some kinds of work carried out to a property may not be controlled by the building regulations, but may be work which is covered by the party wall act 1996. this is a separate piece of legislation with different requirements to the building regulations. the act provides guidance for preventing and resolving disputes about party walls, boundary walls and excavations near neighbouring buildings. a ‘party fence wall’ is not part of a building, and stands astride the boundary line between lands of different owners e.g.