How to deal with party walls

In recent years the planning rules for extensions have been significantly relaxed. As a result, many homes today are extended under Permitted Development rights without the need for a formal planning application. One downside to this relaxed regime is that neighbours may no longer receive notification in advance from planners alerting them to proposed extensions next door. So the first clue to impending demolition or construction work within spitting distance might only become evident when the builders start excavating alongside the neighbours’ living room.

One reason why this is potentially such a serious issue is because poorly executed structural alterations are a common cause of cracking and movement, and have even, on occasion, been implicated in the collapse of adjoining buildings.

Enter the Party Wall Act, a piece of legislation in England and Wales designed to pre-empt construction-related disagreements between neighbours with a clear legal framework for managing disputes should they arise. The Party Wall Act is a totally separate matter from planning permission and Building Regulations, so to comply with the law anyone wanting