The Party Wall Act 1996 is a UK law that helps prevent and resolve disputes between neighbors about shared walls or structures, known as “party walls.” These are common in properties like terraced or semi-detached houses.
Key Points:
What Is a Party Wall?
A party wall is a wall shared by two (or more) properties. It can be the wall that separates terraced or semi-detached houses, a garden wall, or even a floor or ceiling dividing flats.
Types of Work Covered:
The Act covers three types of work:
Building a new wall: For example, a garden wall that sits astride the boundary.
Working on an existing party wall: This includes tasks like cutting into the wall, raising its height, or even demolishing part of it.
Excavating near a neighboring property: If you’re digging close to the boundary, the Act applies to protect your neighbor’s foundations.
Notifying Your Neighbors:
Before starting any work that affects a party wall, you must notify your neighbors in writing. This is typically done at least two …
