Question We recently had our loft extended and during the works our neighbours complained  that apparently due to the works the soot in their chimney fell down into their living room and caused damage to their furniture. I would like to know would we be liable for the damages - they're claiming £7000 from their home insurance! Does having a ... Read more >>

Question Does the definition of a building or structure under Section 6 of the Party Wall Act 1996 include a shared garden wall. We are excavating within 3 metres of the garden wall and several months after the notice was issued and the award made, our neighbour is disputing it's validity stating that the section of the Act on excavations ... Read more >>

Question I am intending to demolish an existing building, which is built tight up to an adjacent building. I believe that there may be a flashing between the 2 buildings. The 2 buildings are predominately independent of each other with the exception of the front elevation brickwork being toothed together. Will I need to issue a notice to my ... Read more >>

Question Does a long term leaseholder need to issue a notice under the ACT (when it applies to construction works) to Adjoining Owners or is it the responsibility of the freeholder (i.e landlord who actually owns the building) to issue the notice on the leaseholders behalf.  Also if the Leaseholder is required to issue a notice would they have ... Read more >>

Question We have a garden wall between our property and the neighbouring property which we believe sits soley on our side of the boundary.  The wall was clearly in place long before the neighbouring property was built and is in dire need of replacement.  When the neighbouring property was built they have built a wall in parts on the other side ... Read more >>

Question Our party wall award called for our builder to dig the foundations in 1.5m bays to ensure the stability of the neighbours extension. The builder, annoyingly and without our consent, did not carry out this and dug it all in one go. On the day concrete was poured our surveyor and the building control officer were present and both signed ... Read more >>

Question The context is a typical Victorian south London terraced street, except that the adjoining building was bombed in WW2 and since rebuilt in the 50's - it is flush with no gaps and appears part of the terrace. Our neighbour showed us architects structural drawings (for building regs) for a loft extension, for which he would like our ... Read more >>

Question Wondering if you think the party wall act applies in the following case. I live in a terraced property. The party wall between two pitch roofs at the rear of the property has been damaged by water intrusion over the winter. The covering screed has cracked and is allowing damp to penetrated the underlying wall and roof space below. The ... Read more >>

Question I am considering building a single story extension at the rear of my property.  Although my house is detached, one wall is built up to the junction of my and my neighbour’s property (that being his garden).  The house wall does not site astride the junction and does not adjoin any of my neighbour’s buildings.  At the rear of my ... Read more >>

Question I was served a party wall notice and consented to my neighbour's works which included building at the line of junction. The works commenced in Oct 09, and remain incomplete at this time. I have suffered inconvenience for the whole of this period which has meant that I am unable to park on my own driveway or access my back garden through ... Read more >>