Party Wall Notice Required for Loft Conversion?

macman

Our (terraced) neighbours are about to submit a planning application for a loft conversion and I was wondering if it will be necessary for them to serve a Party Wall Notice on us?
I haven't yet seen the plans, but the work will involve creating a rear dormer of about 1.5m width (only about a third of the total roof width at the eaves). Will this require any structural work affecting the party wall in the loft?

kmmr

If they are doing anything significant against the party wall, then they will have to serve you notice. But not yet - give them time to get the PP, and then actually plan to do the work.

Once you are given the notice, then you have 2 months to organize between yourselves a party wall agreement. This basically sets out the condition of your flat, and any special considerations for protecting your property at specific stages. For example, my party wall agreement says I need to go to the neighbours and cover their fireplace when we are putting in the structural steels. To prevent ash falling or something!

You don't HAVE to get a party wall agreement, you can just agree with each other, but it depends on your relationship. If it's a leasehold flat, then the freeholder needs to be given a separate party wall notice. Be nice to your neighbours and use the same surveyor - otherwise they get stung with two full sets of fees!

And DON'T USE AN ONLINE SURVEYOR. Even though you are not paying, they are hard to deal with, and will create dispute where there is none, as it makes it take longer, and hence they can fleece the other side.

macman

It's not a flat, it's a terrace. What I am unclear about is whether the work required to strengthen the roof and create a dormer would involve inserting steels into the party wall?