Boundary Dispute / Party Wall Report

Clients require Boundary Disputes, and Party Wall Reports for many reasons. It could be that when you purchased your property you believe the neighboring premises had a garage extension that came onto your boundary. A Structural Engineer would complete an on-site visit to confirm whether the structure does fall within your boundary. A report would be produced and sent by email. Should the extension come onto your boundary, you can then take legal steps to have the structure removed or agree on specific terms.

The Party Wall etc Act 1996 provides a framework for preventing and resolving disputes in relation to party walls, boundary walls, and excavations near neighboring buildings.

A building owner proposing to start work covered by the Act must give adjoining owners notice of their intentions in the way set down in the Act. Adjoining owners can agree or disagree with what is proposed. Where they disagree, the Act provides a mechanism for resolving disputes.

The Act is separate from obtaining planning permission or building regulations approval.

Specific Structural Survey 

When purchasing a property with the aid of a mortgage, your lender will arrange for a valuation to take place. A lenders valuation is to ensure that the property is a worthy investment for them. Should the property show any signs of structural defects, the property will become unsuitable for mortgage lending purposes.

The decision can be reviewed by having a Specific Structural Survey completed to determine if the cracking is significant or cosmetic. The property should be inspected by a Structural Engineer, who will then compile a report for you.