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Party Wall Surveyors for Building & Adjoining Owners
PWS Surveyors provides specialist party wall services for Building Owners planning works and Adjoining Owners affected by neighbouring works. Based in Berkshire, we can help you understand whether the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies, what the statutory process involves and which next steps are appropriate for your circumstances.
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Clear, Professional Support With Party Wall Matters
- Established Since 2008: PWS Surveyors has been providing party wall services since 2008.
- Building & Adjoining Owners: We assist owners proposing relevant works and those affected by works taking place next door.
- Clear Advice on the Act: We can advise whether proposed works may fall within the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 and explain the relevant process.
- Fixed-Fee Quotations: Fixed-fee quotations are available, helping you understand the proposed cost before proceeding.
- Direct Communication: Speak directly with our team about the circumstances of your property and proposed works.
For initial advice, call 020 8092 0768 or 0800 311 2077, or email enquiries@pwssurveyors.co.uk.
Are You Planning Works or Responding to a Notice?
Are You Proposing Building Works?
If you are planning building works, you may need to serve a Party Wall Notice before certain works begin. We can review the proposed works, advise whether the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 may apply and explain the process relevant to your project.
- Advice on whether proposed works may be notifiable
- Guidance on the appropriate Party Wall Notice
- Support through the relevant statutory process
- Fixed-fee quotations for relevant party wall services
Find out more about Party Wall Notices or request a quote.
Have You Received a Party Wall Notice?
If you have been served with a Party Wall Notice, we can explain what it means and the options available to you as an Adjoining Owner. Your response affects what happens next under the Act, so it is important to understand the process before deciding how to proceed.
- Clear guidance on your options as an Adjoining Owner
- Advice based on the notice and proposed works
- Explanation of consent, dissent and what happens next
- Guidance on the surveyor process if a dispute arises
What Is the Party Wall etc. Act 1996?
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 provides a statutory framework for certain building works involving party walls and party structures, building at or near a boundary, and some excavations near neighbouring buildings.
Not every building project falls within the Act. Whether notice is required depends on the type and location of the proposed works, which is why the circumstances should be considered before work begins.
Where the Act applies, the Building Owner may be required to serve a Party Wall Notice on the relevant Adjoining Owner or Owners.
If the Adjoining Owner dissents and a dispute arises under the Act, the parties may appoint their own Party Wall Surveyors or concur in the appointment of an Agreed Surveyor. The appointed surveyor or surveyors can then determine matters within their statutory jurisdiction through a Party Wall Award.
For a broader explanation of the legislation, read our guide to the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
SPEAK TO A SURVEYOR
Are You the Building Owner or Adjoining Owner?
The Building Owner
The Building Owner is the owner proposing to exercise rights conferred by the Act. Where proposed works are notifiable, the Building Owner is responsible for ensuring the appropriate notice is served before the relevant work begins.
We can advise Building Owners on whether the Act may apply and assist with the party wall process for proposed works.
The Adjoining Owner
An Adjoining Owner is defined by the Act and is not simply another term for any neighbour. Depending on the properties and proposed works, an Adjoining Owner may receive a Party Wall Notice and need to decide how to respond.
If you have received a notice, we can explain your position and the options available under the Act.
What Should You Do After Receiving a Party Wall Notice?
Receiving a Party Wall Notice does not mean that you must object to the proposed works. It means that you have been formally notified of works that the Building Owner considers fall within the Act.
Depending on the type of notice and circumstances, you may be able to consent or dissent. If a dispute arises, the statutory surveyor process can then be used to determine relevant matters.
Dissenting does not automatically prevent the Building Owner from carrying out the proposed works. Instead, it brings the Act’s dispute resolution procedure into operation.
If you are unsure how to respond, we recommend obtaining advice based on the notice and the proposed works before making your decision.
What if Your Neighbour Has Started Work Without a Notice?
If neighbouring building works have already started and you have not received a Party Wall Notice, the first step is to establish whether the works are actually notifiable under the Act.
Not every extension, loft conversion or neighbouring building project requires a Party Wall Notice, so the nature and location of the works need to be considered.
Where works that should have been notified have already commenced, the circumstances can become more complex. We can help you understand whether the Act may apply and discuss the position based on what has happened.
Read our dedicated guidance on what to do if your neighbour has started works without a Party Wall Notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
A party wall is not simply any wall between neighbouring properties. Under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, the term includes certain walls standing on land belonging to different owners and forming part of a building, as well as certain walls standing wholly on one owner’s land but separating buildings belonging to different owners.
The Act also covers certain party structures, works at the line of junction and qualifying excavation works. Whether a particular project falls within the Act therefore depends on more than whether the properties share a wall.
A Party Wall Award is a statutory document made by the appointed surveyor or surveyors to determine matters in dispute within their jurisdiction under the Act. Depending on the circumstances, it can set out details of the relevant works and how or when they are to be undertaken.
A Party Wall Award is sometimes incorrectly referred to as a “party wall agreement”. Although that phrase is commonly used, the document made by the appointed surveyor or surveyors under the Act is a Party Wall Award.
Read more about Party Wall Awards.
A Schedule of Condition is a written and photographic record of the condition of relevant areas of a property at a particular point in time.
In a party wall matter, it may be prepared before relevant building works begin to provide a record of the Adjoining Owner’s property. If concerns about damage arise later, the Schedule of Condition can provide useful evidence of the property’s condition before the works commenced.
Learn more about our Schedule of Condition service.
Responsibility for party wall surveyors’ fees depends on the circumstances. The Building Owner will commonly be responsible for reasonable costs arising from works they propose, but this should not be treated as an absolute rule. The appointed surveyor or surveyors can determine responsibility for relevant costs under the Act according to the circumstances of the matter. Find out more about party wall costs.
No. Dissenting to a Party Wall Notice does not automatically stop the Building Owner’s proposed works. It creates a dispute under the Act, allowing the statutory surveyor procedure to address matters falling within the surveyor or surveyors’ jurisdiction.
Speak to PWS Surveyors About Your Party Wall Matter
Whether you are preparing for building works, have received a Party Wall Notice or are concerned about works taking place next door, establishing how the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies is an important first step.
Tell us about the property and proposed works, and we can help you understand the relevant process and what to do next.
