Party wall agreement for loft conversion

canyouhelp

Hello

I've just recently got planning permission for a loft conversion (I'm in a first floor flat so I needed to get planning)

I now need to get party wall agreements and wondered if anyone can give me an idiot's guide as to the best way to go about this. The architect who drew up the plans has been a bit vague and not really explained what I need to do properly. Am I right in thinking that if they sign the agreement then there is no need for a survey, but if not then I need to pay for this?

I am also not sure who I need to contact. Is it literally the flat next door to the party wall where the dormer is, or is it both sides? (the other side would be the stairs) What about the downstairs flats?

Both flats next door are rented out. One is to a private landlord, whose phone number I have, and the other is a council flat, I have a contact to send the info to there.

The loft conversion company I will probably go with have sent me a template letter, but I'm assuming I need to send a covering letter as well and I'd like to make sure I understand exactly what is going on!

Thanks for any help!

iamcornholio

You need to serve a relevant (depending on what you are doing) Party Wall Notice, on all owners affected by the work. That will be the landlords and not the tenants

So for a loft, and typically putting beams into the party walls, then its the owners on the other side of the wall.

The owners will either respond and agree or not agree. If they don't respond then a dispute is automatically assumed, so same as not agreeing.

In this case, you all agree to appoint one surveyor, or you can all appoint your own surveyors. The surveyors decide if a survey is needed or not, and come up with an "Award" - which is the detail of how you go about doing the work.

You pay for all the surveyors fees, plus any other costs they deem necessary.

If they all agree and return the Notices, then have a go on the lottery too because you will be damn lucky

canyouhelp

Thanks!
Any idea how much the surveyor's fees might be for something like this? I expect the council will want to do a survey even if the other side doesn't

iamcornholio

Fees depend where you are. £100/h is not uncommon

How many hours will depend on the complexity of the work, and how many surveyors are involved to discuss minutia.

There will be an initial meeting, perhaps a survey of each property, then either other meetings and conferences or the award can be drawing up. Potentially fees could run into the £000's. But it all depends

See if you can get someone on a fixed fee.

The alternative, is to not bother and just get on with the work - many people do this. You'll have to decide.

Your Architect should be telling you all this as part of his job preparing the plans

mart.vader

I am in exactly the same position, doing a loft conversion in a terraced property.

One side has agreed to the work, The other side has objected, even though it's just cutting three slots in the brickwork, halfway through the party wall to install the steel beams, and offering them an indemnity from the builder, they still insist on objecting.

I'm going to be charged £1,000 for the PW surveyor. (fixed fee). He intends to come along, take some photos, draw up a standard agreement, with standard clauses.

So that's £1,000 worth of nothing, then.

PW surveyors will puff their job up into the most vital of all the building requirements. Even the council inspector isn't charging £1,000, only £650.

I seriously wish I had just done as suggested above, and just got on with the work - they wouldn't have known as the flat on the other side is rented to tenants who are out most days and wouldn't notice, anyway.

AFAIK, there is no actual penalty for not serving a PW notice. After the work is done, they can't really do anything, ( except take you to court for any damage that has occurred. - so if no damage, no court)

Op, you have my deepest sympathy.

canyouhelp

well, both flats next to me are also rented out... but they'll already have had the planning application info, plus I found out my downstairs neighbour has had loads of letters from surveyors touting for business and saying that I have to get a party wall agreement! (her door number is 2 away from mine so you might guess that she was next door if you just looked at the addresses) So I guess the others have also had the same. I'll hope that the privately rented one might just agree if I call her and have a nice chat, but I'm assuming the council will want to do everything above board....

theGrinch

depemds on how well you get along with the owners as to how formal and the costs involved