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Specialists in Party Wall Matters Covering Chester, North Wales and the North West
About US
Our Services
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About Us
We ensure compliance with The Party Wall etc. Act, 1996 giving you peace of mind.
We provide specialist party wall services in Chester, the North West including Manchester and Liverpool, and across North Wales to Anglesey and Gwynedd. With decades of professional experience in construction and building, and over a thousand party wall cases, you can be sure of the knowledgeable service provided by Storm Party Wall Surveyors.
Our clients include Local Authority County Councils, Housing Associations, Church in Wales, and private individuals. We are regularly appointed by both the Building Owner (who wants to carry out work on their property) and/or the Adjoining Owner (whose property may be affected).
As members of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors, we were assessed by the best of the professionals in the industry following our in-depth training to ensure the excellence in our services. The Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors also provides advice and guidance to the public, so they are available to give a second opinion if you so choose.
Our Director, Mr Storm Bate, graduated as a Civil Engineer in 1989 and worked for London Building division of Balfour Beatty and then the Hong Kong Airport Authority, before returning to North Wales to continue work in building and construction. In 2019 he completed a Masters Degree in Building Surveying and has worked as a Party Wall Surveyor since. We aim to provide a diligent open service ensuring that clients receive the best service available and are kept fully informed. As required by the Act, all decisions are made impartially.
In order to become members of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors, we were required to complete their in-depth training to ensure the excellent standard of our knowledge and then complete their assessments set by the best of the professionals in the industry.
As members of the Faculty, we have access to their most senior consultants for advice, which is very valuable in exceptional cases which are less than clear cut. The Faculty also provides advice and guidance to the public.
Our own programme of continuing professional development ensures that we remain up to date with any changes or interpretations of the laws and enables us to constantly improve our skills and understanding.
Our Services
We provide professional advice, guidance, and services for a range of situations regarding party walls, boundary disputes, and access to neighbouring land.
Party Wall Services
We ensure compliance with the Party Wall etc. Act, 1996. The Act forms the laws that focus building work which may affect an adjoining property in specified ways and is intended to enable the work to be carried out whilst protecting the interests of the adjoining owner. Typical work includes roof replacement, extensions, loft conversions, and excavations close to the property boundary.
If it is your project, then you are the ‘Building Owner’ and it is your legal responsibility to ensure that the Party Wall etc. Act, 1996 is followed. We will assess whether the Party Wall Act is applicable to your project free of charge.
If the work is taking place to the property next door or flat above or below, then you are the ‘Adjoining Owner’. It is in your interest to ensure that the Act is complied with as it ensures your property is protected under the Act.
Party Wall Services - Building Owner
If the Act is applicable to your project, we offer the complete service following the strict legal procedure from serving Notice on the adjoining owner, to writing and serving Awards. Additional services such as dispute resolution, recording the condition of the adjoining property prior to work commencing and post project checks are also normally carried out.
Boundary Disputes and Arbitration
If you are unable to agree a boundary position between your property and a neighbour’s property, then we can carry out research from current and historic documents and offer arbitration. The evidence will be presented in a full report to assist the negotiation of a resolution and may, if necessary, be used as evidence in a court of law. Finding a resolution to a dispute is normally a fraction of the cost of taking the case to court.
Party Wall Services - Adjoining Owner
If you are an adjoining owner and the neighbouring property owner (Building Owner) wants to carry out work that may affect your property, such as excavating below the level of your foundations, exposing the top of the party wall to replace the roof covering, or carrying out work to a shared wall, we will advise you as to whether the Act is applicable free of charge.
If the Act is applicable, we can represent you and ensure that the proposals are acceptable and will not damage your property under the Act. The Building Owner is normally completely responsible for our costs and it is only in very rare circumstances that the Adjoining Owner may have to contribute ie. Additional work carried out for yourself.
Access Agreement – Access to Neighbouring Land Act 1992
Should you need to use a neighbour’s land to carry out work to your property, then we can negotiate and formally record an Access Agreement. This agreement will be signed by both parties and offers a far cheaper solution than going to court to get an order under the Access to Neighbouring Land Act. If an agreement is not forthcoming, then we do offer advice on court action.
Contact Us
We are available to offer a free consultation to assist you with your project needs or discuss your neighbour’s development. We can provide you with the legal knowledge required and perform all the Party Wall actions required from start to finish.
Office
5 Arvon Avenue, Llandudno, Conwy, LL30 2DY.