Third Party Notice

[sara redman]

We have PD and Building control all in place to do a Rear dormer loft conversion. We are terraced house with private one side and council tenant the other side.

As per architect instructions we have served TPN for the council tenant on her Housing Officer via email 2 weeks ago - number one he has not even responded to my email, I know he has received it as he visited the council tenant last week. He was given two forms to respond to either agreeing or not agreeing to the works but he cant even respond to say that he has received my email - is this typical council? Anyone with experiences of this.

What position are we in now? Do I re-send the email, do I forward it to someone higher up who knows how to do their job or just ignore it and get on with our works or do we have to go the surveyor route?

I also asked him if he would do a survey of his council tenants loft and if so we required a copy of the survey - was this wrong to do? We don't get on with this neighbour and any opportunity she will have to moan she will. I've got three boys in one room 14,10 & 9 the work has to be done.

Thanks in advance

 

[jeds]

The notice should be served 2 months before work begins. The adjoining owner has 14 days to respond. If they do not respond a dispute is deemed to have arisen after which you appoint a surveyor and follow procedure from there. This all assumes the notice was correctly served, if not you will need to serve correctly and start again.

Exactly what work will involve the party wall?

 

[sara redman]

Notice served correctly within time limits etc 14 days was up yesterday.

I think we have to cut into TP wall to place steel beams or joists will have to ask OH cos not great at reading plans

 

[jeds]

It is often possible to carry out a loft conversion without cutting into the party wall. In fact I tend to design along those lines because PWA stuff can be obstructive and expensive and just wastes everybody's time. For the moment you'll have to follow the PWA procedure but if things get sticky it might be worth asking your architect to have another look.

Your surveyor should now invite the adjoining owner to concur in the appointment of a surveyor, or appoint their own surveyor. It might be worth having a conversation to see if they will agree to the works but my experience with local authority housing is that it is unlikely.

 

[sara redman]

thanks will defo take another look at the plans and go from there

 

[^woody^]

You should serve notice both on the tenant and the council landlord