COLCHESTER
THE PARTY WALL PEOPLE
We implement the Party Wall Etc. Act 1996 in Colchester and the surrounding areas.
We prepare and serve party wall notices for you, we also undertake schedules of condition and as required,
produce and serve party wall awards (sometimes called party wall agreements).
Our rating on Google makes us really proud as we love to give a professional, personal and expert service
​We hold membership with the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors (FPWS) and the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)
We have both Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurances.
​The Party Wall People are based in Chelmsford, Essex and travel across the southeast of England.
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If you have any questions about the party wall act, please feel free to contact us for a free, no obligation chat.
Many building projects in Colchester involve The Party Wall etc. Act 1996. Does yours?
If you are not sure, first ask does your proposed building works fall into the following categories where the act is applicable:
Building on or at the Boundary
If you plan to build on or next to the boundary between your property and your neighbour’s property.
Excavation Near a Neighbour's Property
If you intend to excavate within specified distances of your neighbour’s building or structure.
Work on a Party Wall
If you plan to work on an existing party wall (shared wall between two properties), such as cutting into it, raising it, or inserting a damp-proof course.
If any of the above situations apply, it's advisable to seek professional advice. TPWP work in Colchester often and can serve notices and follow the procedures outlined in the Act. Contact us now
SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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CAN I START WITHOUT A PARTY WALL AWARD?
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You can’t start any of the notifiable works without a consent from your neighbour or until a Party Wall Award has been served. However, you may be able to do some works related to the project which have been approved by planning approval for example. Lots of people serve the notices and even get an award in place before planning is approved to save time.
WHO WILL PAY THE FEES?
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Most of the time, the Surveyors fees are covered by the Building Owner. The cost of two different surveyors will usually be higher than that of an Agreed Surveyor. It is worth knowing that the time to agree the Party Wall Award might also be longer.
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CAN I JUST SERVE MY OWN PARTY WALL NOTICE?
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Yes, you are able to produce and serve your own notices… But if they are served incorrectly they are invalid, and you will need to start all over again which could delay the start of your project. Having this done early on by a Party Wall Surveyor will deal with this potential risk.
DO I NEED TO INFORM MY NEIGHBOUR IF I WANT TO PUT UP A SHELF OR MOVE AN ELECTRICAL SOCKET?​
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This sort of work would be considered to be minor and such works would not need to be notified under the Act.
IS A TIMBER FENCE A PARTY WALL?
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No, although references are sometimes made to shared or 'party fences'. These do not fall under the Act..
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WHEN DO I NEED TO NOTIFY MY NEIGHBOURS?
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Timing is really important, so reviewing your project with a Party Wall Surveyor to run through your project and check if any elements will require serving notice removes stress from the project early on, allowing you to concentrate on the rest of the job. We would recommend getting in touch as soon as a planning application has been submitted, if you intend to begin works promptly.
CAN MY NEIGHBOUR STOP MY PROJECT?
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Your neighbour can’t stop you carrying out the project by not responding within the required timeframe. If this happens then the Act allows you to appoint another Surveyor on their behalf so that a Party Wall Award can be served. You can’t have an Agreed Surveyor in this scenario.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS IF I DON’T SERVE A NOTICE?
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It is illegal to begin any notifiable works without a notice. Your neighbour has the right to serve an injunction and stop the work.
If you have done some work which might hinder your neighbour’s ability to have a project of their own, without serving the correct notice, you will be liable to compensate for any remediation or damages caused under common law. You will have to cover the cost for undoing this work and any related design fees.
CAN THE ACT BE USED TO RESOLVE A BOUNDARY DISPUTE?
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No, The Act is not the tool to resolve boundary disputes and party wall surveyors have no powers to do so… The Act cannot be applied until a boundary dispute is resolved. In the case of a section 6 notice, which deals with excavations within a certain distance of the adjoining owner's property, the boundary location is irrelevant.