Devon Party Walls Ltd

We are a local company centered around Exeter and Exmouth providing specialist Party Wall services throughout the South, Mid and East of Devon.

We provide a personal service and work hard to provide outstanding customer service. Please see our Customer Reviews.

We have 30 years' experience in the building and property industries.

Our work is governed by the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors' professional code of conduct.

What Is The Party Wall etc. Act 1996?
The Party Wall Act provides a framework for preventing and resolving 'disputes' in relation to party walls, boundary walls and excavations near neighbouring buildings.

Building owners proposing to start work covered by the Act must give adjoining owners notice of their intentions in the way set down in the Act.

Adjoining owners can agree or disagree with what is proposed. Where they disagree, the Act provides a mechanism for resolving what is then termed a 'dispute'. This leads to a Party Wall Award which confirms the entitlement to do the work and details controls for access, limiting disruption and dealing with any damage.

The Act is separate from obtaining planning permission or building regulations approval.

Our Services
We provide professional services to building owners proposing work, adjoining owners and tenants living close to proposed work and designers wanting early party wall input.

We undertake free consultations to explain the Party Wall process and help determine if your proposed works are in scope of the Act.

Identification, drafting and serving of Notices.

Advice on responding to Notices already received.

Preparation of Schedules of Condition and serving Party Wall Awards.

Building Owners
Understanding your entitlements and obligations under the Act is really important. We can help you maximise your space, secure access rights for the building works and improve how the building is maintained in the future. Early communication with your neighbours is essential and can often help reduce your overall costs.

• Free consultations to explain the Party Wall process and help you determine if your proposed works are in scope of the Act.
• Identification, drafting and serving Notices.
• Liaison with neighbours to explain the proposed works.
• Preparation of Schedules of Condition - with or without Awards.
• Preparation and serving of Party Wall Awards.

Adjoining Owners
Under the Act, an 'Adjoining Owner' is anyone who is an owner of land, buildings or rooms adjoining those of the 'Building Owner'. When undertaking excavations under Section 6, a property is deemed to be adjoining if it is within the relevant distance (3m or 6m) even if it is not actually adjoining.

The adjoining property may have a freehold owner and a leasehold owner. Both of these may be 'Adjoining Owners' under the Act and, in which case, would both need to be served Notice for the same work.

• Free review of Notices and advice on next steps.
• Responses to Notices and other Party Wall tasks following the required authorisation and appointment.
• Liaison with building owners including where work has already commenced.
• Preparation of Schedules of Condition.
• Ongoing monitoring of work.

Designers:

• Early design input to advise on party wall entitlements, rights of access and other conditions.
• Party Wall price estimates for budgeting purposes.