Party wall agreements - advice needed 17:02 - May 18 with 2513 views | hamptonhillhoop | Thrilling subject I know, but I also know what a wide range of knowledge we have on this board. My neighbour has been granted planning permission for a 3m extension on his house. We already have one which was built prior to us moving in, but his will apparently be digging below and near to our foundations, and removing a chimney breast from his side. He's now served us a letter giving us the options, which are basically let him crack on, get an agreed condition document, refuse the notice and get his surveyor to do a party wall agreement for both of us, or appoint our own surveyor to get an agreement. I have absolutely no issues with what they want to do building wise, I just want to protect my own interests and property. Any advice on what I should do would be greatly appreciated. Google hasn't really helped me | ![](/images/avatars/1431.gif) | | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Party wall agreements - advice needed on 17:13 - May 18 with 2460 views | Bloatarr | A party wall surveyor is independent of you and your neighbour. He will inspect the building before works commence and check for any issues during after. Your neighbour is obliged to pay. Basically if anything goes wrong you have an independent expert to make a decision as to whether its your neighbours fault or not. Your neighbour is following the process ie giving you otions. This is good as its usually the dodgier types that just get on with the work and cause issues. Personally i would get a party wall surveyor in (used them in my professional role a few times. This process was put in place for a reason, would be silly not to use them, takes all the aggro out of it. I also find it's when you don't use them that you wish you did, and you when you don't. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Party wall agreements - advice needed on 17:33 - May 18 with 2424 views | stevec |
Party wall agreements - advice needed on 17:13 - May 18 by Bloatarr | A party wall surveyor is independent of you and your neighbour. He will inspect the building before works commence and check for any issues during after. Your neighbour is obliged to pay. Basically if anything goes wrong you have an independent expert to make a decision as to whether its your neighbours fault or not. Your neighbour is following the process ie giving you otions. This is good as its usually the dodgier types that just get on with the work and cause issues. Personally i would get a party wall surveyor in (used them in my professional role a few times. This process was put in place for a reason, would be silly not to use them, takes all the aggro out of it. I also find it's when you don't use them that you wish you did, and you when you don't. |
Good advice. An independent party wall surveyor is a must and the neighbour pays for all of this. Don’t rely on the Council inspector intervening in any dispute, they are next to useless. | ![](/images/avatars/6823.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Party wall agreements - advice needed on 18:25 - May 18 with 2365 views | hamptonhillhoop | Thanks both. I will get one. I was slightly concerned over whether the one suggested by them would be independent and whether to get a second one, but this would double the cost for them, and from what I've read they should be independent of both parties | ![](/images/avatars/1431.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Party wall agreements - advice needed on 18:31 - May 18 with 2338 views | Benny_the_Ball |
Party wall agreements - advice needed on 18:25 - May 18 by hamptonhillhoop | Thanks both. I will get one. I was slightly concerned over whether the one suggested by them would be independent and whether to get a second one, but this would double the cost for them, and from what I've read they should be independent of both parties |
Personally I would insist on the surveyor being one of my choosing. If the neighbour insists on using his own then he'll have to pay for two. Also, I have known instances where folk get paid to provide agreement. Slightly controversial, I know, but it does happen. | ![](/images/avatars/18320.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Party wall agreements - advice needed on 20:13 - May 18 with 2205 views | Lblock | If you get on with your neighbour this is a sure fire way for one of the two to happen:- a) You get on even better after this whole experience and laugh over the garden fence next summer how you both experienced months of noise, dust and disruption with zero disputes or b) You'll both thing the other is an absolute c-unit forever more. If it was me and I got on with my neighbour I'd go with single PWS thus saving them a fee - the appointed company will be impartial. My current position with a neighbour I didn't know and a developer who appeared to be every inch a typical shark developer has been to appoint my own and very happy I am with the service given by someone I've known for years and fellow R. Hope all goes well and remember - the people next door are looking to make their lives better, they're not setting out to make yours worse. | ![](/images/avatars/4057.gif) |
| Cherish and enjoy life.... this ain't no dress rehearsal |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Party wall agreements - advice needed on 20:26 - May 18 with 2195 views | hamptonhillhoop |
Party wall agreements - advice needed on 20:13 - May 18 by Lblock | If you get on with your neighbour this is a sure fire way for one of the two to happen:- a) You get on even better after this whole experience and laugh over the garden fence next summer how you both experienced months of noise, dust and disruption with zero disputes or b) You'll both thing the other is an absolute c-unit forever more. If it was me and I got on with my neighbour I'd go with single PWS thus saving them a fee - the appointed company will be impartial. My current position with a neighbour I didn't know and a developer who appeared to be every inch a typical shark developer has been to appoint my own and very happy I am with the service given by someone I've known for years and fellow R. Hope all goes well and remember - the people next door are looking to make their lives better, they're not setting out to make yours worse. |
Cheers L block. They're a nice young couple who are in a similar position to us when we moved in twenty years ago. He's even forgiven me for calling him Stuart for the first six months he lived there. His name's Chris | ![](/images/avatars/1431.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Party wall agreements - advice needed on 12:22 - May 20 with 1884 views | RBlock | I'm about to be in a similar position, although I'm the one doing the extension and having to get Party Wall agreements in place. Recently bought my first home with my partner, and are hoping to stick a small extension on the back. Will need a PWS for 3 awards (either side, and the upstairs leaseholders), so really hoping that they're all amenable to using my proposed PWS. If not, the costs really will stack up and hurt our (already stretched) budget. Need to do a lot of schmoozing of new neighbours! | ![](/images/avatars/3461.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) | Login to get fewer ads
Party wall agreements - advice needed on 12:54 - May 20 with 1863 views | kensalriser | All of the above re independent surveyor, plus stipulate good sound insulation if the party wall is between habitable rooms. | ![](/images/avatars/3082.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
| |