If you’ve been served with a Party Wall Notice, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 gives you clear choices—and a clear timeline. The right response depends on your appetite for risk, the complexity of the proposed works next door, and how much formal oversight you want. Here’s a plain-English guide to each route and what it means in practice.
Your three formal response options
1) Consent in writing
You confirm—by letter or email—that you’re content for the notified works to proceed under the Act. This route avoids the dispute-resolution process and is the simplest administratively.
Good for: straightforward, low-risk proposals where you’re comfortable with what’s planned and how it will be carried out.
Note: consenting doesn’t waive your legal protections under the Act. If a specific dispute later arises, you can still use the Act’s mechanisms at that point.
2) Dissent and appoint your own surveyor
You formally dissent and appoint an independent party wall surveyor to act for you. The neighbour will have their own surveyor. Those two surveyors must agree a Party Wall Award that sets out what’s allowed and the terms for doing it.
Good for: higher-risk or more complex schemes, or where you want your own expert to represent your interests through the process.
3) Dissent and agree a single (Agreed) Surveyor
Both owners jointly appoint one impartial surveyor who acts for both sides and issues the Party Wall Award.
Good for: keeping things simpler, faster and cheaper while still getting a formal, enforceable Award.
What if you don’t respond?
Silence within the statutory period is treated as a dispute under the Act. After sending a further 10-day request, your neighbour may appoint a surveyor on your behalf so the process can move forward. This protects your interests procedurally—but you lose the ability to choose who represents you.
How to decide which option is right for you
- Complexity & risk: the deeper the excavation, the closer the works, or the more the shared structure is affected, the stronger the case for a formal dissent and Award.
- Clarity of information: if drawings and details are complete and easy to understand, consent may feel more comfortable. If anything is unclear, ask questions or consider dissenting.
- Speed & cost: an Agreed Surveyor can be quickest and cheapest while still producing a compliant Award. Two surveyors give you dedicated representation but usually cost more.
- Relationship: good neighbourly dialogue helps—whatever route you choose.
Transparent, fixed pricing
We keep Party Wall costs predictable and low:
- 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 owner undertaking the works): fixed-fee proposals from £325 for our side. (The other surveyor often bills hourly; we work to keep those costs reasonable and contained.)
- Complex works (deep excavations, multi-owner blocks): we’ll still offer fixed pricing as above.
- No surprises, no creeping extras. You’ll know the number before we start.
Under the Act, the owner carrying out the works generally pays the reasonable surveyor costs.
FAQs
How long do I have to reply to a Party Wall Notice?
14 days from receipt. If you don’t reply, a 10-day follow-up request can be served. If there’s still no response, your neighbour can appoint a surveyor for you so the process doesn’t stall.
Is consenting risky?
Consent is common for simple, low-risk works. If new, specific issues arise later, the Act still allows disputes to be determined. If you’re unsure, consider the Agreed Surveyor route—it’s a good balance of cost, speed and formal oversight.
What’s the benefit of an Agreed Surveyor?
One impartial expert acts for both sides, producing a binding Award typically faster and at lower total cost than the two-surveyor route.
Can I choose my own surveyor if I dissent?
Yes. You may appoint any suitably experienced, impartial person who isn’t a party to the matter. Many owners prefer specialists in party wall work.
Who pays the surveyors’ fees?
Usually the person doing the works pays the reasonable costs of the process, including the neighbour’s surveyor where appointed. Apportionment can vary in particular circumstances.
Can I change my mind after consenting?
If a new dispute arises connected to the notifiable works, the Act’s dispute-resolution process can still be used. If nothing new has changed, a simple change of heart is unlikely to reopen matters.
Does planning permission affect my decision?
No—planning and party wall are separate regimes. A planning approval doesn’t remove the need to follow the Act, nor does it dictate your response.
Want calm, compliant next steps?
Whether you plan to consent, appoint an Agreed Surveyor, or go the two-surveyor route, we’ll keep it clear, fast and affordable—with fixed pricing from the outset.
Email: team@simplesurvey.co.uk
Get straightforward guidance on your options and a lowest-cost, like-for-like proposal—so you can respond confidently and keep neighbourly relations on track.