We are Leasehold Owners Planning Works that Fall under the Party Wall Act and the Suggested Overall Fees Seem Unreasonable.

Question

I am planning to demolish an internal partition wall which entails excavating lower than foundation level within 3 metres from the party wall, hence we fall under the Party Wall Act and we have issued notices. We are Leaseholders and our Freeholder required a surveyor; we have then accepted his surveyor as agreed surveyor with the aim to reduce the number of surveyors engaged.

This surveyor asks for a fee of approx £2,600 (£750 + £500 each of the 3 neighbour’s flats + VAT); we need then to add the fee of the surveyors requested by the adjoined properties which should be in the range £800 each. Overall surveyor fee is £4,200.

We think that this is unreasonable considering that the actual work – demolition of an internal partition wall costs £7,000.

Please could you advice on how we can contain the fee to a reasonable value (e.g. max £2,000)?

Answer

I can’t give you any good news on this one I’m afraid – if the work affects 5 adjoining properties then an overall fee of £4,200 is not unusual. You are unfortunate that all the adjoining owners have dissented but that is their right.