Sudbrook Road - A new build house for which Andrew MacSwayed was Party Wall Surveyor

Definitions

A party wall is generally a wall shared by two (or more) properties and located on the boundary between them.

When an adjoining owner receives a party wall notice they can choose to either agree or disagree to the works taking place. If they disagree ('dissent') they cannot normally stop the proposed construction works but they can insist they are covered by a legally binding document known as a 'Party Wall Award'. This is prepared by one surveyor acting for all owners or as a combined effort by individual surveyors each representing a particular owner.

A £1 million pound renovation and new basement in Clapham for which Andrew MacSwayed was both designer and party wall surveyor.

Hugh Street in Pimlico, where a house was converted into four flats and Andrew MacSwayed acted as party wall surveyor and architect.

The Law

The procedure for party wall notices, awards, surveyors, disputes and costs is set out in the 1996 Party Wall Act. This statute can be viewed at the following web site www.legislation.gov.uk

The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 provides owners of buildings with certain rights and obligations to other owners in relation to party walls and other structures defined under the Act.

Scarsdale Villas in Kensington, a complete basement under the house, for which Andrew MacSwayed was both designer, project architect and party wall surveyor.

Andrew MacSwayed

Profile

Andrew MacSwayed is a qualified, London based architect and party wall surveyor with over thirty-five years of professional experience. He has undertaken dozens of party wall awards annually for more than twenty years and has served as an expert witness on party wall matters in several complex disputes. He has prepared awards for simple residential works, complex basements and apartment blocks with dozens of adjoining owners.

He manages a UK design practice (Eurohaus) that has completed projects in 5 different countries and has obtained more than a thousand planning approvals across every London Borough and much of South East England.

His business previously designed and built luxury houses, including complex basements. This gives him a breadth of technical and practical experience greater than that of most other practising party wall surveyors.

If you need to serve notices, have received them, or require expert advice on any aspect of the Party Wall process, please contact Andrew.