Verified Company
AVOID. My experience with Archway was nothing short of appalling. Their service was overpriced, dishonest, and completely unprofessional. In all of my developments, Archway has been the worst party wall surveyor I have ever had to deal with.
From the outset, they charged me roughly £1,900, which was already well above the going rate for their services. Once this was paid, they became largely unresponsive, only reaching out occasionally to inform me of minor issues, which they failed to address properly. I explicitly requested, through my party wall surveyor, to be present at any site visits. Despite this, they went ahead with the final inspection without notifying me, seemingly to find reasons to charge me more.
After this inspection, they claimed we caused damages that were clearly pre-existing and documented in the original schedule of conditions. We provided extensive proof, sent independent professionals to verify the claims, and clearly demonstrated that these issues were not our fault. Yet they blatantly ignored the evidence, refused to review the original documentation, and proceeded to fabricate problems.
To make matters worse, they charged us an additional £650 for what they claimed was just 2 hours of work—bringing the total to an eye-watering £2,550. That’s over £200 per hour for a surveyor, which is completely unjustifiable. Worse still, throughout most of this process, I wasn’t even communicating with a qualified surveyor. The emails came from a PA named Sarah, who clearly pretended to know what she was talking about but didn’t. If I’m paying over £200 per hour, I expect to speak to an actual qualified professional, not someone playing at the role.
The only brief encounter of professionalism I experienced was during Sarah’s annual leave. Another person, whose name I can’t fully recall but I believe was Louise, temporarily stepped in and actually listened to my concerns and documented them properly. Unfortunately, this glimmer of competence was completely swept away the moment Sarah returned, as everything was ignored once again.
On top of all this, Archway’s handling of the situation caused significant stress and opened us up to unnecessary liability. They continuously fed the neighbour of the development unrealistic expectations and false hope, which escalated tensions and even led the neighbour to become aggressive. Due to the stress this caused my team, I eventually decided to pay Archway’s final, extortionate fee and come to an out-of-pocket resolution with the neighbour—leaving everyone happy except for me and my team, the ones who bore all the financial burden for this ordeal.
To make matters even worse, I had to negotiate with Archway to lower the additional fee they tried to charge. They had the audacity to act like they were doing me a favour by reducing this completely unjustified fee, which should never have been added in the first place. The only reason this case is now closed is because I finally put my foot down and refused to let it drag on any longer. Had I not done so, this situation could have gone on indefinitely.
Adding to the unprofessionalism, the person who appointed this surveyor—the owner of the neighbouring property—once told me, and I quote, "Don't worry, [my name], I will make him pay extra for all of this, and he's very tight with money." I can’t say for certain whether this is true, but if it is, it speaks volumes about the conduct of everyone involved.
I will also be filing formal complaints with RICS and other relevant party wall associations. This kind of behaviour is completely unethical, and it’s not just about the financial burden they left me with—it’s about the principle. I’ve completed numerous developments, and if this is the kind of treatment I received, I can only imagine what other developers have faced.
Archway’s lack of professionalism, transparency, and integrity made this an absolutely terrible experience. It felt like a calculated effort to exploit me for as much money as possible. I strongly advise anyone to avoid this surveyor at all costs.
Reply from Archway Party Wall Surveyors
2025.02.26
Dear Mr Patel
Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding your experience with Archway. We take all concerns raised seriously and regret that our service did not meet your expectations. We note that Archway were not directly appointed by you and we acted for your neighbours in this matter.
We understand that disputes arising from party wall matters can be complex, and we always strive to act impartially and in accordance with the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. We note your concerns regarding fees, communication, and the handling of damages, and while we appreciate your perspective, we maintain that our actions were in line with professional standards and industry practice.
Regarding your reference to the RICS, we can confirm that they have reviewed this matter and have closed their investigation, finding no further action necessary. We trust this provides assurance that we have acted appropriately and in compliance with professional regulations.
We regret that this process caused you frustration and that you feel the experience was unsatisfactory. Our aim is always to conduct our work fairly and transparently. We do apologise if you do not believe this was the case with this particular matter.
Kind regards,
Archway Building Consultancy
Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding your experience with Archway. We take all concerns raised seriously and regret that our service did not meet your expectations. We note that Archway were not directly appointed by you and we acted for your neighbours in this matter.
We understand that disputes arising from party wall matters can be complex, and we always strive to act impartially and in accordance with the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. We note your concerns regarding fees, communication, and the handling of damages, and while we appreciate your perspective, we maintain that our actions were in line with professional standards and industry practice.
Regarding your reference to the RICS, we can confirm that they have reviewed this matter and have closed their investigation, finding no further action necessary. We trust this provides assurance that we have acted appropriately and in compliance with professional regulations.
We regret that this process caused you frustration and that you feel the experience was unsatisfactory. Our aim is always to conduct our work fairly and transparently. We do apologise if you do not believe this was the case with this particular matter.
Kind regards,
Archway Building Consultancy
