PARTY WALL MATTERS
Essentially a party wall is a wall which is shared by two properties and the rights of the two owners have always been a bit of a “grey area”. In the London region the answers to the problems were clarified by the London Building Acts but the principles set out in these Acts were later extended to the whole country by the Party Wall Act 1996. This included various definitions of walls adjacent to and astride boundaries and specified various actions which different parties could carry out such as underpinning, extending, altering etc. It also prescribed a procedure for the resolution of disputes between adjoining owners.
The Party Wall Act 1996 also deals with the problems which can arise where someone builds on his own land in a manner which could have the effect of undermining the foundations of his neighbour’s building.
The dispute procedure involves the service of official notices so that neither party is caught unawares and makes provision for the appointment of surveyors to examine the problems and make an Award to specify the actions to be taken to safeguard the rights of both parties and to order damages to be paid where appropriate.
The Pyramus & Thisbe Club (whose Logo is shown above) is a club for Party Wall Surveyors and whilst David Parratt is a member, the club has no responsibility for the actions of its members.
