Any managing agents around? Party wall surveyor question

[minipie]

We're hoping to do some building work to our terraced house later this year. It will involve putting a steel across which will be supported by the party wall on both sides. Very little chance of disruption or damage to the neighbours. However we obviously have to go through the party wall process.

We are friendly with our neighbours (owner occupiers) on one side and hope they will agree to a single joint surveyor.

On the other side the house is divided into flats, with a managing agent managing on behalf of the freeholder. I think all the flats are tenanted (rather than long leaseholds) but not sure. I presume therefore we will need to notify the managing agent rather than the residents of the flats. Anyone know the answer?

I'm wondering if there is any chance the managing agents will agree to a single joint surveyor, or if it's inevitable we will end up shelling out for them to have their own surveyor as well. Anything I can do to help persuade them to have a single joint surveyor?

Any general hints and tips about the party wall surveyor process very welcome too!

thanks

hopeful bump...

We needed a party wall agreement with the next door house - not flats, but it is rented. It was indeed the landlord (not the tenants) that we needed the agreement with - though we kept the tenants in the loop.

We found that getting the landlord to engage with the process was the hardest bit - she's not a professional (it's her old house) and she doesn't live locally. Hopefully with professional managing agents you won't have that problem.

Thanks Spindelina. That's true, we shouldn't have difficulties getting a response at least. Just worried they will always go for the most expensive option i.e. their own surveyor rather than single joint... Did your next door freeholder require her own surveyor?

Good point about keeping tenants in the loop, after all it's them who'll have the noise... (hopefully not for too long)

I'm a managing agent, and my advice to my client would usually be to go with your surveyor for a party wall issue - and be grateful that you're bothering to adhere to the legislation at all!

Good luck with your work.

My neighbours want to have some work done to the party wall and the freeholder for my flat has insisted on a separate surveyor. I've heard this is the norm for 'professional' freeholders but no idea re managing agents.

minipie it was a bit of a saga. After discussion with her, we timed sending her the formal letter between skiing holidays (!) but even though she knew she was going to get the letter, she didn't respond. Can't remember the exact process, but we ended up essentially appointing her surveyor for her. We went with someone known to our surveyor. Even though we ended up with two surveyors, it was all very amicable - the surplus of surveyors was due to cock up rather than falling out.

Oh, thanks LBOCS, that gives me hope!

Mooncup I don't actually know who the freeholder is but suspect it's an individual not a "professional" freeholder

Spindelina I think if they don't respond you have got to assume they are in dispute and therefore they need to have their own surveyor and if they don't appoint one you have to do it for them. Sounds like that's what you had to do. But also your post reassures me that it might not cost toooo much extra if they do get their own surveyor...?

minipie yes, that's what happened. I don't think it does get too expensive unless you actually are in dispute - the other surveyor came round, had a chat, took some photos, and then did the same when the work was done. He did make our builder clean something (mortar maybe?) off their down pipe! It was more hassle than expense, really.

Ah phew, that sounds much better than I'd feared. Thanks