Party Wall Services. Handled by Professional Surveyors.
Where both neighbours are happy to use one impartial surveyor, LENIO acts as the Agreed Surveyor for party wall matters in London, preparing a single Party Wall Award under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. It is the quicker, more cost-effective route after a dissent, handled personally by a Chartered Civil and Building Engineer (ICE and CABE).
When both sides consent, LENIO can act as Agreed Surveyor in London. Following dissent on a Party Wall Notice, both parties have a choice about how they appoint surveyors. One option is to appoint a single Agreed Surveyor to act for both sides.
Under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, an Agreed Surveyor acts for both the Building Owner and the Adjoining Owner. This single impartial appointment replaces the need for two separate surveyors and gives both parties one point of contact throughout the process.
Both parties must consent to this arrangement. Either party may withdraw consent at any point before the Award is issued.
The agreed surveyor party wall route follows a clear sequence once both parties consent. Each stage moves toward the Party Wall Award, with a single surveyor managing the process throughout.
Both the Building Owner and the Adjoining Owner confirm they are willing to appoint a single Agreed Surveyor. This consent must be in place before the formal appointment can proceed.
LENIO accepts the Agreed Surveyor appointment and confirms it in writing to both parties. From that point, LENIO acts impartially for the Building Owner and the Adjoining Owner throughout.
Before works begin, LENIO carries out a Schedule of Condition survey of the Adjoining Owner’s property. The detailed written and photographic record is annexed to the Party Wall Award.
LENIO drafts and serves the Party Wall Award on both parties. Each party has 14 days to appeal. Subject to that period passing, works may proceed under the Award’s terms.
The Agreed Surveyor route works well in some situations and is not appropriate in others. Understanding when it applies helps both parties make the right decision before they consent.
The Agreed Surveyor route is a practical option when both parties are willing to proceed cooperatively and the proposed works are relatively straightforward. Where the relationship between Building Owner and Adjoining Owner is amicable, a single appointment can be quicker and less costly than two separate ones.
In practice, this route suits straightforward residential projects where the scope of works is clear and both parties are comfortable proceeding together.
The Agreed Surveyor route requires genuine consent from both parties. If either party feels uncertain about sharing a surveyor, they are entitled to appoint their own Adjoining Owner’s Surveyor or Building Owner’s Surveyor independently.
Where the proposed works are complex or the parties have significantly different concerns, separate appointments provide clearer independent protection. In these cases, LENIO can act as the Building Owner’s Surveyor or the Adjoining Owner’s Surveyor instead.
Under the Act, either party may withdraw consent to the Agreed Surveyor arrangement at any point before the Award is served. If this happens, the Agreed Surveyor appointment ends and each party must appoint their own separate surveyor.
At the point of the Agreed Surveyor appointment, a Third Surveyor is also selected. The Third Surveyor plays no active role while the Agreed Surveyor is in place. However, following withdrawal of consent, the Third Surveyor becomes available to resolve any matter the two newly appointed surveyors cannot agree on.
Withdrawing consent does not stop the project. The party wall process continues under the two-surveyor route and the Award proceeds toward completion through the separate appointments.
Speak with a party wall surveyor in London before you commit to any appointment. In one short call, LENIO can confirm whether the agreed surveyor party wall route suits your situation.
As Agreed Surveyor, LENIO manages the full party wall process on behalf of both parties. From confirming consent through to post-award support, we keep both parties informed at every stage.
We confirm consent from both the Building Owner and the Adjoining Owner before accepting the Agreed Surveyor appointment. LENIO then confirms the appointment formally in writing and advises both parties on the next steps.
We review the proposed works and confirm the scope of what the Party Wall Award must cover. As Agreed Surveyor, LENIO carries out this review independently and in the interests of both parties.
We carry out a Schedule of Condition survey of the Adjoining Owner’s property before works begin. This creates a detailed written and photographic record that forms an annexed part of the Party Wall Award.
We draft a thorough Party Wall Award covering permitted works, construction method, working hours, access arrangements and protective measures. LENIO then serves the completed Award on both the Building Owner and Adjoining Owner.
During the construction phase, we remain available to both parties to advise on compliance with the Award. We respond to any concerns raised and inspect reported damage against the Schedule of Condition record.
The Agreed Surveyor route places a specific statutory duty on the appointed surveyor. Unlike a Building Owner’s Surveyor or Adjoining Owner’s Surveyor, the Agreed Surveyor must act impartially for both sides. For this reason, the quality of the Agreed Surveyor matters as much as the route itself.
In London, the agreed surveyor party wall route is a practical option on many residential projects. However, it requires an experienced practitioner who can prepare an Award that genuinely protects both parties without favouring either. A Party Wall Award that is perceived as unbalanced can lead to challenge or dispute, even where both parties originally consented.
LENIO is led by a Chartered Civil Engineer and Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), and a Chartered Building Engineer and Member of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE). A chartered surveyor leads every Agreed Surveyor instruction personally.
LENIO accepts agreed surveyor party wall appointments across London, backed by two chartered professional memberships.
The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
The Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)If both you and your neighbour are open to a single impartial appointment, the Agreed Surveyor route may be the right approach for your project. LENIO acts as agreed surveyor for homeowners across London. There is no obligation.
