What you need to consider if intending to do work that affects, or might affect, an existing Party Wall built on one of the properties, at, or near, a boundary, and separating buildings, or parts of buildings.
Your rights
Typical works which materially affect the wall and require Notice:-- Work involving removal or addition of structural material, including
- Demolishing and rebuilding the wall if defective due to age or damage;
- Demolishing and building a replacement wall to a thickness and strength suitable for your purposes, and/or that of the Adjoining Owner;
- Installing a damp proof course, fixing flashings;
- If the Wall is at the top of a building;
- Necessary repairs to oversailing roof finishes;
- Forming a junction between two differing roofing finishes sitting on top of the wall;
- In a masonry wall:-
- Forming recesses for beams and padstones; electrical conduit and sockets, and other services;
- Removing plaster completely, raking out and making good the brickwork joints, to create a fair face to be either painted or covered;
- Putting drylining on the wall using screwed battens;
- Attaching duct casings to the wall after removing plaster;
- Re-plastering, with or without keying the masonry by raking out the joints;
- where there is a cavity;
- Renewing insulation embedded in the cavity.
- In a timber or steel framed wall:-
- Forming recesses for electrical sockets, and other services;
- Renewing electrical conduit, and sockets;
- Adding drylining to the wall using screwed battens;
- Attaching duct casings to the wall;
- Re-plastering, including renewing boarding;
- Renewing insulation incorporated in the wall.
Typical works which do not materially affect the wall:-
- Putting screws or nails in the wall for shelving, cupboards, pictures or wall decorations such as picture rails, dado rails, cornices etc.;
- Fixing radiator brackets, central heating and water supply pipework supports, or plumbing goods brackets, to the wall;
- Running electrical cable in the plaster depth, and fixing conduit to the wall;
- Renewing cable, conduit, and sockets in existing recesses;
- Making good, or patching, defective plaster to match existing. In a timber or steel framed wall:-
- Renewing electrical cable in existing conduit, and fixing conduit to the wall;
Work which cannot be done without the written consent of the Adjoining Owner;-
- Repairs to any feature such as copings, parapets, chimneys etc.;
-
If the Wall is at ground floor level:-
- underpinning;
- The use of reinforced concrete or steel foundations, which are also placed on the adjoining land.
Your obligations
Notices-
A Party Structure Notice must be served on all the Adjoining Owners
- two months before the work is intended to start.
Your neighbours' obligations
Notices-
A Counter Notice for work required must be served on you within
- one month after the Notice is served.