Problems & urgent issues
Work started without notice? Damage, refused access, or surveyor fees spiralling out of control? Practical guidance for when a party wall matter goes wrong.
Written by a surveyor
- Karmjit Grewal
- Party Wall Surveyor
- Plain-English guidance
12 articles
What to do when your neighbour ignores the Party Wall Act
If your neighbour starts, or is about to start, work without following the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, the first step is to work out whether the Act applies at all.
Guidance & insightParty wall dispute resolution: a practical surveyor-led framework
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 provides a structured method for resolving disputes. Used properly, it is efficient. Used badly, it can become expensive and slow.
Disputes & enforcementBoundary disputes: why court should be the last resort
Boundary disagreements can feel personal, but court should usually be the last resort. Litigation is expensive, slow, uncertain and often damages neighbourly relations permane…
Notices & consentCasting new foundations and overpinning without notice
Question: Can a building owner cast a new concrete foundation next to an existing foundation and connect the two with dowels, sometimes called overpinning, without serving not…
Awards & processRetrospective awards for party wall excavations
Question: A building owner’s foundations have already been excavated and cast before the party wall award was made. No damage was observed, and the work was confirmed with bui…
Awards & processEnforcing a party wall award: client guide
If one owner does not comply with a party wall award, the award can usually be enforced. Examples include failure to pay surveyors’ fees, failure to pay compensation, refusal…
Fees & costsHow much does it cost to enforce a party wall award?
Enforcing a party wall award in England and Wales is often more straightforward than bringing a full civil claim, but it still costs money. The likely cost depends on whether…
Fees & costsCommon tricks bad-faith party wall surveyors use to inflate fees
Most party wall matters should be resolved efficiently and proportionately. The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 is designed to resolve disputes, not create a fee-generating exercise.
Fees & costsResisting an adjoining owner's high fee claim
High party wall fee claims should not be accepted simply because they come from an adjoining owner’s surveyor. The building owner usually pays reasonable fees, not every fee d…
Fees & costsWhy arbitrary hourly rates of adjoining owner surveyors can and should be challenged
Some adjoining owner surveyors present high hourly rates as if they are untouchable. They are not.
Guidance & insightAssessing damage in party wall matters: using the BRE crack classification
Damage arising from party wall works is uncommon, but when it is alleged, proportional assessment is essential.
Guidance & insightAssessing the scale of damage in party wall matters
Damage to an adjoining owner’s property during party wall works is uncommon, but it can happen. When it does, the scale of the damage matters.
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