Chimneys and parapets
A flue passes through the party wall into next door's loft, which was not entered. What of the gathering was unseen?
The gathering on the far side of the party wall was unseen. The flue passes into next door's loft, and that loft was not entered, so the surveyor could not see how the flue is gathered, supported or jointed beyond the wall. A gathering turns the smoke passages into the flue. What is on this side is not the whole route. The report records the crossing and the closed loft. It has not decided the flue is safe, shared properly or lined.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
Where a flue leaves your house through a party wall, the masonry that matters may sit in the neighbour's roof space. Gathering brickwork, a midfeather, a liner or a badly cut joist would all be on that unseen side. The surveyor can record the direction of travel and stop. Guessing the neighbour's loft from this landing invents construction. Party-wall ownership does not grant a right of entry on a survey day. The unseen gathering stays a gap, not a pass.
Ask the solicitor whether access to next door's loft can be requested if the flue must be followed. A chimney specialist can inspect a gathering only where they are allowed to stand. This report did not include that visit. Tell a lender the flue continues into a loft that was not entered and the gathering there is unseen. Do not state that the neighbour's work is sound. Any lining certificate, if one exists, should be read as paper, not assumed from this side of the wall.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Was the gathering beyond the party wall seen?
- Did the surveyor enter next door's loft?
- Has the flue been passed as lined and supported on the far side?
What are the typical next steps?
- Treat the far gathering as unseen.
- Ask the solicitor about access to the neighbouring loft.
- Do not tell a lender the neighbour's side of the flue was inspected.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Does this side of the stack show the neighbour's flue joints?
No. Joints, liners and gathering on the far side of the party wall are in a loft that was not entered. This side shows only the approach to the wall. It does not show how the flue is made once it has crossed. The survey recorded the direction. It did not inspect the neighbour's joints and has not passed them.
Was a smoke test carried out through the party wall?
No. The flue was not smoke-tested and was not camera-surveyed. The limit is physical: next door's loft was not entered, so the gathering there was unseen. A smoke test, if you later instruct one, needs access and a specialist. It is not hidden inside this report. The crossing was noted. The performance of the flue was not tried.