What is the party wall act?
Much confusion and misconceptions around the party wall act are active in the UK. This act directly affects the construction or buildings if they satisfy some structural conditions. There is much confusion in the people that if they need to act according to the act or if their building comes under the act. The misconceptions have given rise to the fact that most of the people are now afraid to look up the act and its effects.
The party wall act, in reality, is simple and it states that a shared wall between two parties or owners’ grounds gives certain rights to both parties on both sides of the wall for performing some functions and making some relevant changes in the structure of the wall.
The act also clarifies the fact that in the case that you are sharing a wall with your neighbor, then both the parties have the rights to make changes and also the responsibility to make sure that the other party is not put into any kind of discomfort or problem due to the changes made. The act came into effect in 1997 and all the structures and walls coming up have to comply according to the law.
So it’s very clear that the party wall act does affect the building work and everyone needs to comply with the act to make sure that their buildings are not illegal.
Party wall agreement
So now that you know what is meant by the party wall act, you need to know how to make sure that you and your neighbor are complying with the act legally. The method for doing that is the party wall agreement. This agreement is signed between you and your neighbor for being following the party wall act.
So what exactly is the party wall agreement? This agreement is covered by the party wall act and it covers various grounds like shared walls and terraced houses. There are also provisions for the floors and garden boundary walls. The act also covers any altercation made up to 3 to 6 meters in the ground or something that can affect the foundation of the wall. This is a very important agreement for London as most of the houses are very close and share garden grounds. The party wall surveyor london is very important for you and your neighbor.
Party wall agreement cost
The party wall agreement must be examined very minutely as it covers grounds on the basic constructions of the shared walls and also has an impact on the future alterations that can be made by you or your neighbor. Hence it does not come free of cost. Generally, the cost is dependent on the size of the wall or the construction shared by both parties. There is a party wall surveyor and the Party wall agreement cost is the charges of the surveyor and it depends on the time given by him or her for the survey.
Party Wall Agreement Tips 