What is the Party Wall Agreement?
The Party Wall Act requires you to get an approval from your neighbour so that you can have a party wall notice or party wall agreement to work on or near the wall. There are specialist surveyors whose work is to provide formally binding agreements between two parties. If you are working with a reputable party wall surveyor, the process should go as smoothly as possible.
A party wall refers to a wall that's shared usually between a terrace or semi-detached house to divide homes of two separate owners. A party wall can also include garden walls that are built over a boundary or excavations that are close to a neighbour's property. The excavations are mainly within 3 to 6 meters depending on the depth of the new foundations.
Here are the most common cases when you will need a party wall agreement:
- When you are repairing the wall
- When cutting off projections, e.g. removing a chimney breast
- Changing the thickness or height of the wall
- Demolishing or rebuilding a wall
- Inserting damp roofing on the wall
- Cutting into the wall with the aim of taking the bearing of a beam, e.g. during loft conversion
Besides these common cases, there are other cases when you may need a Party Wall Agreement:
- When excavating within 3 metres of your neighbour's property and the building work is as deep as their foundations
- When dealing with floors or ceilings that separate flats
- When building up to or across the boundary of your neighbour. For instance, if you want to build a garden wall along the boundary or extend your house to a point it comes near the boundary.
- If your excavations are within 6 metres and your work would cross a 45 degrees line from the bottom of their foundations towards your excavation.
What is a Party Wall Notice?
A party wall notice is a letter that explains your plans to your neighbour. You should deliver the letter at least two months before you start your intended work to avoid inconveniences. Ensure you've included the following:
- Your name and address (including those of joint owners)
- The name and the addresses of all the owners of neighbouring buildings
- A full description of what you intend to do. If you have any excavations, you need to have a plan and a full description
- Addresses of the buildings to be worked on
- The date when you intend to start the work
- The day your notice was delivered
- Include a clear statement showing that the letter is a notice under the provisions of the Party Wall Act
- A signature from all building owners
Explore more:
Planning Permission & Building Regulations
Do I need Planning Permission?
What To Do when a Planning Application is Refused
What are the Building Regulations?
Objecting to a Planning Application
Do you need to find out more about planning permission and building regulations? Follow this link for RICS Surveyors in Maidstone and Kent.