Adjoining Owners

Question We have produced some basic layouts for the client and they have found a builder themselves to do the works. The property is a flat in the semi- detached house. The flat is at the ground floor with the neighbours living at the first and second floors. The contractor has raised an opening to an internal wall slightly higher than the ... Read more >>

Question Our neighbours' furniture is being moved out piece by piece, which suggests they are moving out ahead of work starting to their property rather than holidaying somewhere. However, we have had no official notification. We're due to go away ourselves in a few days and are worried that the party wall notice might arrive while we are on ... Read more >>

Question My neighbour recently undertook some works and at about the same time I noticed a leak to my conservatory roof. I cannot find where the water is coming in from but it's too much of a coincidence for it not to be related to the works. Is it my neighbour's responsibility to investigate? He doesn't seem to think so. Answer If you believe ... Read more >>

Question I consented to my neighbour's works on the understanding that I should not suffer as a consequence. Many of the existing cracks have widened but my neighbour is saying because they are existing they are not his responsibility. Can this be correct? Answer Certain rights under the Act, such as cutting in to a party wall, come with an ... Read more >>

Question My neighbours are extending in to their basement. Recently the drilling work has intensified and I’ve noticed a crack in the hallway. Should they be using a lower level of force in the drilling i.e. so the house is not shaking and creating cracks as they go? Answer You don’t say whether there is a party wall award in place but if ... Read more >>

Question I have been reading your article on repairing/removing shared chimney stacks on your website which has been very helpful.  You mention that a Party Wall Notice is not required when removing a chimney, but is required for the remedial work when removing part of the shared chimney. Is a Party Wall Notice required when rebuilding the head ... Read more >>

Question We are planning to serve notices on the adjoining owners.  However, on the Land registry website the recorded owner of the property has passed away and detail of ownership has not been updated.  Who should we address and send the appropriate notices to?  Who will therefore act on the adjoining owner's behalf in order to respond to the ... Read more >>

Question At the rear of two buildings there is a very old boundary wall which acts as a party wall and is shared between the two buildings.  There are no records of where the boundary lies so we assume it runs down the middle of this wall. On one side of this wall, there is Neighbour One’s garden.  On the other side of the wall, ... Read more >>

Question My neighbours have permission not only to build onto, but also to increase the height of, the wall at the end of my garden.  Neither their builder or surveyor was aware that the level of our garden is higher than the plot and that the walls they are building onto will be effectively below ground or that they also bordered ... Read more >>

QuestionOur neighbours have served a notice on us stating their intention to build a kitchen extension up to the boundary line between our properties. Within our side of the boundary is a brick garden wall about 12ft long, the rest being wooden fencing, which lies on the boundary along the remaining  length of the garden.  On our side of the ... Read more >>