Party Wall etc Act

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

What is a party wall?

The main types of party walls are:

• A wall that stands on the lands of 2 or more owners and forms part of a building - this wall can be part of one building only or separate buildings belonging to different owners
• A wall that stands on the lands of 2 owners but does not form part of a building, such as a garden wall but not including timber fences
• A wall that is on one owner’s land but is used by 2 or more owners to separate their buildings

The Act also uses the expression ‘party structure’. This could be a wall or floor partition or other structure separating buildings or parts of buildings in different ownership, such as in flats.

What the Act covers

The Act covers:

• A new building on or at the boundary of 2 properties
• New work to an existing party wall or party structure
• An excavation near to and below the foundation level of neighbouring buildings

This may include:

• Building a new wall on or at the boundary of 2 properties
• Cutting into a party wall
• Making a party wall taller, shorter or deeper
• Removing chimney breasts from a party wall
• The knocking down and rebuilding of a party wall
• Digging below the foundation level of a neighbour’s property

 

 

Find out more at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/393927/Party_Wall_etc__Act_1996_-_Explanatory_Booklet.pdf