Within several of our guides we’ve stressed a crucial truth: anyone can call themselves a “party wall surveyor,” and once appointed under the Act they cannot be fired (save for very limited circumstances).
That makes your selection the single most important decision at the start of your Party Wall journey.
Below is a practical, no-nonsense framework you can use on discovery calls and email enquiries to sort genuine expertise from generic claims—so you appoint a professional who will keep your project moving and your neighbours protected.
1) Work Experience: Depth across common project types
Ask for recent, like-for-like examples and what protections they included in the Awards.
- Loft conversions: Cutting into party walls for steels, temporary weatherproofing, hand-tools on party structures, chimney/vent dust controls.
- Chimney breast removals: Temporary support, dust mitigation, vibration controls, making good.
- Extensions: Section 1 line-of-junction works; Section 6 excavations; access planning; trench support timings.
- Underpinning & basements: Advising engineer input, special foundations strategy, movement monitoring approaches, security for expenses.
- Internal structural alterations: Beam pockets, chase depth limits, noise/vibration limits, sequencing.
Good sign: The surveyor explains why each protection mattered and how it reduced risk, delay or neighbour friction.
Red flag: “We just use a standard template.”
2) Property Experience: Familiarity with your building type
Each building archetype carries different risk profiles and access realities. Confirm specific experience with:
- Bungalows / low-rise houses: Shallow foundations, trench stability, garden access logistics.
- Terraced & semi-detached houses: Shared elements, party fence walls, tight access and sequencing.
- Detached houses: Boundary adjacency nuances, Section 1(2) vs 1(5) strategy.
- Purpose-built & conversion flats: Party structures (floors/ceilings), stacked services, quiet-hours management, lifts/communal areas.
- Commercial property: Extended working hours, deliveries, public interface, landlord/tenant layers.
Ask: “What did you include in Awards for my type of property in the last 6–12 months?”
3) Third Surveyor Experience: Knowing the escalation path
Even excellent surveyors meet counterparts who are inexperienced or intransigent. The Act’s safeguard is the third surveyor. Probe for:
- Times they avoided referral by reframing the dispute (evidence, site notes, targeted protections).
- When referral was necessary and how they presented a clear, concise position (so it could be determined quickly).
- How they counsel clients on cost exposure and proportionality before escalating.
Good sign: They prioritise resolution over point-scoring and can show a low referral rate with swift outcomes when used.
4) Complex Experience: How they handle the “hard bits”
You want a surveyor who is at home in the grey areas:
- Underpinning & basements: Designing protections, agreeing movement tolerances, sequencing, temporary works checks, security for expenses (Section 12).
- Access (Section 8): Tight routes, hoarding/Heras, ground/wall/window protection, timed windows, enforcement if obstructed.
- Defrayed costs (Section 2(2)(b) & Section 11(5)): Distinguishing development from necessary repair; apportioning fairly.
- Enclosure/use (Section 11(11)): Calculating due proportion today (BCIS/cost evidence), not historical cost.
- Special foundations: Knowing the constraints and realistic design workarounds.
- Complicated ownerships: Freeholder/leaseholder chains, multiple AOs, management companies, RTM/landlord consents.
Ask: “Walk me through your last difficult file: the problem, your evidence, your Award, and the result.”
5) Case Law Literacy: Advice that’s traceable and defensible
Party Wall surveying is statute-led, but case law shapes practice. Your surveyor should comfortably reference the Act, recognised guidance, and relevant cases to justify their stance.
Test questions to ask:
- “What timelines and service rules would you rely on if an owner doesn’t respond?”
- “How would you justify protections like hand tools or trench support windows?”
- “What would you do if the other surveyor’s fees seem unreasonable?”
Good sign: Clear answers tied to the Act/guidance and a calm route to determination if needed.
6) Process, Communication & Fees: How the work actually gets done
- Clarity: Plain-English emails and Awards you can read at a glance.
- Proactivity: Early document requests (final drawings, methods) to prevent re-drafts and delays.
- Timings: Realistic programmes that respect statutory periods.
- Fixed fees: Transparent inclusions/exclusions; triggers for any extras; firm stance on proportionality and “reasonable” costs.
7) A 10-Minute Due-Diligence Checklist (Use on your intro call)
- Relevant building-type experience?
- Recent like-for-like Awards?
- Approach to access (routes, protections, timings)?
- Experience with basements/underpinning and security for expenses?
- Comfort with Sections 1, 2, 6 and who must be served?
- How they manage non-responsive neighbours (Section 10(4))?
- Handling of fees and the test of reasonableness?
- Examples of avoiding and (if needed) using third surveyor?
- Fixed-fee scope in writing before appointment?
- RICS credentials and PI insurance confirmation?
If you get crisp, confident, Act-anchored answers to all ten—you’ve likely found the right fit.
Ready for straight, qualified guidance?
Talk to the people who do this every day.
Simple Survey are RICS-qualified building surveyors who administer the Act with equal parts legal precision and construction pragmatism. We prioritise clarity, neighbour relations and keeping your build on programme—without drama.
Email: team@simplesurvey.co.uk
Fixed fees. Nationwide. Experienced. RICS-qualified.
Simple Survey — Fixed Nationwide Cost Chart (Guide)
| Service | What’s Included | Fixed Fee (incl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Party Wall Notice (per Adjoining Owner) | Validity check, compliant drafting, service & tracking | £25 |
| Agreed Surveyor Award | One impartial surveyor acting for both owners | £300 |
| Building Owner’s Surveyor Award | Acting for Building Owner in a two-surveyor appointment | £300 |
Our fees are always fixed. We’re nationwide. We’re experienced and RICS-qualified.
FAQ
Q1: How fast should I expect progress after serving notices?
A: Statutory response windows apply (14 days, then a 10-day request if no reply). Good surveyors front-load information so Awards can be agreed without re-service or redesign.
Q2: Can I swap surveyors if we don’t get on?
A: No. Under the Act, appointments are statutory. You can’t dismiss a surveyor; they can only step aside if incapable of acting (or upon death). Choose wisely at the start.
Q3: Do I really need an engineer’s input?
A: For riskier works (underpinning, basements, deep excavations) expect an advising engineer to inform protections and methods. It improves safety and reduces disputes.
Q4: Who pays the fees?
A: Typically the building owner pays the reasonable fees related to resolving the dispute and making the Award. A good surveyor explains scope, controls hours, and challenges unreasonable costs.
Q5: What if my neighbour ignores everything?
A: The Act allows progress: after the 10-day request, a surveyor can be appointed on their behalf so matters continue lawfully to an Award.
Choose experience you can measure—on paper, on site, and in outcomes.
team@simplesurvey.co.uk — Let’s make the Party Wall process calm, clear and compliant.