What Does a Party Wall Surveyor Actually Do?
A Party Wall Surveyor can advise on whether the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies, deal with notices, review technical information, record neighbouring property condition and prepare a Party Wall Award where required. Once formally appointed under the Act, the surveyor must act impartially rather than simply argue for the owner who appointed them.
For many owners, the confusing part is understanding what the surveyor is actually being appointed to do. The role combines procedure, technical review and practical safeguards so that notifiable works can proceed within the statutory framework while protecting both owners’ rights.
This article provides general guidance only and should not be treated as legal advice. Where the position is unclear, advice should be taken on the specific project.
The role has two distinct stages
It helps to separate early professional advice from the formal statutory appointment.
Before a formal appointment
A surveyor may advise a Building Owner on whether the Act is likely to apply, who needs to be notified and which notices may be required. An Adjoining Owner can also seek advice after receiving a notice and before deciding how to respond.
Squarepoint’s guide to which Party Wall notice is required explains the main notice types and the kinds of work they cover.
Once appointed under the Act
If a dispute arises and a surveyor is formally appointed under the Act, the role changes. The appointed surveyor becomes part of the statutory dispute-resolution process and must determine matters fairly and impartially. Government guidance confirms that appointed surveyors must consider the interests and rights of both owners, while RICS states that a surveyor appointed under the Act has a duty to act impartially regardless of who appointed them.
What does a Party Wall Surveyor actually do?
The scope depends on the works, but a Party Wall Surveyor will commonly deal with the following:
- Review the proposed works: The surveyor considers drawings, structural information and construction methods to understand the potential effect on the neighbouring property.
- Check the Party Wall requirements: Before formal appointment, this can include identifying which parts of the Act apply, affected owners and required notices.
- Deal with the notice process: A surveyor can prepare and serve notices for a Building Owner or advise an Adjoining Owner who has received one.
- Review technical information: Where surveyors are appointed, they may review structural details, sequencing and temporary works relevant to the notifiable work.
- Record the existing condition: A Schedule of Condition may record relevant areas of the Adjoining Owner’s property before work begins, usually with notes and photographs.
- Agree reasonable safeguards: This may include provisions around working methods, access, protection, monitoring or other practical safeguards.
- Prepare or agree the Party Wall Award: The Award records the works and the terms governing how and when they are carried out.
- Deal with relevant issues during or after the works: If a relevant issue arises, the appointed surveyor or surveyors may inspect, determine responsibility or agree the next step.
What does the surveyor do for the Building Owner?
For the Building Owner, early involvement is mainly about getting the process right before Party Wall issues become a source of delay or unnecessary cost. A surveyor may review the proposed works, identify the relevant Adjoining Owners, prepare notices, coordinate drawings and technical information, and agree the terms of an Award where a dispute has arisen.
Clear communication is often as important as the paperwork. On a residential extension in Hampstead, Squarepoint had to deal with numerous adjoining owners because the neighbouring properties included different freehold and leasehold interests. By communicating openly with those owners and keeping the process proportionate, Squarepoint was able to streamline the number of surveyor appointments and Awards needed. That helped prevent professional costs from making the scheme unviable and allowed the extension to proceed within budget.
That is a useful example of what a Party Wall Surveyor should be doing for a Building Owner: not simply producing documents, but helping the statutory process run efficiently without losing sight of the neighbouring owners’ rights.
What does the surveyor do for the Adjoining Owner?
If you have received a notice, a surveyor can provide Party Wall advice for Adjoining Owners and explain what the proposed works mean for your property before you decide how to respond.
For an Adjoining Owner, the focus is usually on understanding the technical proposals and making sure reasonable protections are in place. This can include reviewing drawings and construction methods, agreeing a Schedule of Condition, considering monitoring or access arrangements, and agreeing the Party Wall Award with the Building Owner’s surveyor.
On more substantial schemes, that role can become highly technical. When Squarepoint acted for the Adjoining Owner on an Old Street redevelopment involving a double basement excavation and rooftop extension, the work included a robust review of the proposed methodology, movement monitoring and security for expenses held in escrow. Those measures gave the Adjoining Owner practical protection while the works went ahead, and the project was completed without incident.
The point is not to obstruct development. It is to identify the risks that genuinely matter and agree safeguards that are proportionate to the work being undertaken.
Two key documents: the Schedule of Condition and the Party Wall Award
Schedule of Condition
A Schedule of Condition is a written and photographic record of relevant parts of the Adjoining Owner’s property before work begins. It is not a statutory requirement, but Government guidance describes such a record as useful because it can help establish whether later damage was pre-existing or caused by the works.
Its value becomes clearest if something does go wrong. On a South London project, Squarepoint had prepared a detailed pre-commencement Schedule of Condition before extension and internal alteration works began. When an error during the installation of a new internal steel beam caused damage to the first-floor flat, that record helped identify and evidence what had changed. Squarepoint was then able to assist with a schedule of remedial works, obtain repair quotations and negotiate compensation for the Adjoining Owner.
That is why a Schedule of Condition should be viewed as more than an administrative attachment to an Award. Done properly, it can provide an objective baseline that makes later discussions about damage far clearer.
Party Wall Award
Where surveyors are formally appointed, the Party Wall Award records the determination. It can set out the works, when and how they are carried out, safeguards, access arrangements and responsibility for costs. It will also often include or refer to the Schedule of Condition.
The Award provides the practical framework for carrying out the notifiable work while dealing with the rights and protections relevant to both properties.
Is a Party Wall Surveyor supposed to be on your side?
Not in the same way a solicitor acts as an advocate. A surveyor can advise an owner before formal appointment, but once appointed under the Act they must act impartially, regardless of which owner made the appointment. The Government’s explanatory booklet and RICS guidance both make this clear.
That does not mean the surveyor ignores the concerns of the owner who appointed them. They still need to understand that owner’s position and put forward relevant matters, but the final determination must remain fair, practical and within the scope of the Act.
Can both neighbours use the same Party Wall Surveyor?
Yes. The owners can appoint one Agreed Surveyor or each appoint their own surveyor. The right route depends on the circumstances and whether both parties are comfortable using the same professional.
Using one Agreed Surveyor can reduce duplicated professional time and cost, but it is not right for every case. Squarepoint’s guide to Party Wall Surveyor fees explains how the appointment structure and complexity of the project can affect costs.
What does a Party Wall Surveyor not do?
Unless separately appointed for additional services, the Party Wall Surveyor does not:
- grant planning permission or replace the planning process
- replace Building Regulations approval or building control
- act as the project architect or structural engineer
- act as an adversarial representative whose job is simply to defeat the other owner’s position
- give an Adjoining Owner a general right to veto work that the Building Owner is entitled to carry out under the Act
Planning permission, Building Regulations and Party Wall compliance are separate processes, so a project may need to satisfy all three.
When should you speak to a Party Wall Surveyor?
Early advice is usually most useful. Common triggers include loft conversions, extensions, basement works, chimney breast removal, structural alterations and excavation near neighbouring foundations.
If you are planning work, Squarepoint’s Party Wall Surveyors in London can review the proposal and explain the likely procedure before Party Wall matters become a source of delay. Adjoining Owners can also get early advice on what is being proposed and which protections are reasonable.
The earlier the relevant information is available, the easier it is to identify the correct notices, resolve technical questions and give neighbours a clear understanding of what is proposed. That normally gives everyone more room to deal with issues sensibly before construction starts.
Speak to Squarepoint about your Party Wall matter
Whether you are planning building work or have received a Party Wall Notice from a neighbour, contact Squarepoint Chartered Surveyors to discuss the project and establish what the next step should be.
Author: Scott Buchanan