The Party Wall Collective

The Party Wall Collective: specialist consultancy in the Party Wall etc. Act 1996

The Party Wall Collective is a British firm dedicated to the application of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, the legislation that regulates works to party walls and shared elements between properties. Its work focuses on advising both owners carrying out works and affected neighbours, as well as assisting builders and architects who need guidance on this subject.

Services for owners, neighbours and professionals

The firm offers comprehensive support through the various procedures and disputes that can arise in the field of party walls:

• Party wall advice: guidance for those carrying out the work, for the affected neighbour or for construction professionals seeking a specialist opinion.
• Free notices: the owner planning works can send the drawings and the firm will serve the notices free of charge and with no obligation to use its services.
• Schedules of condition: produced using current technology and software, they document the prior condition of the properties so that it can be determined whether damage is pre-existing or new.
• Access licences: negotiation and drafting of licences when the law allows the owner to access adjoining land to facilitate construction.
• Mediation: intervention when the parties cannot reach an understanding and litigation is approaching, facilitating dialogue, negotiation and the search for common ground as a form of alternative dispute resolution.
• Injunctions: if a neighbour carries out works without notice and refuses to cooperate, the firm can obtain a court order stopping the works until the obligations under the party wall legislation are met.

Educational content: videos, podcasts and publications

The company complements its consultancy work with educational outreach. It produces short, direct videos on the Party Wall Act, aimed at those seeking a quick answer, and in-depth podcasts aimed primarily at surveyors who administer the Act or people who wish to expand their knowledge. The podcast series began with retired Judge Edward Bailey and Dr Stephen Cornish, and the firm announces the addition of new leading names in the field.

The founder, Benjamin Mackie, has published two volumes entitled Party Walls – Articles concerning the law and practice of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, available for free download. The website also brings together articles and a blog on the subject.

Founder profile

Benjamin Mackie, founder of The Party Wall Collective, is a Chartered Construction Manager, a member of the Pyramus & Thisbe Society and of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors, and an accredited mediator. He has more than ten years of experience handling party wall matters. Outside his professional life, he has written children's stories and a novel, and is working on a book about London street art, the proceeds of which he plans to donate to the charity Shelter.

Charitable and environmental commitment

The firm devotes part of its resources to social and environmental causes. It works with JUST ONE Tree planting one hundred trees every month and has planted 500 square metres of woodland. Its donations include contributions to Refuge to provide a woman and her children with a night's accommodation and cover basic needs, the purchase of books and pencils for an entire school, and a contribution to Marie Curie equivalent to nine hours of support for one person.

Recognition and presence

The website displays logos of brands that have trusted the firm and a section with places where it has worked. The company operates from its address in Ilford, Essex, and maintains a policy of transparency in fees, showing them in advance and explaining each action clearly.

Location and contact

38 Saltash Road, Hainault, Ilford, Essex IG6 2NL · Phone: 020 3908 0000 · Email: info@tpwc.co.uk