Party Wall Surveyors

kmmr

Hi,

I am doing an extension and making structural changes to my basement flat in London. I have found out that I need to go through this Party Wall process to get an agreement with everyone about what I am doing, the condition of their property etc etc.

I have a number of questions though.

Firstly does anyone have any advice as to whether I should approach a surveyor or a solicitor to manage the process. I called RICS and they gave me the name of some surveyors, who seem nice enough, but very expensive, and a little contradictory in their advice.

As far as I understand it the process is:

1 Identify impacted neighbours
2 Send out letters to leaseholders and freeholders
3 They will all presumably dissent
4 They will nominate a surveyor, who will do a survey. (I will try to convince them all to use the same one)
5 I nominate a surveyor to also do a survey of each flat.
6 The two surveyors work out the details and set out a Party Wall award.
7 After the work is done, another inspection is done of all flats.

Is that right? Does there need to be two surveys done on each flat (once by my surveyor, and once by theirs?). I am on good terms with most of the neighbours, so is it possible for them to just rely on my survey?

Does a surveyor has a code of conduct or rules about impartiality that they have to follow? That would help my case for the use of one surveyor in case the neighbours are worried about me choosing the surveyor.

I have been quoted £750 + VAT per flat for the survey, plus whatever the other side what. So a minimum of £2250 + VAT, and the other sides costs which will probably be around the same. Seems a lot of money for a pretty procedural process.

And finally - any recomended surveyors or solicitors for this? I am in overpriced West London, so perhaps someone from a little further afield who would accept the job for a little less?

Thanks MSE'ers!

KMMR

kmmr

oh, and one more thing. Do I have to go through the whole legal process here, or can I just go and talk to the neighbours, then arrange a surveyor of their liking to come out, and they produce a party wall award?

I don't mind paying what needs to be paid, but I just want to make sure I am doing it in a relatively cost effective way.

kmmr

Shamelss bump.

But seriously - perhaps someone could advise me on a better place to post this? Another board here, or another Forum site?

thanks

KMMR

tstodart

Hi,

You can find the process in detail in
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/partywall

Before our loft conversion, I spent a long time discussion our plans with our neighbours, and allowed them to discuss their particular concerns with my architect and structural engineer. In the end they both signed party wall agreement letters that I generated from the templates in the leaflet above.

If you can get your neighbours to sign up without 'dissent' then you can avoid the cost and delays of surveyors. Either way you are liable to 'make good' on any damage to other properties due to your work on the party wall.

If you search for 'party wall' in the forums you'll be able to read other peoples experiences (with surveyors, enforcement, etc).

steveroofer

kmmr wrote: »

Hi,

I am doing an extension and making structural changes to my basement flat in London. I have found out that I need to go through this Party Wall process to get an agreement with everyone about what I am doing, the condition of their property etc etc.

I have a number of questions though.

Firstly does anyone have any advice as to whether I should approach a surveyor or a solicitor to manage the process. I called RICS and they gave me the name of some surveyors, who seem nice enough, but very expensive, and a little contradictory in their advice.

As far as I understand it the process is:

1 Identify impacted neighbours
2 Send out letters to leaseholders and freeholders
3 They will all presumably dissent
4 They will nominate a surveyor, who will do a survey. (I will try to convince them all to use the same one)
5 I nominate a surveyor to also do a survey of each flat.
6 The two surveyors work out the details and set out a Party Wall award.
7 After the work is done, another inspection is done of all flats.

Is that right? Does there need to be two surveys done on each flat (once by my surveyor, and once by theirs?). I am on good terms with most of the neighbours, so is it possible for them to just rely on my survey?

Does a surveyor has a code of conduct or rules about impartiality that they have to follow? That would help my case for the use of one surveyor in case the neighbours are worried about me choosing the surveyor.

I have been quoted £750 + VAT per flat for the survey, plus whatever the other side what. So a minimum of £2250 + VAT, and the other sides costs which will probably be around the same. Seems a lot of money for a pretty procedural process.

And finally - any recomended surveyors or solicitors for this? I am in overpriced West London, so perhaps someone from a little further afield who would accept the job for a little less?

Thanks MSE'ers!

KMMR

Hi, I have worked with this man Ken McHale his company Kmass google him he is out of town but works in town, not only is he a trained party wall surveyor but a engineer specialising in basements very knowledgeable man worth calling him for a chat, he has got me out of trouble many times

jstallan

I had some experience of this about 3 years ago when our 'then' neighbour (him) wanted to perform a loft extension that interferrred with the 'party wall'.

Points 1-7 are about right. Being on good terms with the neighbours will help. We appointed (at his cost) a different surveyor basically becuase we didn't trust him nor his surveyor. Glad we did actually as his turned out to be 'slap dash' while ours ended up telling him the process and taking the lead.

If you have different surveyors, then 'yours' will conduct the survery with 'theirs' - at least this is what happened in our situation.

I also seem to recall that there was a time limit from when the 'award' what dated to when the work started - if this expired, then the process starts all over again. Plus if there is any structual defects appearing both surveyors care called back in to review.

I wish I was a surveyor!

Hope this helps.