Party Wall Appointment
Ealing, London W5
(Ealing London Borough Council)
Close to Acton, Chiswick and Brentford. Within the catchment area of our Ealing office
Background: The loft conversion works included making use of the raised parapet wall originally raised by the adjoining owner. The enclosure on the parapet, necessitated that the building owner make a payment towards the adjoining owner's cost.
We were appointed by the building owner. The adjoining owner did not wish to appoint the building owner's Surveyor as Agreed Surveyor and instead appointed his own Surveyor.
The building owner's Surveyor and the adjoining owner's Surveyor collaborated in preparing the Party Wall Award.
The works to the house were extensive and included a loft conversion, front and a rear extension.
Conclusion:
The works were quite extensive and the Award had to consider each aspect of these, in terms of how the risk of damage and disturbance to the adjoining owner should best be mitigated. This included requiring that the building owner take the necessary steps to avoid damaging the adjoining owner's garden plants.
It also fell to the Surveyors to calculate the payment due to the adjoining owner for use of the parapet wall. When one neighbour raises a party wall which the other neighbour subsequently makes use of, the Award will typically require that a 50% payment of costs be made to the neighbour who originally paid for the wall to be raised. This is calculated on the basis that if the building owner will now save £x of costs by virtue of not having to raise the wall himself, the quantum of compensation to his neighbour should be half of that £x saving and that this amount be included within the Party Wall Award.