When do you need a party wall agreement with your neighbours?

Living harmoniously with your neighbor is very important especially if this is your permanent home. Simple disagreements might bring unnecessary and uncalled for enmity. To avoid this, it is crucial to consider doing things in the right way, especially those things that involve legal matters.

If you have a home, you probably know what a party wall agreement is. For those who do not, this is a legal agreement regarding a wall that is shared with your neighbors. It is a detailed matter that requires homeowners to serve a notice to the neighbors when they want to construct or modify home structures, develop the actual wall separating the dwellings, or carry out other construction work that will affect the neighbors.

So, when do you need a party wall agreement? Let us look at this matter in detail below.

When Do You Need a Party Wall Agreement?

·        When building a wall separating you and neighbors – When building a home, you may want to build a wall around your garden. The wall might pass through or run up against the borderline. In such a case, you need to make a party wall agreement with the affected neighbors. Sometimes, it could be up to 3 of them that must be involved.

·        When constructing a home or repairing one – If you are building a home in a developed area that already has neighbors, your construction work will affect neighbors in many ways like noise, dust, or any other. So, this is another time when you need a party wall agreement with the neighbors.

So, when do you need a party wall agreement? You now have the answers about when, and the next crucial thing to do is find professionals to help you. It is usually the work of the architects to take you through these steps in the right way. They know which kind of party wall agreement you need for each case. They work closely with lawyers who draft the legal documents for you. So, use them for this.

How to Serve the Party Wall Notice

Neighbors have a right to be served with a party wall agreement notice. It should be given to them in writing and early in advance. Additionally, they have a right to reject or accept the agreement or request a discussion. For instance, if your construction will affect their health, they can say no, or you can both come up with an amicable compromise.

Providing the notice on time gives both parties enough time to negotiate before signing a party wall agreement. When it is signed, it is a legal document that can be used against you in a court of law if you go against the drafted agreement.

The situation is easy when only one understanding neighbor is involved. But it can get complicated when many neighbors are involved. However, professionals can help you to go through the entire process.

Conclusion

From the above insights, it is clear that a party wall agreement is a must when you want to develop land in an area where people are already living. Your architect will take you through this especially if they have the right experience.