Neighbour & Loft Conversion

[Tash123]

Posting for advice !

I am planning a loft conversion my elderly neighbour was fine about this & was happy to sign the Party Wall agreement. However her daughter has changed her mind as she tells me she also owns the house. I also have planning to go out at the back to extend the kitchen (single story). The reason the daughter gave me was she thinks it is over development. I actually won't be able to afford to do the kitchen extension certainly not any time soon, i told her this but do need to do the loft.

I was pretty much lost for words as my neighbour has extended at the back and also done a double story extension, My single storey extension at the back would not even go as far out as hers. I gave my neighbour all the details of the builder, plans, my number etc etc. I asked the daughter to come around to have a look, any questions I am happy to answer. Anyway as I first gave them the party wall agreement in February I asked if they would come back to me at the end of this week.

They haven't which has really upset me. I need to go ahead with the loft but am so concerned about the added cost of a surveyor but there is nothing else I can do.

Has anyone experienced this & what the cost of a surveyor would be. I will give her the final notice re nominating a surveyor nearer to the time that I start the work. My builder has suggested I don't go back to her again and if she does not sign then just post the notice as I have given them so much time.

Sorry this is a bit long but any advice would be really appreciated.

I think you are right I need to get my own surveyor.

I am relatively new to mumsnet but it is so helpful and although hardly life changing just because I have difficult neighbours it is nice to hear that other people are /have been through the same thing.

Do you actually need Party wall agreement if you're just doing the loft? Are you tying into their property or will your dormer be within your roof and not on the boundary?

We had hellish neighbors and we ignored the party wall rules, as we knew they would try and use it to frustrate us.

Please do check out any surveyor they want to use. DH had to help a client who was defrauded by a party wall surveyor and he's still doing that (and he's SW London). Make sure you have a thorough google of anyone before you agree anything.

AnneElliott yes because when a loft is done a piece of steel goes into my side of the party wall, thats it but sadly the act applies.

That is the worry with Surveyors I had a look at their regulator & not much of a regulator from what I am see. Someone has kindly recommended one in SW London. My architect has suggested a chap in Sheffield. I will contact him but I imagine that would be too expensive as he is not local.

I’m SW London too I can send ours, they are definitely working in our best interests but it has been a slow process as ours is ground floor and some issues with the boundary.

Thank you FiloPasty I have PM you.
Boundary issues sound like a nightmare. Downstairs my neighbour has built on the boundary so I look at this brick wall on one side & the fascia is on my side, this was built before the Party Wall Act came into force.

This would be the wall I would build next too so not sure where I would stand on the fascia being over the boundary !