WHEN DOES THE PARTY WALL ACT APPLY?
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies when work affects a shared wall, boundary, or nearby structure. It’s designed to protect both the building owner carrying out the work, and the affected adjoining owners.
You’ll likely need a party wall surveyor in Westminster if the work includes:
- Structural changes to a shared wall – e.g. chimney removal or loft works in a mansion block
- Excavations within 3 metres – common in basement conversions or rear extensions
- New walls built up to or astride a boundary – such as for garden landscaping or outbuildings
Whether you’re building or responding to a notice, our surveyors can advise on your rights and responsibilities.
CONTACT US
If you require free advice or a quote in relation to a residential surveying matter in Central London please contact us today.
Why Building Owners in Westminster Choose Us?
If you’re a building owner in Westminster, we can help ensure notices are served properly and disputes are handled impartially. If a notice leads to a dispute, a surveyor can then be formally appointed to act on your behalf.
We can:
- Prepare and serve clear, legally valid notices
- Recommend steps to improve consent rates
- Arrange Schedules of Conditions
- Manage disputes and issue awards quickly and impartially
Worried About a Party Wall Notice You’ve Received in Westminster?
As an adjoining owner, you’ve got three options when receiving a party wall notice. You can:
- Consent
- Dissent and appoint the same surveyor
- Dissent and appoint your own
If you choose to appoint a surveyor like Peter Barry, we’ll review the notice, inspect your property, and advise if further protections are needed.
This is especially useful in older blocks and converted buildings, common across Westminster.
Our Other Services in Central London
CONTACT US
If you require free advice or a quote in relation to a residential surveying matter in Central London please contact us today.
BEST PARTY WALL SURVEYOR NEAR YOU IN CENTRAL LONDON
We operate across Central London, including Westminster, from our head office in Kensington. Use the map below to find us or get directions.
YOUR LOCAL PETER BARRY OFFICE
Vicarage House58 60 Kensington Church Street,
Kensington,
London
W8 4DB
Telephone: 020 7183 2578
Email: surveying@peterbarry.co.uk
AREAS WE COVER IN CENTRAL LONDON
From our Kensington office we cover the more central parts of West and South West London including the areas below:
- Pimlico SW1
- Victoria SW1
- Westminster SW1
- Chelsea SW3
- Paddington W2
- Bayswater W2
- Hammersmith W6
- Kensington W8
- Maida Vale W9
- North Kensington W10
- Notting Hill W11
- Shepherds Bush W12
- West Kensington W14
- Clapham SW4
- Earl’s Court SW5
- Fulham SW6
- Knightsbridge SW7
- Lambeth SW8
- Brompton & Chelsea SW10
- Battersea SW11
- Balham SW12
- Tooting SW17
- Earlsfield SW18
- Wandsworth SW18
Party Wall Frequently Asked Questions
Why Westminster Clients Trust Us?
– 40+ years of London party wall surveyor experience
– Specialists in complex party wall arrangements
– Strong track record in Westminster flats and listed buildings
– Fast, transparent service
What is a Party Wall?
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 came into force on 1st July 1997 and is now enshrined in English law. It stipulates the rights and responsibilities that must be observed for anyone planning to work falling within its scope. Read more about the Act here.
What is a Party Wall Agreement?
For surveyors who undertake this form of work day in day out, it can be easy to assume that there is good general understanding as to what a party wall award includes and entails. That assumption is regularly proven wrong when our team is speaking to potential clients and detailing the 3 response options to the notices. Learn about party wall agreements here.
When Do You Need a Party Wall Agreement?
Completing the party wall awards is often the last part of the jigsaw required to allow work to commence on site and the process which leads up to that point can be delayed for any number of reasons; from technical queries relating to the proposed works to the appointed surveyors’ holiday arrangements. It’s therefore advisable to get started as soon as possible but when is the perfect time to start the process by serving notice?
Can Neighbours Refuse Party Wall Agreement?
It is not uncommon to discover that your neighbour has gone ahead with building works that technically fall under party wall legislation. Indeed, at Peter Barry Surveyors, we are used to getting two or three phone calls a week from Adjoining Owners whose neighbours are carrying out qualifying works without having served notice as legally required by the Party Wall Act. Click here to learn what to do when your neighbour ignores the Party Wall Act.
