Party Wall surveying has changed over the years. Interpretation of the Party Wall etc. Act (1996) and associated case law can cause disputes to become quite nuanced. When you are faced with differences of opinion and interpretation, who better to help than someone who has over 10 years of experience working on Party Wall matters?
Meet Karen Singh, AILS MPTS.
Karen joined AWH in October 2023, and brings with her a wealth of experience in and around Party Wall matters. Karen started her career in the property market over 25 years ago in an SME Chartered Building Surveying practice where she was managed by Kevin Marshall, AWH’s Managing Director, Director of Building Surveying and Property Management Services.
Following the acquisition of a specialised Party Wall surveying practice, the need arose for a Party Wall Administrator to assist the primary Party Wall surveyor. Kevin immediately saw an opportunity to utilise Karen’s administrative skills, promoting her into that role.
Karen worked alongside the Party Wall surveyor until she left the company to join another firm of surveyors. Shortly after her departure, the Surveyor called Karen and asked her to join her in the new firm. It was in that subsequent role that Karen began training as a Party Wall surveyor.
Karen explains:
Party Wall surveying can be very technical, and it is often extremely fast passed. While it can be stressful, I enjoy doing it.
One of the aspects she particularly likes most about Party Wall surveying is the challenge each case can present.
These days cases are rarely clean cut, and the Act contains a number of grey areas. This can mean that you often end up with different views on the Act, which can sometimes make things challenging. But it certainly keeps things interesting!
As a qualified legal secretary, Karen has also worked in the legal field, which has provided her with the experience in dealing with case law. Karen also relishes the research that is required prior to commencing any Party Wall matter. She also loves the interaction she has with other surveyors who work in the field. The differences in interpretations of the Act she encounters keeps her growing.
I feel Party Wall surveying has significantly increased in complexity since I first started. The amount of case law that now exists, and the different interpretations around it means that, even after 10 years in the field, you find that you are always learning.
Karen’s move to AWH was prompted by changes in her previous role. Looking for a fresh challenge, she reached out to Kevin and he quickly saw an opportunity to bring her experience and skills inhouse, expanding the level of expertise within our award-winning surveying team. Karen is delighted to be working alongside Kevin again and is looking forward to honing and developing her skills and knowledge even further alongside the rest of the team.
AWH is a smaller team than where I previously worked, but I prefer that. You can immediately see that they really care for their staff, and everyone is very supportive of each other, and they want to assist you to be the best you can be.
If you need help with a Party Wall dispute, you can speak to Karen on 0800 071 5517. Alternatively, you can also email us on admin@awh.co.uk. We look forward to working with you.