Knowledge base
Related content
Everything in the knowledge base, grouped by theme — with the Coburns guidance and service pages that go alongside each topic, so you can move from reading to action.
By theme
- Articles + related guides
- Owner & professional resources
- Read, then act
Guidance & insight
Guidance & insight
Articles
- The first party wall knowledge base →
- What to do when your neighbour ignores the Party Wall Act →
- Assessing damage in party wall matters: using the BRE crack classification →
- Party wall dispute resolution: a practical surveyor-led framework →
- Assessing the scale of damage in party wall matters →
- The advising engineer in party wall matters →
- Adding an additional floor: rights of access and objections →
- Advising engineers in party wall matters: roles, limits and best practice →
- Basement extensions and encroachment →
- Building contracts and the Party Wall Act: protecting your interests →
- Common misunderstandings about the Party Wall Act →
- Converting a balcony to a room: section 11(11) expenses →
- Critique of the Pyramus & Thisbe guidance note 10 →
- Free lunchtime CPD for property professionals →
- Getting your neighbour to appoint an agreed surveyor →
- Insurance and the Party Wall Act →
- Islamic finance, the Party Wall Act and building owners →
- Limitations of the RICS Party Wall Act guidance →
- Material shortages and the Party Wall Act →
- Party wall disputes with vulnerable adjoining owners →
- What are my options for a loft extension? →
- What is not the responsibility of the adjoining owner's surveyor? →
- Working hours and the Party Wall Act: what actually applies →
- Written or photographic schedule of condition: which is better? →
Notices & consent
Notices & consent
Articles
- Is it a good idea to prepare and serve party wall notices yourself? →
- Consent for special foundations and underpinning →
- Building a wall up to, on or across the boundary →
- Can an adjoining owner object to mass concrete underpinning? →
- Casting new foundations and overpinning without notice →
- Handling party wall notices when selling a property →
- How to get consent to build a wall up to, on or across the boundary →
- Is notice required for repairs following damage from notifiable works? →
- Minor works and party wall notices: what requires notification? →
- Notice requirements for underpinning a ground-floor flat →
- Serving notice for a roof space conversion →
- Understanding deemed service of party wall notices sent by first-class post →
- What to do if your neighbour does not respond to a party wall notice →
- When should party wall notices be served? →
- Why hire a party wall surveyor for notice preparation? →
Related pages
Guidance and services that go alongside these articles:
When to serve noticesNeighbour ignoring the ActPlanning work on your homeAwards & process
Awards & process
Articles
- What makes a good first party wall award? →
- Should I appeal a party wall award? →
- Enforcing a party wall award: client guide →
- Functus officio and party wall surveyors →
- Retrospective awards for party wall excavations →
- The role of post-work inspections under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 →
- The role of the third surveyor →
- What is a party wall award? →
- What makes a good third surveyor? →
- Why party wall surveyors must not give private opinions outside an award →
Related pages
Guidance and services that go alongside these articles:
Party Wall AwardsCondition recordsOur paperworkFees & costs
Fees & costs
Articles
- Calculating making use costs →
- Party wall surveyor costs and fees: a simple guide →
- Abandoned party wall works and surveyor fees →
- Best practice for preparing a party wall surveyor's timesheet →
- Common tricks bad-faith party wall surveyors use to inflate fees →
- Determining hourly rates for party wall surveyors →
- How much can boundary disputes cost? →
- How much does it cost to enforce a party wall award? →
- How to identify and avoid fee-driven party wall surveyors →
- Resisting an adjoining owner's high fee claim →
- Types of work that may justify security for expenses →
- Ways to minimise party wall procedure costs →
- When can an adjoining owner request security for expenses? →
- Who pays party wall surveyor fees? →
- Why appointing a fee-driven party wall surveyor is risky for an adjoining owner →
- Why arbitrary hourly rates of adjoining owner surveyors can and should be challenged →
- Why commission-based fees for party wall surveyors are bad for you →
- Why fee-driven party wall surveyors don't act in your interests →
- Why you should avoid appointing a party wall surveyor on an open-ended hourly rate →
Choosing a surveyor
Choosing a surveyor
Articles
- Checklist: choosing a good party wall surveyor →
- Do professional memberships really indicate a good party wall surveyor? →
- How to spot a good versus bad party wall surveyor →
- So what actually matters when choosing a party wall surveyor? →
- What does it take to be an expert? →
- What makes a good party wall surveyor? →
- Why Coburns Party Wall is the best party wall surveying firm →
Related pages
Guidance and services that go alongside these articles:
Why CoburnsAgreed SurveyorSection 10(4) appointmentsDisputes & enforcement
Disputes & enforcement
Articles
Related pages
Guidance and services that go alongside these articles:
Damage claimsAdjoining Owner's SurveyorCase law
Case law
Articles
- Amir-Siddique v Kowaliw (2018) - when unreasonable behaviour can affect fee outcomes →
- Arena Property Services Ltd v Europa 2000 Ltd (2003) - easements and service pipes →
- Blake v Reeves (2009) - why party wall surveyors cannot award litigation costs →
- Breuer v Leccacorvi (2014) - making good, diminution in value and repair cost →
- Davies and Sleep v Wise (2006) - access rights and section 1 ambiguity →
- Dust v Marioni, Greenaway and MacNulty (2004) - fees, proportionality and banquets →
- Farr Development Ltd v Bristol Magistrates Court (2016) - enforcement, fees and appeals →
- Frances Holland School v Wassef (2001) - estoppel and wrong parties →
- Godwin v Swindon Borough Council (2002) - deemed service can be brutal →
- Grand v Gill (2011) - is plaster part of the 'structure'? →
- Kaye v Lawrence (2010) - security for expenses can apply even when you are building on your own land →
- Manu v Euroview Estates Ltd (2007) - valid notices, late points and refusal to act effectively →
- Nutt v Podger and Veda Road Ltd (2021) - no notice, nuisance and the cost of cracking on →
- Patel v Peters (2014) - ex parte awards and the ten-day shortcut →
- Patsalides v Foye (2002) - no notice, no award →
- Power and Kyson v Shah - no notice, no Act →
- Rashid v Sharif (2014) - demolishing a boundary wall without notice can still be trespass →
- Rees v Skerrett (2001) - support, nuisance and demolition risk →
- Roadrunner Properties Ltd v Dean (2004) - evidence problems can rebound on the non-compliant party →
- Saunders v Williams (2002) - foreseeability and mitigation of loss →
- Seef v Ho (2011) - why informal agreements with neighbours can backfire →
- The 'Ormerod' Moot (2010) - who actually pays an adjoining owner's surveyor? →
- Zissis v Lukomski (2006) - appeals and fresh evidence →
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