall Etc Act 1996 can give you.

4. The not so common sense party wall

A wall that is wholly on the building owner's land but is used by adjoining owners to separate the buildings

5. A wall or floor separating buildings, or parts of buildings, by separate stairs or entrances. A typical example of this would be a floor within a block of flats.

 

If you have one of these then you have a party wall and you have the rights and benefits that the Party Wall Etc Act 1996 can give you.

You may be interested in these Party Wall articles too:

What is a Third Surveyor in Relation to Party Wall Act etc 1996?

Party Wall Basics

Time Waits for no-one, be they the Building Owner or Adjoining Owner, Section 1 of Party Wall etc Act 1996

Time Waits for no-one, be they the Building Owner or Adjoining Owner, Section 2 of Party Wall etc Act 1996

What is a Party Wall Notice?

Independent chartered building surveyors expert advice

If you truly do want an independent expert opinion from a chartered surveyor to specialise in party wall work please contact us on 0800 298 5424 for a chartered surveyor to give you a call back. We are also happy to carry out third surveyor work. If you require a structural survey, a schedule of condition, a dilapidations report, specific defects report, home buyers reports or any other property matters please contact us.

If you have a commercial property, be it leasehold or freehold, then you may wish to look at our Dilaps Website at www.DilapsHelp.com and for Disputes and anything else relating to party wall matters please go to our Disputes Help website www.DisputesHelp.com .

We hope you found the article of use and if you have any experiences that you feel should be added to this article that would benefit others, or you feel that some of the information that we have put is wrong then please do not hesitate to contact us (we are only human).

The contents of the web site are for general information only and is not intended to be relied upon for specific or general decisions. Appropriate independent professional advice should be paid for before making such a decision.

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