Wandsworth Bridge Road, London
Podium were appointed as Building Owners’ Surveyor to provide Party Wall services on a conversion project in South West London. The proposed work included a basement flat with a new light well, a rear extension, and a loft conversion with a roof terrace. Given the complex nature of the renovation, this required various Party Wall notices and compliance with the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
Party Structure and 3 Metre Notices were served on the Adjoining Owners (AOs) to comply with Sections 2 and 6 of the Party Wall Act. Within a week of serving the notices, the AO indicated they would appoint their own surveyor, expressing an interest in using the new extension’s flank wall for a future rear extension. After negotiations and the serving of Line of Junction Notices, we obtained a formal letter of consent from both the leaseholder and freeholder. The other AO also opted to appoint their own surveyor.
As part of the Party Wall process the condition of the Adjoining Owners’ properties was documented before construction began and a detailed Schedule of Condition recorded, with supporting photographs, to cover all areas potentially affected by the works.
For the Party Wall Award, Podium used a template with tailored clauses to address specific concerns, such as noise, vibration, and access to neighbouring properties. To mitigate these issues, the Award stipulated that no noisy work would occur during weekends or evenings and that access to neighbouring land would be controlled with suitable notification.
Since the Building Owner was making use of a party wall constructed at the sole expense of the AO, Section 11(11) required a fair proportion of the building costs to be paid to the AO. We calculated the current cost of building the section of the wall being enclosed and included a clause in the Award mandating a 50% payment upon enclosure.
The Party Wall Awards were completed and served on the respective Owners, with work commencing two weeks later. Through effective communication, detailed documentation, and a fair approach to cost-sharing, Podium successfully navigated the complex Party Wall process, ensuring a smooth start to the construction work.