If you are a building owner preparing to undertake construction works to your property, it is naturally an exciting time. Whether you are planning a loft conversion, rear extension, basement works or structural alterations, the project will often represent a major investment in your home.
At Simple Survey, we fully appreciate that building owners are often trying to balance construction costs, material costs and wider professional fees, all of which can seem to increase quickly as a project progresses. In that context, it can be tempting to consider serving your own party wall notice in order to keep costs down.
However, in our experience, that is something we would strongly advise against.
In this article, we explain why serving a party wall notice is best left to an experienced party wall surveyor, and why what may appear to be a saving at the outset can often become a false economy.
Why Building Owners Consider DIY Notice Service
DIY or self-served party wall notices are often attractive because they appear to offer an immediate cost saving. Templates are readily available online, and at first glance a party wall notice can look like a simple form that can be completed and sent directly to the adjoining owner without professional input.
While that may remove the initial cost of instructing a surveyor to prepare and serve the notice, it also removes an important part of the process: a professional point of contact for the adjoining owner.
That point of contact is often invaluable. Adjoining owners frequently have questions about the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, the proposed works, the risks involved, the expected timescales, and what protections are in place if something goes wrong. They may also want to understand what happens if there is damage, nuisance, access over their property, or some other form of dispute.
Where a building owner serves the notice personally, those questions often come straight back to them. That can place unnecessary pressure on the neighbourly relationship and create avoidable difficulty at a very early stage.
The Risk of Invalid Notice Service
One of the most common problems with DIY notice service is invalidity.
Party wall notices are legal documents and must contain the correct statutory wording and the necessary supporting information. If required details are omitted, inaccurately stated, or not properly set out, the notice may be invalid.
This is not simply a matter of making a minor amendment and sending a revised version. In many cases, the notice must be formally re-served, which means the statutory notice period starts again from the beginning. That can create unnecessary delay and may disrupt carefully planned construction start dates.
By contrast, party wall notices prepared and served by experienced surveyors are far less likely to be invalid. A surveyor who deals with such matters regularly will usually have established templates, internal procedures and quality checks in place to ensure notices are legally sound and correctly served.
Why Professional Notice Service Can Save Time and Money
Although instructing a party wall surveyor involves an initial fee, it often improves both time efficiency and overall cost certainty.
One of the major benefits of using a surveyor to serve your party wall notice is that it significantly increases the prospect of the adjoining owner agreeing to the appointment of that surveyor as an agreed surveyor.
An agreed surveyor acts impartially for both owners and can progress the matter from service of the notice through to agreement of the party wall award without the need for a separately appointed adjoining owner’s surveyor. This usually results in a faster and more efficient process, as there is no need for correspondence and negotiation between two different surveyors before the award can be finalised.
There is also a cost benefit. Where a surveyor has been instructed at the outset, the building owner will often already have the benefit of a fixed price for both the notice service and, if required, the award. That provides clarity and certainty from the beginning.
If, on the other hand, a building owner serves their own notice and the adjoining owner then seeks professional advice, they may later decide to appoint a surveyor who is less likely to offer the same competitive rates they might have done had they been approached at the notice stage. In that situation, the building owner may find themselves exposed to less predictable costs.
Avoiding Unnecessary Neighbourly Disputes
Many building owners understandably hope that their adjoining owner will take a practical and supportive view of the proposed works. In reality, however, adjoining owners often have understandable concerns.
They may worry about noise, vibration, dust, structural impact, access, damage or simple disruption to their enjoyment of their home. If the building owner attempts to manage those concerns directly, particularly without a clear understanding of the Act or the technical issues involved, the relationship can quickly become strained.
This becomes even more likely once works have started and small issues arise on site. At that point, a building owner may not have the time, experience or distance needed to manage matters effectively.
By having an experienced party wall surveyor involved from the outset, many of those issues can be dealt with more quickly, more professionally and with far less pressure on the neighbourly relationship. A surveyor can address concerns objectively, explain the process properly, and help keep the matter on a practical and proportionate footing.
Why Serving a Notice Properly Matters
Party wall notices are not merely an administrative step. They are a legal requirement under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, carry statutory timeframes for response, and once served can give rise to legal rights and obligations for both owners.
They also give the adjoining owner the right to appoint a surveyor, the reasonable cost of which is generally borne by the building owner.
It is therefore essential that the notice is approached carefully and served properly. In our view, the best way to ensure that happens is to instruct an experienced party wall surveyor to prepare and serve it on your behalf.
Cost-Effective Professional Help from the Start
At Simple Survey, we have structured our fees to give building owners access to professional support at the lowest possible cost.
Our party wall notice fees start from £35 plus VAT, providing a very low entry point to professional notice service while ensuring that you still benefit from experienced and qualified surveyors handling the matter.
If the adjoining owner dissents and a party wall award is required, our party wall award fees start from £300 plus VAT. These fees are designed to be among the most competitive in the market and represent a saving of up to 65% compared with many other providers.
Our service is designed to ensure that building owners receive advice that is cost-effective, time-efficient and professionally robust, all while helping them stay in control of project budgets.
Get in Touch
If you need party wall surveying advice, get in touch with Simple Survey today.
Email team@simplesurvey.co.uk and we will be very happy to assist and advise you on the best way to move your project forward.