How do I issue a Notice?
If you are intending to carry out building works to your property (such as removing a chimney breast, an extension, a loft conversion or a basement conversion) you may need to issue Party Wall Notices to your neighbours.
Notice will be required if you wish to build a wall on (or across) a boundary, if you wish to cut into the party wall and insert a beam (i.e. when having a loft converted), removal of a chimney breast on a party wall or if you wish to excavate within 6 metres of an adjoining property.
If you are unsure whether you need to issue a Notice please telephone on 0203 170 6182 alternatively, e-mail the drawings to us via the Contact Us page or to info@apmprojects.co.uk – we can advise you, at no cost and with no obligation and provide a fixed fee quotation.
The Notice must include various pieces of information and it is very important to get this right – an incorrect Notice can invalidate any subsequent Award. It is normal to include drawings detailing the works you intend to carry out and in the case of excavations, the depth of the excavation must be indicated on the drawings.
The Act is primarily intended to facilitate building works. It is very unusual for an Adjoining Owner to be able to prevent works from being carried out (unless the works contravene Planning or other Local Authority approvals). However, the Act does provide protection for Adjoining Owners, primarily in the form of a ‘Schedule of Condition’ survey of their property. This is taken prior to the commencement of works and records the current condition of the most likely areas of their property that could be affected by the proposed works. Once the current condition is documented, any damage occurring during or after the works is easy to identify and subsequently resolve.
Please note: just because you issue a Notice, you will not necessarily require an Award to be made. Your neighbours can elect to ‘concur to the works’ (this often happens with minor works) in which case, as long as their agreement is in writing, you can progress with your intended works.