Can a party wall surveyor in Barnsbury, London help if I think my neighbour won’t consent to my building project?
Barnsbury is an intimate neighbourhood in north London, close to Islington and within easy reach of central locations.
It’s easy to see why it’s an attractive place to settle down. With a plethora of pubs, restaurants and cafes, green spaces and great architecture, it’s got plenty of amenities right on its doorstep.
If you’re a homeowner in this attractive location and are planning a building project, you may be considering a party wall surveyor in Barnsbury, London.
We’re going to describe the role of a party wall surveyor in this latest post and explain how their help can be invaluable in ensuring that your project is successful.
About party walls
If you’re in the planning stages of a building project, you may have heard of the Party Wall Act 1996 and may be wondering if it is applicable to you.
The Act is a piece of legislation that describes a property owner’s rights and responsibilities relating to their party wall. This is a wall shared between two different properties — for example, a wall separating terraced or semi-detached houses.
The legislation also relates to excavations that may be planned within a certain radius of neighbouring garden walls or buildings.
If you’re planning to do any work that affects the party wall, or you are excavating foundations within three or six meters of your neighbour's structures, foundations or garden wall, you must serve your neighbour a party wall notice. An expert party wall surveyor will be able to assist you with this, to ensure that the notice pack, paperwork and other information is all filled out correctly, and is in full compliance with the party wall act, to prevent the notice from being deemed "invalid" at a later stage.
What happens after the party wall notice is served?
The party wall notice gives details of your proposed building works. If your neighbour doesn’t have any objections to your plans, then you can go progress to the next stage of the project, if they provide formal response and consent in writing to the party wall notices. A verbal or informal consent from your neighbour, for example via an email, standard letter, or a conversation, does not constitute a "consent" under the party wall act.
An expert party wall surveyor to guide you through the relevant steps of the process. If your neighbour does not formally consent to your party wall act notices, a party wall agreement will need to be produced, which sets out conditions and expectations related to this work, in accordance with the requirements set out in the Party Wall Act.
It has to be drawn up by a party wall surveyor, who will use their knowledge and expertise to ensure that it satisfies all the legal requirements and responds to the points raised by your neighbour.
As part of this process, your party wall surveyor will record the condition of your neighbour’s property so that if any complaints are raised at a later date, you have a point of reference.
They can also detail any access rights to your neighbour’s property, which may be required for certain building projects.
To summarise, a party wall surveyor can help smooth the way towards the commencement of your building works, acting as a point of contact should your neighbour raise any objections, and of course answering their concerns.
The last outcome you want is a dispute with your neighbour, so it makes sense to enlist professional help to ensure that the project proceeds as amicably and smoothly as possible.
Find a party wall surveyor in Barnsbury, London
If you’re concerned that your neighbour might object to your building project, then it’s best to recruit an expert party wall surveyor who can guide you through the steps to enable you to proceed.
They will have a sound knowledge of the Party Wall Act and the kind of objections that can sometimes be raised during the initial stages of a building project.
Your party wall surveyor will also know how to respond to these concerns, to put both your and your neighbour’s minds at rest.
If you’re looking for a party wall surveyor in Barnsbury, London, reach out to the team here at Humphreys & Sons.
We are a local, family business of architects, chartered and party wall surveyors who have the expertise to guide you through your project. With a proven track record in building projects in and around London and Essex, we’re a reliable choice to get you through the early stages of your work, right through to completion.
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