The Agreed Surveyor Role Based on acting as the agreed surveyor for both parties we will:
Advise, prepare, draft, review and serve notice(s).
Arrange access and attende the site to understand the site specific circumatances.
Record a condition survey of the adjoining owner’s property, including internals where access is granted
Listen to the concerns of both parties.
Produce a comprehensive and equitable party wall award.
Serve the party wall award (on the parties).
Offer ongoing advise as required.
Making additional awards where necessary
The process starts with the service of notice(s). It should be noted that if the notice(s) does not contain all of the necessary information, or is not properly served, it may be deemed invalid. We pay careful attention, following best practice.
Once a surveyor is appointed under the Act they have a duty to act in an entirely impartial manner. Our goal is to achieve an equitable outcome for all.
Where it is clear that the adjoining owner requires an award, it is easier and faster to be appointed before the notice(s) are served.
An important task that the agreed surveyor performs is an inspection of the adjoining owner's property. This helps us to understand the possible impact of the works and to confirm the drawings are accurate. An inspection also facilitates the preparation of a condition survey of the adjoining owner’s property. This is usually accompanied by lots of photographs, so that any subsequent damage can be properly attributed.
Once it is clear all the necessary information is present and correct, the agreed surveyor will prepare a document known as a “party wall award”. This document sets out the owners’ rights and responsibilities in relation to how the work should proceed and covers items such as working hours, access rights for the workmen during the course of the works and what happens in case of damage. As the agreed surveyor, we take care to check all your valid concerns have been taken into consideration.
Finally we come to our fees, under all normal circumstances these are paid by the building owner.
