Overview
This case is a useful reminder that technical ownership points should be checked early, not raised after everyone has acted on a shared assumption.
What happened
The Wassefs were statutory tenants under the Rent Acts 1977. Strictly, they were not owners for Party Wall Act purposes and did not have the ordinary right to receive notice or appoint a surveyor.
Despite that, both sides proceeded as though the party wall process applied. Awards were made and treated as valid.
The key point
The court applied estoppel by convention. In simple terms, the parties had proceeded on a shared assumption and were not allowed to turn around later and deny it when it suited them.
The court was unwilling to declare the earlier awards invalid in those circumstances.
Why it matters
The case does not mean ownership checks can be ignored. It means the opposite.
If there is a problem with standing, ownership or authority, raise it early. Waiting until after the process has been followed may make it much harder to rely on the point.