Serving Party Wall Notices and getting to an Award can feel like a maze—especially on your first project. Here are the five questions we’re asked most by building owners, answered simply so you can keep momentum, control costs, and protect neighbour relations.
1) “Do I really need to serve a Party Wall Notice?”
If your works fall under Sections 1, 2 or 6 of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996—yes.
Typical triggers:
- Section 1: new wall up to / astride the boundary.
- Section 2: works to a party wall/party structure (e.g., cutting in for steels, raising, demolishing & rebuilding, removing projections, adding flashings).
- Section 6: excavation within 3 m (or 6 m for deeper works like piles) to a depth lower than your neighbour’s foundations.
Why it matters: An invalid or missing notice can stall works, land you in an injunction, or force a late, expensive scramble. Get the notices right, early.
2) “Can my neighbour stop the works?”
The Act is work-enabling. Neighbours can’t veto lawful, notified works simply because they dislike them. What they can do is:
- Consent, or
- Dissent and trigger the dispute-resolution process so that how you carry out the works is set out clearly and fairly.
Planning permission and building control are separate to the Party Wall Act. You’ll still need to comply with those where required.
3) “Who pays for all this?”
In most domestic cases, you do—because you benefit from the works. That typically includes:
- Your own professional costs; and
- The reasonable costs of your neighbour’s party wall surveyor if they appoint one.
There are edge cases (e.g., if your neighbour requests something unusual), but for most projects, budget for the Party Wall side along with your build costs.
4) “What happens if my neighbour ignores the notice?”
The Act anticipates non-responses. After 14 days with no reply, you serve a further 10-day request. If there’s still silence, the law treats it as a dispute and you can appoint a surveyor on their behalf so the process can continue.
Translation: Your project isn’t held hostage by inaction—provided you follow the correct steps.
5) “How do I keep this quick and calm?”
- Serve early, valid notices (correct content, drawings where required, right owners, right addresses).
- Brief your neighbour before the notice lands—clarity reduces knee-jerk dissents.
- Keep documentation clean and proportional so surveyors resolve issues efficiently.
- Pick practitioners who prioritise progress over point-scoring.
FAQs for Building Owners
How long before I can start?
Minimum notice periods: 1 month (Sections 1 & 6), 2 months (Section 2). Add time for responses and any award. Serve early.
Can I choose an Agreed Surveyor to save time and cost?
Yes—if your neighbour agrees. One impartial surveyor acts for both parties and issues the Award.
What if the other surveyor’s fees seem high?
Fees must be reasonable. Where surveyors disagree, the matter can be referred to the Third Surveyor for determination.
Do I need planning first?
Party Wall procedures are separate. Many owners run them in parallel to avoid delay, but ensure your design is stable enough not to keep changing.
My neighbour demands I use their surveyor—do I have to?
No. Each side is free to appoint its own surveyor. You can propose an agreed surveyor, but it’s optional.
Transparent, fixed pricing (so you can budget once)
- Party Wall Notice service: £25 per adjoining ownership (multi-notice bundles discounted).
- Act administration as Agreed Surveyor (single surveyor): typically £300 fixed-fee, depending on complexity and number of notices/owners.
- Two-surveyor route (we act for the building owner): fixed-fee proposals from £325 for our side. (The adjoining owner’s surveyor often bills hourly; we work to keep those costs reasonable and contained.)
- Complex works (deep excavations, multi-owner blocks): we’ll still offer the fixed pricing above.
- No surprises, no creeping extras. You’ll know the number before we start.
Who usually pays? In standard scenarios, the building owner covers the reasonable Party Wall costs.
Why building owners choose Simple Survey
- Like-for-like lowest cost we can find across England & Wales.
- Same/next-day notice prep once we have the essentials.
- Clean, compliant paperwork that avoids invalid-notice delays.
- Calm neighbour comms to reduce friction and escalation.
- Progress-first approach—clear issues, quick resolutions.
Ready to keep your project moving?
Get compliant, proportionate Party Wall paperwork without the drama or the price tag. We’ll map your route, prepare and serve the right notices, manage responses, and get you to a robust Award fast.
Email: team@simplesurvey.co.uk
Simple Survey — the smart, low-cost way to get your Party Wall paperwork done.