The term “Adjoining Owner” covers any owner of land, buildings, storeys or rooms adjoining those of the Building Owner. Clearly the term “adjoining” requires some definition as it will vary depending on the type of work to be undertaken and the proximity between the two buildings. Under section 6 an Adjoining Owner can be an owner of buildings within 6m of the proposed work.

Section 20 contains the following definition of an Adjoining Owner:

“(a) a person in receipt of, or entitled to receive, the whole or part of the rents or profits of land;

(b) a person in possession of land, otherwise than as a mortgagee or as a tenant from year to year or for a lesser term or as a tenant at will;

(c) a purchaser of an interest in land under a contract for purchase or under an agreement for a lease, otherwise than under an agreement for a tenancy from year to year or for a lesser term;”

Section 20 defines the surveyor as:

“any person not being a party to the matter appointed or selected under section 10 to determine disputes in accordance with the procedures set out in this Act.”

If a dispute has arisen the parties are required to appoint a surveyor. This can be anyone that is not a party to the matter. The surveyor does not need to have any specific qualifications and he may already be involved in the works (ie: as an architect or engineer). While qualifications are not a requirement, it is generally accepted that a party wall surveyor should have experience and competence to be able to act in the role of an expert. The surveyor should at least be able to make basic judgments on the substantive issues without having to seek advice from other professionals.

The surveyor acting on behalf of the Adjoining Owner. As with the Building Owner’s surveyor, this person can be anybody not involved in the dispute.

The role of the Adjoining Owners Surveyor is primarily to represent the interests of the Adjoining Owner and ensure the correct implementation of the requirements of the Act. Key responsibilities include:

• Review and comment on the notices, with the intention of verifying their validity
• Cooperate in the forthwith selection of the Third Surveyor
• Ensure a Schedule a Conditions is carried out properly (not a requirement under the Act but generally considered as good practise)
• Review draft award documents and provide comments to ensure fair and comprehensive award(s) are served
• Countersign awards, document registers and schedules of condition

The Adjoining Owners surveyor will usually allow time within his fee to carry out a site inspection during the works and after completion. The purpose of these visits is to ensure work is progressing in accordance with the drawings and method statements and, after completion, to review the adjoining property against the schedule of condition and check for damage caused.

In instances where there are two surveyors appointed (one acting for the Building Owner and one acting for the Adjoining Owner) the first act they must undertake in resolving the dispute is to select a Third Surveyor. The usual process is that the Building Owners surveyor nominates three choices to the Adjoining Owners surveyor, who then proceeds to select their preferred option. If the Adjoining Owners surveyor does not feel any of the three choices are suitable they may decline to select any of them and suggest three alternatives. In instances where the two surveyors are unable to agree on the selection of the Third Surveyor they must refer it to the Appointed Officer within the local authority to make the selection.

The Third Surveyor does not need to agree to be selected and, often, he will not even be aware of his selection until called upon.

The Third Surveyor is usually an experienced specialist in party wall matters.

When an Adjoining Owner indicates their dissent, they are then required to appoint a surveyor. They may appoint the same surveyor as the Building Owner, in which case the surveyor in question becomes the Agreed Surveyor and prepares the award on behalf of both parties. In this instance, there is no requirement for a Third Surveyor.

This term covers the structural engineer (or group of engineers) that produced the engineering elements of the proposed design. In most projects a set of engineering details (drawings and calculations) are needed at the time notices are served as they set out the extent of the notifiable works and detail numbers, sizes and locations of steel beams. The structural design is also likely to set out the depth and location of foundations, so the details prescribe the depth of excavations and are crucial to notices served under section 6.

The role of the design engineers becomes even more prevalent on basement projects, where the design is far more involved and includes the temporary works (propping and temporary support details), reinforced concrete underpinning and retaining walls. The technical details of such a design may extend beyond the expertise of most surveyors, in which case it is prudent to engage the services of a checking engineer to assist in the evaluation of the design.

A dispute may involve complex construction issues and the surveyors may need to rely on input from experts in order to reach the correct solution. On complex engineering projects most Adjoining Owners Surveyors will appoint a third party engineer to assess the design and comment on its adequacy. Checking engineers may also be requested to visit the site during the works to assess conditions on site as work progresses or to ensure construction methods are being followed.

The cost of the checking engineers fees are usually written into the award and, as with the vast majority of costs uncured under the Act, are to be paid by the Building Owner.

The building firm selected to carry out the proposed works. They may be requested to provide information on how they intend to carry out works, the programme of works, method statements, insurances…etc.

The person or practice responsible for the design of the proposed works. The architect is usually the person with the most knowledge of a proposed scheme and has normally been involved since the projects conception and through the planning stages. They are responsible for deciding design information and would need to produce drawings to show detail around the notifiable works. This normally involves weathering or waterproofing detail, lead flashings cut in to the party wall…etc.

A person, other than the Adjoining Owner, that resides at an Adjoining Owner’s property. Occupiers have limited rights and obligations and a Building Owner is not required to serve an Occupier with a notice of intended works. However, if the building owner wishes to carry out works by consent, he needs to have the consent of the adjoining occupiers as well as the adjoining owners (section 3(3)(a)).

Adjoining occupiers are obliged to allow entry under section 8 of the Act, subject to the requirements of notice in that section, and can commit an offence if they do not permit entry.

12. The properties are then inspected on completion to check for any damage. If there is damage, then you have the choice of letting their contractor put it right or taking compensation instead.