When you serve a party wall notice, most homeowners are hoping for a simple “yes” in writing. Sometimes that happens. Sometimes you get questions. And sometimes you receive a counter-notice.
At Simple Survey, we don’t treat counter-notices as a disaster. We treat them as a signal: your neighbour wants the process more defined, not necessarily more difficult.
What a counter-notice actually means
A counter-notice is a formal response where the adjoining owner asks for additional measures or changes connected to your proposed works. It can feel like pushback, but it’s often just the neighbour trying to reduce uncertainty.
Common reasons neighbours counter-notice include:
- they want clarity on how and when the work happens
- they want reassurance that disruption will be controlled
- they’re worried about access, noise, or sequencing
- they’ve had a bad experience with building work nearby before
In other words: it’s frequently about confidence and communication, not conflict.
Why counter-notices become expensive
Counter-notices cost time when they trigger:
- long email chains with no clear decision points
- scope creep (where new requests expand beyond what’s reasonable)
- emotional back-and-forth instead of procedural steps
Our job at Simple Survey is to keep it procedural. We’ll identify what’s:
- reasonable and relevant to the works
- outside the Act’s scope
- better handled by practical site management than formal paperwork
That’s how we stop a counter-notice turning into months of delay.
The three ways counter-notices usually resolve
In practice, counter-notices tend to end up in one of these outcomes:
1) Quick clarification + written agreement
Often the neighbour just wants better drawings, clearer dates, or a tighter explanation. Once they understand, they settle.
2) Move into the formal route (calmly)
If there isn’t written consent, or the requests need formal handling, the process moves forward under the Act’s procedure. This isn’t “going nuclear”—it’s simply using the legal framework as designed.
3) Adjust the works
Occasionally a small change to sequencing or method reduces neighbour impact and saves time overall. We’ll tell you when it’s worth it and when it’s not.
Our Simple Survey approach
We focus on speed without sloppiness:
- respond quickly and clearly
- reduce ambiguity (that’s what fuels counter-notices)
- keep requests proportionate
- guide you toward the quickest compliant pathway
Counter-notices only become a nightmare when they’re handled emotionally or left unanswered. Handled properly, they’re just another step on the path to starting work lawfully.
Get Cost Saving Pro Advice Now
If you’ve received a counter-notice—or you want to reduce the chance of one—get in touch with Simple Survey. We’ll keep the process calm and cost-effective, with party wall notices starting from £25 per adjoining ownership and agreed surveyor administration typically £300, depending on complexity and owners.