Going to the third surveyor under Section 10 of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to convince surveyors practising in matters under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 (the Act) that going to the third surveyor to resolve a dispute is not a failure — in fact, the opposite is true. The paper aims to give a steer on how referrals can and should be made, as well as providing examples of how to make them, when and for what reason. There is a great deal of confusion within the profession generally as to the role of the third surveyor, and the paper aims to throw light on the subject in a readable way which can be referred to again and again — becoming timeless as a reference document. The intention is to provide the reader with a greater knowledge of the principles behind a referral to a third surveyor and the required skills to do so.