Party walls and fire barriers in roofs When you are living in a terraced or semi-detached house, at least one of your walls is connected to your neighbour’s. This is termed a party wall and can be a bone of contention if you don’t get on well with your neighbour. You will also likely have a fire wall in your loft that protects you against fires from adjacent properties. Party walls and fire barriers in roofs separate terraced or semi-detached homes from each other to prevent house fires from moving from one home to the next. When it comes to party walls and fire barriers in roofs, you need to ensure your home is up to building regulations for safety and legal reasons. Having a fire wall or fire barrier will also mean your home doesn’t completely collapse during a house fire, helping you to escape. Many older terrace homes do not have firewalls as they were often built cheaply to substandard quality. This may flag up issues with your mortgage lender, and they may insist your property.