Who Pays for A Party Wall Surveyor?
As a homeowner, you’re responsible for looking after your own home. When it comes to shared walls, however, things get a little trickier. When repairs are necessary, often nobody wants to bear that responsibility, especially if they believe next door is at fault. As you’d expect, it’s not uncommon for tension and disputes to occur due to the high cost of repair. Should this be the case, a party wall survey may be required, carried out by a specialist building surveyor. But who pays for a party wall surveyor?
This is just one of the many surveying-related questions we’re regularly asked over at Munday + Cramer. To help set things straight, we’ve put together this post to look at party walls in some more detail.
What is a Party Wall?
This is probably the best place to begin. Essentially, a party wall is a wall that sits on the boundary of land between two or more different owners. A good example of this is the wall which separates terraced or semi-detached houses.
What Are My Responsibilities?
If extensive building work on a party wall is required, your adjoining neighbour must be notified beforehand. A Party Wall Notice should be provided, and a Party Wall Agreement must be prepared. A professional building surveyor can help advise you on this, although they cannot serve the notice on your behalf.
Who Pays for a Party Wall Surveyor?
In the majority of circumstances, the responsibility of paying a surveyor’s fees fall on the one carrying out the work. More often than not, this will be the building owner. But if the work needs to be done because of a common maintenance problem, why should one party be fully responsible for the repair costs? Should this be the case, it’s likely you will share the cost with your neighbour.
But what if you’re not the one responsible for the damage to the shared wall? Then who pays for a party wall surveyor? If the shared wall was damaged due to the actions of your neighbour, they are responsible for necessary repairs. Also, if additional work is completed to benefit them, they must bear the cost.
The Party Wall Act of 1996
This piece of legislation was devised to provide protection for adjoining building owners should work on party walls be undertaken. It also prevents any building work thought to undermine the structural integrity of shared walls or adjoining properties. The Party Wall Act can also be used to prevent disputes between neighbours and resolve any, should they arise. Therefore, surveyors will always refer to the Party Wall Act 1996 when asked ‘who pays for a party wall surveyor?’
When Should I Get a Party Wall Surveyor?
If your neighbour responds to your Party Wall Notice giving you permission, there’s no need for a surveyor to intervene. Should they not consent, however, then a Party Wall Agreement and a RICS Surveyor are absolutely necessary. If you’re interested in reading more about what happens next should this occur, click here!
Contact Us
Hopefully we’ve managed to provide an insight into answering your question of ‘who pays for a party wall surveyor?’ If you’d like more information about our party wall surveying services, get in touch! Contact our Munday + Cramer team today on 01245 326 200 or by emailing us at info@mcessex.co.uk.