The Party Wall Act protects your
neighbours from damage

The main points of the Act are:

• If you are building on or near the boundary you must serve notice to your neighbour
• If you are providing deep foundations you may need to serve notice to other owners within three or six metres
• If you are proposing to carry out works to a 'party wall' you must serve notice on the other owners of that wall.

You need to know:

• Whether your proposals will require reference to the Party Wall Act
• Whether your neighbour's proposals will cite it
• What you have to do if your neighbour’s proposal does mention it

Most people in this situation ask the obvious questions. We have provided basic answers to get you started.

• Physically or indirectly affecting an adjoining building
• Physically affecting the party structure between two properties
• Excavation within three metres of an adjoining owner's property — or six metres if deep excavation

These Notices may allow the adjoining owner to appoint a surveyor to represent their interest. The Act places a burden upon the owner who plans to carry out the work - to pay the reasonable fees of the adjoining owner in hiring a surveyor.

You should consider appointing a surveyor at this early stage. Some Notices require a minimum of two months between the serving of the Notice and starting the building work.

The Faculty sets exams and monitors the performance of its members in relation to the Party Wall etc Act 1996.

Nicholas is also chairman of the Kent Branch of the Pyramus and Thisbe Club — the organisation for professionals specialising in party wall matters.

You can trust him to look after your interests in this most delicate of negotiations between neighbours.