Westminster work that touches a shared wall, builds on a boundary, or excavates close to a neighbour's foundations falls within the scope of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. Across the borough this commonly arises on basement excavations under Georgian terraces in Belgravia and Mayfair, alterations to mansion block flats in Pimlico, Bayswater and Marylebone, and refurbishments to listed property across the conservation areas that cover most of the borough.
CHP Surveyors has been established since 2004 with offices in Wickford, London and Hampshire. Our London head office at Boundary Row in SE1 is RICS regulated and delivers specialist chartered surveying on dense urban sites with technical depth. Westminster coverage extends across the borough from Mayfair and Marylebone through to Pimlico, Victoria and Westminster proper. Basement digs and listed property refurbishments often pair with rights of light assessments in the same instruction.
James Crowley is the past London and National Chair of The Pyramus and Thisbe Society, an organisation with a great interest in party wall and neighbourly matters.
Having been involved in projects across the UK for both domestic properties and larger, city centre developments, we have experience and knowledge of the more complicated methods of construction, including temporary restraint works, piling to form a triple basement and jet grouting. We have also negotiated licences for the use of scaffolding and tower cranes.
Every Westminster instruction begins with a free initial assessment by a qualified surveyor from our London office. The first conversation covers the proposed works, the relevant sections of the Act, and the notice strategy. Westminster projects almost always involve party structure notices for works to mansion block flats, line of junction notices for new boundary walls, and section 6 excavation notices for basement work, which is particularly common across the borough's Georgian terraces.
After the assessment the surveyor drafts and serves the statutory notices, manages adjoining owner responses, and produces a detailed schedule of condition with photographs and full written notes. For listed property and conservation work the schedule includes additional detail on materials and decorative features. Where the matter is agreed paperwork stays proportionate. Where dispute arises the party wall award is drafted properly and served. Calls stay with the named surveyor throughout. Building owners and adjoining owners across Westminster get continuity from instruction to final award.
Over the past four years, CHP have worked very successfully with us in their capacity as party wall surveyors. Through his calm, sensible approach and excellent communication skills James Crowley, in particular, gained the trust and confidence of the entire team and stakeholders. Looking forward to working with CHP again.”
- Clare Goggin, Jackson Coles
Statutory notice periods on Westminster projects cannot be shortened. A party structure notice must be served at least two months before works begin. A section 6 notice for excavation within three or six metres of a neighbouring building requires at least one month. Three months ahead of the planned start on site is sensible for most Westminster schemes.
Westminster basement digs, mansion block alterations, and listed refurbishments commonly run on tight design and planning timelines. Getting notice timing right protects the schedule, avoids invalid awards, and reduces the risk of injunction proceedings. The building owner generally covers reasonable surveyor fees on both sides under the Act. To discuss timing on a specific Westminster scheme, including notice strategy and likely lead times, book a free initial assessment.
Get in touch.
Head Office
2-6 Boundary Row
London, SE1 8HP
Essex Office
2-6 Boundary Row
London, SE1 8HP
020 3714 4090
Get in touch.
Head Office
2-6 Boundary Row
London, SE1 8HP
Essex Office
2nd Floor, 10 High Street
Wickford, Essex
SS12 9AZ
020 3714 4090
enquiries@chpsurveyors.com
