The Difference Between a Party Wall Award and Schedule of Conditions
Party Wall Award VS Schedule of Conditions
When working on a property, knowing which paperwork needs to be completed can be overwhelming. Fortunately, a lot of stress and confusion can be avoided when using an experienced RICS surveyor in North London.
The following explains how Party Wall Award VS Schedules of Conditions differ and highlights examples of when both can be needed when work is being carried out on the property.
Do I Legally Need a Party Wall Award?
If you are planning to renovate, repair or develop your property in North London, obtaining a Party Wall Award, also known as a Party Wall Agreement, is essential. This is because you are legally obliged to notify your neighbours about any changes or work that will be conducted near a shared boundary. By sending out a Party Wall Notice, you can legally communicate the proposed works with your neighbours, helping to mitigate any disputes between you and your neighbour(s) property.
Examples of notifiable works include:
- Excavation within 3 or 6 meters of your property
- Cutting into the shared Party Wall
- Removal of a chimney breast
- Increase/decrease the height of a Party Wall
Can a Neighbour Refuse a Party Wall Award?
A Party Wall Award protects you (building owner) and your neighbours (adjoining owners) when carrying out work to the shared boundary.
When you first serve a Party Wall Award to your neighbours, they have 14 days to respond. If a neighbour disagrees or does not respond during the 14 days, your neighbours will have 10 days to appoint a surveyor to act for them. After this, you are officially allowed to select a Party Wall Surveyor to act as an impartial mediator on their behalf.
Please note that you are only allowed to do this if you have given sufficient warning and waited 24 days, allowing them adequate time to respond.
Please DO NOT assume that you can ignore them and commence your work because you haven’t had a response from your neighbours.
Although a Party Wall Agreement is another cost to planned works, it protects both parties’ interests.
You can learn more on our blog about what to do if your neighbour ignores your Party Wall Agreement.
Is a Schedule of Conditions a Legal Requirement?
The Schedule of conditions forms part of a Party Wall Agreement and not having one can be detrimental. It records the condition of a property’s ceilings, walls, floors and external elevations that are close to the shared boundary before any building works commence.
Typical defects identified and recorded include cracking to plastered surfaces and the condition of glazing, walls and brickwork.
Navigating whether your works require a Party Wall Award or Schedule of Conditions can sometimes be confusing, so using a professional associated with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is recommended.
Why Choose an RICS Surveyor?
Using an RICS surveyor ensures that your Party Wall matters are in safe hands. In addition, being an RICS member guarantees that the surveyor is qualified and up-to-date with current practices and regulations.
Talk to Our RICS Surveyors in North London
If you are searching for Party Wall advice in North London but are unsure where to start, then why not get in touch to discuss your project with us? As well as completing Party Wall Awards for your North London property, you can be confident of an experienced RICS surveyor in every instance.