What is a Party Wall?

There’s plenty of information out there about Party Wall Agreements and Party Wall Awards , yet many people still find themselves unsure when it comes to understanding what a Party Wall actually is.

As Party Wall Surveyors, our most reliable point of reference is always Section 20 of our industry’s “bible”  you guessed it, The Party Wall etc. Act 1996.

Section 20 of this landmark Act defines the key legal terms used throughout, and it’s where the official definition of a Party Wall is found:

“party wall” means:

(a) a wall which forms part of a building and stands on lands of different owners to a greater extent than the projection of any artificially formed support on which the wall rests; and

(b) so much of a wall, not being a wall referred to in paragraph (a) above, as separates buildings belonging to different owners.

To those outside the legal, surveying or construction world, this definition can feel a little dense. So let’s break it down into simpler, more memorable terms.

In essence, there are two main types of Party Walls, Type A and Type B:

Type A Party Wall: The wall sits astride the boundary line, meaning it stands partly on each owner’s land and is shared between both properties.

Type B Party Wall: The wall sits entirely on one owner’s land, but is used by the adjoining owner’s building to separate the two properties.

The government guidance Party Wall Etc Act 1996 explanatory booklet makes it easy to interpret visually with the below images.

Type A Party Wall

Type B Party Wall

Party wall matters can be challenging to handle alone. At M.G Party Wall Experts, we make the process simple, transparent, and stress-free.

Feel free to book in a free consultation today.