Renovating is exciting—but if your plans touch a shared wall, boundary, or nearby foundations, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 sets out what you must do before works begin. Getting this right keeps your project compliant, avoids delays, and protects neighbour relations.
What is a Party Wall Notice?
A Party Wall Notice is a formal, written notification from the building owner (the person planning the works) to any adjoining owner(s) who might be affected. It explains what you’re doing, when you plan to start, and which legal rights you’re relying on under the Act.
Why serving notice matters
- Compliance & continuity: Proper notice is a legal requirement.
- Fewer disputes: Early clarity prevents misunderstandings.
- Protection for everyone: The Act provides a structured process (including surveyors and an Award if needed).
When the Act applies (common scenarios)
- Work to a party structure (e.g., cutting steel into a shared wall for a loft, removing a chimney breast, raising or underpinning a party wall).
- New wall on/at the boundary (line of junction).
- Excavation near a neighbour (within 3m and deeper than their foundations, or within 6m and below a 45° line from the base of their foundations).
Notice types & lead times
- Party Structure Notice (s.3 / s.2 works): Serve ≥2 months before start.
- Line of Junction (s.1): Serve ≥1 month before start.
- Adjacent Excavation (s.6): Serve ≥1 month before start (include plans/sections).
What a valid notice includes
- Names/addresses of all building owners and properties.
- Clear description of the proposed works (method and scope).
- Proposed start date.
- Plans/sections for excavation notices.
- How the adjoining owner can respond (consent/dissent) within 14 days.
After service: responses & next steps
- Consent (in writing): You can proceed (still sensibly protect the neighbour’s property and keep records).
- Dissent / no response (after 14 days): A dispute is deemed to arise. Parties appoint:
- One Agreed Surveyor, or
- Two surveyors (one for each owner).
The surveyor(s) issue a Party Wall Award that sets method, timing, protections, access, and how any damage is made good.
Practical tips
- Engage early: Share drawings and timelines with neighbours before notices.
- Be specific: Vague notices cause delays.
- Coordinate permissions: Party wall is separate from planning/building control.
- Keep records: Photos and correspondence help everyone.
Transparent, Fixed Pricing (guide)
- Party Wall Notice service: £25 per adjoining ownership (multi-notice bundles discounted).
- Act administration as Agreed Surveyor (single surveyor): typically £300 fixed-fee (depends on complexity and number of notices/owners).
- Two-surveyor route (we act for the owner doing the works): fixed-fee proposals from £325 for our side. (Your neighbour’s surveyor commonly 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.
Ready to get your notices out—correctly and fast?
We prepare and serve valid Party Wall Notices, manage responses, and—if needed—act swiftly as Agreed Surveyor or as your surveyor in a two-surveyor setup. Our goal: keep your project moving, compliantly and at the lowest total cost.
Email: team@simplesurvey.co.uk
Simple Survey — faster notices, clearer documents, fewer disputes.