House buying and party wall confusion.

[TheThreeMoos]

We're buying a house that is detached except for a garage that belongs to the house next door which is attached to both properties (agents described it as link detached).

Next door is being knocked down and rebuilt as 2 semi-detached houses which will no longer be attached to our new house. Hope this is making sense so far...

We've asked our solicitor to clarify whether there is a party wall agreement in place or whether we'll need one before the removal of the garage structure from side of the house.

The vendor's solicitors have come back to say we don't need a party wall agreement because the structure is not attached the the house. Except it is!

I can see it on streetview and plan to visit in person this afternoon because I am really confused.

Or maybe they mean there doesn't need to be party wall agreement - but surely there does if they're removing a structure that is currently attached to the side wall of the house?

Any advice would be very useful!

I don't know much about party walls, but I imagine there will definitely be party wall implications for you due to the link detached garage.

I say this because we live in a fully detached house, and we had 'party wall' documents to review and sign when our neighbour extended his kitchen (his house is fully detached from ours, but we have side access between our houses, and our side access comprises a walkway through to our back garden which is our house wall, plus one of the walls of his house - if that makes any sense!). So when he extended that wall of his house, even though it didnt affect our house at all, it was sort of part of our side access).
Gosh, i'm not making a huge amount of sense, but I defintely think you do have party wall consideration as your house DOES have walls (a wall) that is attached to your neighbours.

Take photographs and send to the vendor's solicitors? They are being told that it isn't attached by their clients, I assume, but maybe they will be more cooperative if they see evidence that it is not.

Thanks! I have been reading up and pretty sure we need a party wall agreement. There are also plans to do work to a shared boundary garden wall so we need it to cover that as well it seems.

Lala Have just done exactly that! It's pretty obvious. My solicitor seems pretty on the ball and we've both had a laugh about how anyone could think/claim it's not attached.

This one of the last 2 things to get done before we can exchange so fingers crossed it gets sorted soon.

We are extending our semi and need to have party wall on the none attached side as work is within 3metres of the boundary-you need one as if they do any damage when they pull down the garage you want your house put right!