Party Wall Appointment
Hendon, London NW4
(London Borough of Barnet)
Close to Golders Green and Cricklewood, within the catchment of our Finchley office.
Background: The proposed 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 building costs.
We were appointed by the adjoining owner to act on his behalf as 'adjoining owner's 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 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.
It also fell to the Surveyors to calculate the payment due to the adjoining owner for use of the parapet wall. When one neighbour erects or 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 erected or raised. This is calculated on the basis that if the building owner will now save £x of costs by virtue of not having to erect 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.