Party Wall Agreements
When the property shares a wall with an adjoining neighbour it’s essential that an agreement be made between the two parties that major work such as basement conversions can be undertaken. There’s plenty of horror stories where for whatever reason neighbours have refused to sign – but the good news is that there’s equally a great deal of myth and bombast about such cases too.
Here at Convert My Basement we understand the necessity of getting this stage of the process right, and obviously have years of experience in helping out clients secure their Party Wall Agreements. We will draw up the application on your behalf, provide advice on how best to go about making the approach, and if needed can even accompany you to deliver the documents and field any questions.
*** Whatever you do, make this application in person by literally knocking on the door at a reasonable time. Take all the documents with you, and under no circumstances just post them without offering a discuss your plans in person. This is the main reason why people actually refuse to sign these documents.
We can also help you with appealing for the correct notice and there’s quite a few out there. Underpinning walls will need a certain type of notice while inserting RSJs into the party wall demands anther. Obviously it’s essential to get these rights for the work that is being performed.
In the worst case example the neighbour still has the right to refuse to agree to the Party Wall Agreement for any reason they like. Once served the documents they have 14 days to sign, otherwise the next step arises – the Party Wall Dissent.
As the petitioner you are legally responsible at this stage to appoint and pay for Party Wall Surveyors. The surveyor will examine the architectural plans and also visit the neighbouring property under appointment to survey the condition of their side of the wall and record photographic evidence. Having assessed the condition from both sides they will then try to mediate a compromise agreement. Should agreement be found then work can begin.
It’s worth noting that the cost of a surveyor is around £700 – and there’s a likelihood you will need to employ two (essentially one from each side of the wall).
The good news is that we have not just years of experience dealing with Party Wall Agreements, but also a dedicated team who will support you all the way towards finding an agreement. They will happily provide legal advice, administrative support and any other help they can. Convert My Basement are a registered member of the faculty of Party Wall Surveyors and quality experts in this field.
