Party wall agreement - the basics please

[NoTeaForMe]

We need to look into this as we will need one for when we do our extension. What do we do? Is it as simple as talking to our neighbours? Is there a form to fill in or is it more work, cost and hassle than that? When in the process do you do it? I have no idea what to do as you can tell!

There are templates online you can download.
Talk to your neighbour well before you do anything - show them your plans, answer any questions and be reassuring that you will keep them informed about any access you may need etc, and ask them to sign. They are well within their rights to ask for an independent surveyor to get involved, separate to the one you use if they wish (which you have to pay for).
You are basically agreeing that they are happy for you to do the work and that you will pay for any damage resulting from that work.

You need to send your neighbour a formal notice at least 3 months before doing the work
Best to chat to them informally beforehand of course

Notice will detail the intended work and ask them if they want to
1 - agree to the work - this means no party wall award/surveyor
2 - dissent to the work - this means you need a party wall surveyor (it doesn’t mean they can stop the work).

If they dissent they can either appoint their own surveyor or share yours.

You will pay all surveyors’ costs. It’s not cheap, we paid low 4 figures for each surveyor. Obviously it’s cheaper for you if they share your surveyor.

There is supposed to be 3 months between the party wall notice and starting work, but neighbour can agree to shorten this time - but don’t count on them doing so - so it’s best to get on with serving the notice asap.

Sorry my error
TWO months before work starting, for works affecting party wall or boundary. Or one month, for excavations within a certain distance of boundary.

Not three months

@NoTeaForMe

We need to look into this as we will need one for when we do our extension. What do we do? Is it as simple as talking to our neighbours? Is there a form to fill in or is it more work, cost and hassle than that? When in the process do you do it? I have no idea what to do as you can tell!

Familiarise yourself with the PWA...

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/523010/Party_Wall_etc__Act_1996_-_Explanatory_Booklet.pdf

Advice, guidance, processes and templates are all included there.

Thank you. We have just had some plans drawn and are in the process of tweaking them. We would then go round to show the neighbours and have a discussion. We only moved in recently so have only briefly met the lady, not the man that lives there.

Basically our garage is right on the boundary line. We are looking at knocking it down and building it next to the house so we can build behind/on top of it. Then there would be a 1m wide path between the houses. We would then need to erect a fence to make the boundary again.
Do you always need a surveyor?

No you don’t although it can help make the process smoother. There are obviously costs to the appointment of such professionals.

You will probably need a surveyor yes. And you should expect to budget for your neighbour wanting one too, in which case you will have to pay. People seem to pay between £750 and £1500.
Try not to see it as anything other than what it is, which is a process whereby your neighbours are indemnified should your work cause any damage to their property.
Good luck.