aboleth wrote:
I'm planning a loft conversion. It will require two steel joists
across the party walls of our terraced house. I've given the
neighbours party wall act letters and it's not going smoothly!



Why don't you 'turn the steels round' and span them front to back rather
than side to side, and avoid the party wall work? If they span side to
side, how do you expect to get them in?

If your works impact on the Party Wall you need your neighbour's
consent. That is the law. If they don't consent, then a 'dispute' is
deemed to have arisen and the provisions of the Party Wall, etc. Act apply.

For a relatively straightforward job, like a loft conversion, the Act
encourages all the owners to appoint an 'agreed surveyor', who will
fairly look after everyone's interests. And you would be responsible
for settling that person's account.

You post tends to suggest that you a) are not familiar with the Party
Wall procedures, or b) were badly advised in the first place.