Latest blog posts

1. What is Probate? The definition of Probate is 'proving' which entails proving that the deceased's will in possession of the Executor is their last. Probate is granted by the Court which determines that the Executor has the power to administer the estate.Once Probate has been granted the Executor is able to sell the decease's property. 2. ... Read more >>

Following on from the Law Commissions Consultation and recommendations the Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has announced “the biggest reforms to English property law for 40 years, fundamentally making home ownership fairer and more secure”.Peter Barry Surveyors have been fighting the corner for Leaseholders since 2010 and know too well ... Read more >>

The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 has been with us for almost twenty-five years but it is still clear that the public has, at best, a tenuous grip on its details. I have outlined a few of the most common misunderstandings below:My extension will be on my own land so the Act does not apply.Section 6 of the Party Wall Act covers adjacent ... Read more >>

In an ideal world the appointed surveyors would have all the information they require available and be in a position to cover all aspects of the work in detail in the award but there are situations where that is either not possible or pragmatic. We refer to these as ‘reserved matters’ i.e. a matter where some additional information is required ... Read more >>

When a party wall award has been agreed it should be served on the owners without delay or ‘forthwith’ as the authors of the Act put it but how does that happen in practice?Until section 15 of the Act was amended by the Electronic Communications Act in 2016 all awards were generally served either by post or in person. The typical procedure ... Read more >>

A recent survey found that almost three in five (59%) said that after lockdowns lift, they would like to work from home some or all of the time in their current job. The creation of a home office space is therefore going to be a priority for many people in the months ahead. If you have the luxury of a spare room that’s great but won’t be the ... Read more >>

If you’re familiar with party wall procedures you’ll know that the award is the document produced by the surveyor(s) to resolve the dispute which arose when an adjoining owner dissented to the notice(s) but that's not always the end of the story.The 6th Edition of the RICS template award included a clause stating that the surveyors ... Read more >>