Flat alterations and separate approval routes
Party wall surveyor in Westminster
For alterations in a Westminster flat or house, we check the shared structure and adjoining ownership before deciding which notices are needed. If you have received a notice, we explain your response options and how to protect your property.
Three approvals that can have different purposes
For work to a Westminster flat, distinguish the Party Wall Act procedure, your lease or freeholder's consent, and planning or construction requirements. Permission under one route does not automatically satisfy the others. Share any licence-to-alter requirements alongside the structural drawings so the interfaces are clear.
Check structural work above and below the flat
The relevant shared structure can be a wall or another party structure. For changes to a floor, separating structure or load-bearing arrangement, send the engineer's drawings and identify the adjoining occupiers and ownership interests. The label “internal alteration” alone does not establish whether the Act applies.
Allow for construction arrangements as well as notices
Westminster's Code of Construction Practice addresses construction management on sites to which it applies. Site access, working arrangements and other council conditions still need separate attention. The award, where required to resolve a dispute, deals with the matters within the Act; it is not a substitute for a construction-management approval.
Reference: Westminster Code of Construction Practice.
Choose the service your situation needs
Party wall notices
Identify the appropriate notice type and serve it correctly.
Schedule of condition
A useful dated record of the adjoining property before relevant work begins.
Party wall awards
Determine matters in dispute and record the conditions for notified work.
Read the process for building owners or adjoining owners. See current fees and qualifications.
Questions about party wall work in Westminster
Does freeholder consent mean I do not need a party wall notice?
No. Lease consent and the Party Wall Act serve different purposes. The nature of the work determines whether notice is needed.
Can work to a separating floor fall under the Act?
It can, depending on the party structure and proposed works. Send the structural details for assessment rather than relying on a general description of the alteration.
Can work begin immediately when an award is served?
Check that the applicable notice period has expired or an earlier start has been agreed, comply with the award conditions, and satisfy the other required permissions.
Who normally pays the surveyor's fees?
The building owner normally pays reasonable surveyor costs. Under section 10(13), the surveyors determine who pays reasonable costs arising from the dispute. Check the written appointment terms as well as any award; we explain our invoicing arrangements before instruction.
Legal reference: Party Wall etc. Act 1996. The requirements depend on the work, notice and property interests.
Tell us what is planned
Send the relevant drawings or the notice you have received. We will explain the next step for your property in Westminster.
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