Extension using party wall

[Peachy27]

Can't afford to move so decided to extend where we are. However this will involve extending the party wall. I feel really bad for the neighbours..has anyone had any experience of this and how much it impacted the neighbours? How long was the fence between the properties down for for example?
Added to this all of the internal part of the party wall is currently on neighbours side of the fence. Would that mean that the fence is wrongly positioned as actually half of the wall is ours? If so I dread breaking to them that we will need to 're claim' our bit of land, especially as they have decking all the way up to the fence? But if I don't, we lose all that space and would have to have a complete new kitchen rather than just moving four cabinets if we could keep the internal wall of our current kitchen straight...

You are probably headed towards party wall surveyors, not all party walls have their centre on the middle of the boundary line. It might be that the neighbours could easily trim their decking with a circular saw. If you have good relations it might be worth a chat.

You could offer to buy the strip of land from them.

I certainly would not be telling the neighbours they could trim their decking - if that needs doing, you should be trimming it using proper carpenters, and making good.

Trimming the decking was meant in the same way that when my previous NDN built extension part of my patio was removed by their builders and made good by them. But we got on very well.

Thanks. So I would need a party wall surveyor to tell me where the boundary line lies? I've looked on the deeds and can't see any clear boundary. We pass the time of day with the neighbours but I can't imagine they are going to be keen on the idea...

I think the party wall act requires you to inform your neighbours in writing of your proposed building work (separate to building plans etc). Look into this. Good luck.

I think if the land has been like that for a long period- managers- then the land is theirs now. Also if the deeds don't show it clearly there is no way ok anyone knowing. This is what an architect told me- we have a similar issue.