Rights of Owners

Question I purchased an old single storey shop in a conservation area, which adjoined the neighbouring cottage at ground floor level, and came with detailed PP to demolish and replace with a 2 storey 3 bed cottage. PP was granted for the first floor to also adjoin the neighbours cottage and the roof line/ridge to flow together. I have now ... Read more >>

Question We have recently had a new kitchen extension built, however we were not told about the "party wall act". We had all the necessary building permission from the council, and their own guys came round to inspect the work during the required intervals and allowed the work to carry on. At no time was the "party wall act" mentioned to us by ... Read more >>

Question I live in an end of terrace property and we have planning permission for a rear extension. The adjoining terrace property has been unoccupied for the past six years, we believe the property is still owned by the same man who used to live there, as he did go into the house on a couple of occasions in the summer of last year. We have no ... Read more >>

Question My neighbour is building a single story extension down the side of their house and coming off the boundary wall which is ours? They drafted a letter asking us to sign, stating certain things but under advise i was told to insist on a Party wall agreement that will cover both sides and that they were liable for the cost. So reluctantly I ... Read more >>

Question My new neighbour's builders asked if they could use the party garden wall between our properties as the side wall of an extension. I agreed but didn't fully understand their intentions. They added to the height and length of the wall (from 1.8m high to 2.8m high and from 3m long to 3.5m long) while I was ill in bed with swine flu. When I ... Read more >>

Question We obtained planning and buildings regulation approvals to convert our loft and build a ground floor extension to the rear of our property 4 years ago. In June 2006 we entered into party wall act agreements with both our neighbours as we would be performing works to both sides of our property and to both party walls.  We advised both ... Read more >>

Question My elderly parents live in a semi detached dormer bungalow. Their next door neighbours are having a massive side and rear extension. When the plans went in my parents entered discussions with their neighbour. My parents have a conservatory that goes up to the party wall. They agreed to the extension but asked that is was kept 18 inches ... Read more >>

Question Does the definition of a building or structure under Section 6 of the Party Wall Act 1996 include a shared garden wall. We are excavating within 3 metres of the garden wall and several months after the notice was issued and the award made, our neighbour is disputing it's validity stating that the section of the Act on excavations ... Read more >>

Question I am intending to demolish an existing building, which is built tight up to an adjacent building. I believe that there may be a flashing between the 2 buildings. The 2 buildings are predominately independent of each other with the exception of the front elevation brickwork being toothed together. Will I need to issue a notice to my ... Read more >>

Question Does a long term leaseholder need to issue a notice under the ACT (when it applies to construction works) to Adjoining Owners or is it the responsibility of the freeholder (i.e landlord who actually owns the building) to issue the notice on the leaseholders behalf.  Also if the Leaseholder is required to issue a notice would they have ... Read more >>