Right To Light Surveyor Kingston London

Here at Blackacre, we are a multi-disciplinary firm of Chartered Building Surveyors, providing a wide range of professional services. Right To Light Surveyor Kingston London.

One beautiful thing that complements any room is the inflow of natural light. More than just brightening the space, it brings the spark of life to the space. But with new constructions coming up daily, the amount of light you get in your home could be affected. 

Similarly, new construction or adding extensions to your buildings could also affect the amount of light your neighbour receives. If not well handled, it can cause disputes and a dissatisfied neighbour can request a court injunction that could affect the building. This is where a Right To Light Surveyor Kingston London comes in.

What is a right to light?

Under the common law Prescription Act 1832, the owner of a property has the right to an amount of uninterrupted light from an opening in the building. This light flows in through openings such as windows for comfortable living in the house. Windows come in different dimensions and sizes and depending on the architecture of the house could serve different areas of the house. Cutting off the light that flows into that window can change the look of the whole living space. 

Natural light into the house could be cut off through obstructions caused by new construction, adding a shed, or building a garage. Apart from these, the presence of a tree could significantly obstruct the amount of light that flows in. Whether you are new in the neighbourhood or you have a new person coming in, it becomes necessary to pay attention to the right to light.

What does a Right To Light Surveyor Kingston London do?

Although this Act has been in place for a while, determining what amount of light is sufficient is not easy. Helping you determine this and offering guidance so your project does not obstruct or reduce the light is the duty of the surveyor.

Before you commence your new project or amendment, you should get a Right To Light Surveyor Kingston London. They assess the amount of infringement on the neighbour’s light the new building would have. The amount of light would be affected but by law, a certain amount should still be enjoyed. The surveyor helps to calculate this amount and present a report. They do this by;

• First, make calculations to confirm whether the right to light of the neighbour is affected or not. One way they determine the amount of light cut off is by considering how much light gets to a working plane raised 850mm above the floor. If the room receives less than 50% of adequate light, then there is said to be an obstruction.
• With these measurements, the Right To Light Surveyor Kingston London also helps to identify possible injunction risks serving as a way to avoid those.
• Many surveyors also help you make calculations on the best designs that would maximize your property without infringing on the rights of others. This is referred to as the maximum envelope.
• And when there is an infringement, the surveyor can help you reach an agreement with the neighbours. Often, they could also help you with the insurance to cover the claims.
• If you are a property owner that already has a right to light, the surveyor could also help you in cases where your right has been infringed.