What is a party wall agreement and how will It affect your home?

If you're looking to buy a new home, you'll need to know if you share any walls, fences or boundaries with the neighbours and whether they have any plans to build before you move in. A property survey can tell you everything you need to know about party walls, but we've made a good start on the topic for you here.

In this guide, Surveyor Local has all the information you need to understand what a party wall agreement is, whether your property already has one, and when you will need one.

When you plan to do building work on your property, you are legally required to inform your neighbours about any work that will be undertaken. This comes in the form of a party wall agreement; the document is created to show that your neighbours have agreed to the building work either on or near a party wall.

The agreement should include details of the building work that will be carried out within it, such as the working hours, how the party wall will be accessed, and any other necessary details related to the proposed work. Before work begins, the agreement should include evidence of the adjacent properties and how they looked before. 

A party wall agreement will be needed two months before the work begins, and you will be required to serve notice to all the legal owners of properties affected by your proposed work.

Neighbours will have two weeks to reply under the Party Wall Act of 1996. If, during the two weeks, consent is given, then you will not need a party wall surveyor, and work can commence.

But if two weeks go unanswered or you receive a dissented response, then you will need to commission a party wall agreement.

When you buy a new property, it's important to make sure you know exactly what you're getting for your money before you sign on the dotted line. Not that a party wall is bad in itself, but if you buy the property and find out later that your neighbours are already planning an extension that will affect your new semi-detached home, it's too late to really do anything about it.

A property survey will inform you of any party wall agreements, potential issues, or planned works that will affect your property after you move, giving you the peace of mind to get settled in without the sounds of work ongoing next door.

If you or your neighbour do decide to extend or change the structure of your property, a party wall agreement will cover you both for any potential damage that may be caused by the building works. Your surveyor will be able to tell you of any structural problems that may affect your new extension, and they will also go around and speak with your neighbours and get a party wall award before starting any work to avoid any unwanted disputes.

Taking out a property survey will give you the best idea of the potential issues affecting your property, with a Level 3 survey giving you a detailed list of defects both inside and outside your home, as will a Level 2 survey. After the work is completed, a property valuation report will inform you of the property's value to help determine if its value has increased or decreased. Something that may be useful to note should you ever look to sell your house. 

If you plan on extending your new property, you'll need to determine the status of any existing party walls. Say, for instance, that you plan to put a basement in your new home, and you don't bother with getting a survey before you buy.

You might find that the previous owners tried to get planning permission and failed, or you might go ahead and not know that you needed a party wall award, leaving you liable for huge damage costs if anything were to go wrong with the building.

At Surveyor Local, we have a huge selection of RICS Chartered Property Surveyors located nationwide. If you need a property survey to determine whether your neighbours have a party wall award or if you can apply for one, do not hesitate to contact us. A member of our team will be on hand to answer any questions you may have.