The short answer
One agreed surveyor is usually the fastest, cheapest and least confrontational route — and neighbours are most likely to agree when they feel informed and reassured, not pressured. Show that one impartial surveyor protects both owners without duplication.
Why it matters
Surprises create suspicion. A neighbour who understands the works, the programme and their protections is far less likely to assume the worst and appoint a separate surveyor. An agreed surveyor is appointed by both owners and must act impartially; consenting to one is not giving up protection, because damage can still be dealt with under the Act and the award must be fair to both.
What to do now
- Talk before the formal notices arrive: what you are planning, when, why the Act applies, and who they can contact.
- Share simple drawings and a realistic programme.
- Explain the surveyor’s statutory, impartial role.
- Offer reassurance: a schedule of condition, a commitment to make good damage, advance notice of disruptive stages, contractor contacts, and consideration for pets, children, elderly relatives or home working.
- Keep every promise once the surveyor is appointed.
Common mistakes
- Letting the first contact be a formal notice.
- Treating it as persuasion by pressure rather than reassurance.
- Implying that agreeing to one surveyor waives their rights.
- Making commitments the contractor is never told about.
When to call Coburns
If you want a single impartial surveyor both sides can trust, get in touch and we will set it up and keep both owners properly informed.