Having an extension put into your home can be an exciting process, but there are certain rules and regulations placed on your property that may set you back if you’re not in compliance with them. One that leaves a lot of people a little bemused are party walls, what are they? How do they work? Take a minute to read through everything you need to know, so you’re totally aware of your rights and obligations when it comes to making amendments to your property.
If your home is built with a wall connecting to another property and you would like to begin an extension or loft conversion, then a party wall agreement will be required. If the wall is connected on both sides, then both neighbours will need to be informed of your plans to build and will both need to approve them before any work can go ahead. The agreement is in place to protect you and your neighbours from any issues that might otherwise arise once the build is already underway. Party walls are common in all areas of London including North and South London so Simply has plenty of experience of advising on the agreement. Party Wall agreements can be required by neighbours by law and if you are struggling to understand what is involved, then Simply will happily offer expert advice or, if needs be, we can put you in touch with one of our certified party wall surveyors – available for any London area.
Let’s deal with some of the common questions people have :
What action should I take?
Once the loft conversion plans are in place and you know exactly how far you wish to build your loft conversion, you are obliged to inform the owner of the adjoining property – this is called serving a party wall notice. Failure to serve this notice could massively delay your building work plans so it is important you take action from the get-go. The Party Wall Notice should be issued at least two months before the work in the notice is due to begin.
What kind of work requires notice?
An adjoining neighbour should be notified if any part of the party wall will be affected during renovation or if you are undergoing an excavation, any properties within 3-6 metres of yours, need to be told. This will include most loft conversions. Serving the notice can be one of the first things you do, even before you’ve received the all-important planning permission. You can start work up to a year after you have served the notice, so the best thing to do is get organised.
What if my plans change?
Don’t worry, if your plans change and you have already served the notice, in most cases, you won’t have to re-serve a new one, you can simply just show your neighbour the revised drawings.
And if my neighbours don’t agree?
Your neighbours have 14 days to respond to the party wall notice and after that it goes into dispute, which can unfortunately be a little pricey as you will need to pay for a surveyor to lay down the rules of where your builder can build up to in the property. It is best to ensure that you put aside some money (around £1000) if worse comes to worst and you do have to pay out. Another thing to note; when your neighbours agree, be sure to get it in writing before you start any work.
Should you need to appoint a surveyor, we work with trusted party wall surveyors who can help you with this process. Please contact our team who can advise you further.
For any further information about party walls or if you have any questions about your own loft extension, contact Simply Loft today on 0800 917 7571 or visit our contact page.
