A party wall surveyor appointed under the Act is not your representative. The appointment is statutory, it cannot be revoked once made, and the surveyor's duty is to make an award that is fair between the owners. That is the single most misunderstood fact about the role, and it explains why the surveyor you appoint may reach conclusions you dislike.
The agreed surveyor
Where both owners accept the same person, one surveyor makes the award. It is faster, cheaper and generally produces a better document because there is no negotiation between two appointments. An adjoining owner is entitled to decline, and many do simply because the building owner suggested the name.
Two appointed surveyors and a third
Where each owner appoints, the two surveyors select a third surveyor at the outset. The third is not usually involved, but either surveyor or either owner can refer a disagreement to them, and the third surveyor's award then decides it.
What the surveyor actually does
Checks the notice and the appointments, inspects both properties, records the adjoining property's condition, agrees the authorised works and the conditions with the other surveyor, drafts and serves the award, and deals with damage or access questions during the works.
What the surveyor cannot do
Give planning or building regulations approval, decide the boundary, act as the owner's agent in the same matter, or authorise works outside the notice. A surveyor who offers to make your neighbour go away has misunderstood the appointment.
Questions people ask about what does a party wall surveyor do
Do I need a party wall surveyor?
Only when a notice has been served and not consented to. If the adjoining owner consents in writing, no surveyor is needed at all.
Can I have a party wall agreement without a surveyor?
Yes, where the adjoining owner consents in writing to the notice. That written consent is the agreement, and it is the cheapest and quickest outcome available.
Who chooses the third surveyor?
The two appointed surveyors select the third at the beginning of the process, before there is anything to argue about. If they cannot agree on one, the local authority can appoint.
Can I sack my party wall surveyor?
No. An appointment under the Act cannot be rescinded once made. This is deliberate, because a surveyor who could be dismissed for reaching an unwelcome conclusion could not act impartially.