Articles
The Quickest Route to Party Wall Consent
If you want your project to start on time (and stay neighbourly), your best tactic is to make it easy for your adjoining owner to say “yes.” Here’s a practical, fast-track playbook that consistently turns perfectly valid Party Wall Notices into quick consents—without...
The Top 5 Invalid Party Wall Notice Mistakes
Getting Party Wall Notices right the first time saves months of delay, neighbour friction and wasted fees. Here are the five most common mistakes that render notices invalid—plus the quick fixes to keep your project compliant and moving. 1) Missing drawings on...
Typical Errors Party Wall Surveyors Make
Choosing the right party wall surveyor can be the difference between a smooth, neighbourly process and a slow, expensive dispute. While most practitioners aim to do things properly, we routinely encounter avoidable mistakes that delay projects, inflate fees and, in...
A Beginner’s Guide to Section 20’s “Surveyor” Definition
If you’ve dipped a toe into the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, you’ll have seen Section 20—the definitions section. Tucked inside is the Act’s definition of a “surveyor”: “…any person not being a party to the matter appointed or selected under section 10 to determine...
The Beginner’s Guide to Section 9 of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996
If you’re gearing up for works near a shared wall or boundary, you’ll quickly bump into Section 9 of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. It’s a short Section with big consequences—especially if anyone mentions rights to light or other easements. Here’s a clear, practical...
The Beginner’s Guide to Section 2(2)(b) of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996
Section 2(2)(b) is short but powerful. It gives a Building Owner the right to “repair or demolish and rebuild” a party structure (including a party wall or party fence wall) where it is defective or in disrepair. Crucially, when this section is used, the costs don’t...
The Beginner’s Guide to Section 20 of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996
Section 20 is the glossary of the Party Wall Act. It’s where the Act tells you exactly what it means by “owner”, “party wall”, “party fence wall”, “special foundations” and more. Getting these definitions right is crucial—because whether your works are notifiable, who...
The Beginner’s Guide to Section 8 of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996
Most neighbours are surprised to learn the Party Wall Act doesn’t just regulate notices and awards—it also grants temporary access rights over adjoining land so notifiable works can be done safely and properly. That power lives in Section 8. Here’s what you need to...
The Beginner’s Guide to Section 15 of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996
If the Party Wall Act is the rulebook, Section 15 is the bit that tells you how to legally hand the rulebook to your neighbour. It sets out the only permitted ways to serve (i.e., deliver) Party Wall Notices and Awards. Get service wrong and even a perfectly drafted...
The Beginner’s Guide to Section 10 of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996
Section 10 is the engine room of the Party Wall Act. It only “switches on” when an Adjoining Owner dissents to a valid Party Wall Notice (or simply doesn’t respond within 14 days, which the Act treats as a dissent). From that moment, you’re in the Act’s formal...
The Beginner’s Guide to Section 2 Party Wall Notices
Section 2 is the workhorse of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. If you’re altering, cutting into, raising, repairing or otherwise working on a shared wall or structure, Section 2 is almost certainly the route you’ll use to notify your neighbour. It covers works to party...
The Beginner’s Guide to Section 6 Party Wall Notices
Many owners think the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 only applies to party walls. Not so! One of the most commonly triggered parts of the Act is Section 6—the rulebook for excavations near neighbouring buildings and structures. If you’re putting in new foundations, a...
The Beginner’s Guide to Section 1 Party Wall Notices
Planning a new side or rear extension and need a brand-new wall along the boundary? That’s exactly what Section 1 of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 covers. This guide explains what a Section 1 Notice is, the response options for your neighbour, when you can (and can’t)...
The Beginners Guide to Security for Expenses
When notifiable works carry higher-than-usual risk, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 gives an Adjoining Owner the right to ask the Building Owner for Security for Expenses. Think of it as a financial safety net: money held on standby so that, if works are abandoned or...
Making Sense of Making Use (Enclosure Costs)
If your neighbour has already built a new wall for their extension and you now want to build off it rather than erecting your own independent wall, you’ll encounter the Party Wall concept of “making use”—often called enclosure costs. Far from being a penalty, this...
A Beginner’s Guide to Notifiable Party Wall Works
If you’re planning an extension, loft conversion, basement works or any structural change near a boundary, you’ll likely trigger the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. The headline you need to remember is simple: if works are notifiable under the Act, you must serve a valid...
A Beginner’s Guide to Agreed Party Wall Surveyors
If you’ve served (or are about to serve) Party Wall Notices and your neighbour doesn’t want a separate surveyor, you may both choose to appoint one impartial professional as an Agreed Surveyor. Done well, it’s the quickest, most cost-effective route to a valid Party...
A Beginner’s Guide to Party Wall Fees
If you’re new to the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, one of the first practical questions is: who pays the surveyors? In most cases it’s the Building Owner (the party doing the notifiable works). But “most cases” isn’t “always,” and the Act’s test of reasonableness protects...
A Beginner’s Guide to Party Wall Notice Consent
When a Building Owner serves a Party Wall Notice, the Adjoining Owner has 14 days to respond. If the response is consent, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 still applies—but in a lighter-touch way. This guide explains what consent really means, how and when an Adjoining...
A Beginner’s Guide to Party Wall Notice Dissent
So you’ve served a Party Wall Notice and your neighbour hasn’t consented within 14 days—or they’ve replied to dissent. Don’t panic. A dissent doesn’t stop your project; it simply triggers the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 dispute-resolution procedure so the works can...
A Beginner’s Guide to Party Wall Notices
If you’re planning an extension, loft conversion, basement works, or any structural alteration near a boundary, you’ll likely meet the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. The first (and most important) step under the Act is serving a Party Wall Notice. This guide explains when...
A Beginner’s Guide to Third Surveyors
When party wall matters move from friendly discussion to formal dispute, most projects run smoothly with either an Agreed Surveyor (one surveyor acting for both owners) or two appointed surveyors (one for each owner). Occasionally, those two surveyors can’t agree on a...
A Beginner’s Guide to Party Wall Awards
If you’re planning works near a boundary or shared wall, you’ll quickly hear the term Party Wall Award. Think of the Award as the rulebook that lets your project proceed lawfully and safely while protecting your neighbour’s property. Here’s a clear, no-jargon primer...
My neighbour says they’re happy with the works, do I still need a Party Wall Notice?
Short answer: yes—if your works are notifiable under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, you must serve a valid Party Wall Notice even when everyone’s on friendly terms. A friendly nod over the fence is great for neighbourly relations, but it isn’t a substitute for the...
My contractor says I don’t need a Party Wall Notice
Contractors are brilliant at building. But when it comes to statutory duties under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, they’re not the decision-maker—the law is. If you’re planning a loft conversion, rear extension, chimney removal, steel beams into a shared wall, or...
A Beginner’s Guide to Party Wall Surveyors
Thinking about a loft conversion, rear extension or basement? If your plans touch a shared wall or involve excavations near a neighbour, you’ll meet a key figure: the party wall surveyor. Unlike most consultants, a party wall surveyor’s role is created by statute—the...
Multi-Neighbour Projects Playbook: Managing Notices and Awards
Large extensions, loft conversions that abut two neighbours, wrap-arounds on corner plots, or basement digs near a terrace rarely involve just one adjoining owner. The more neighbours you notify at once, the greater the chance you’ll end up with multiple surveyors,...
Right to Light vs The Party Wall Act
“Right to light” issues and the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 often show up on the same project, but they are wholly separate legal regimes. Mixing them up can cause delay, needless expense, or—worse—an unenforceable outcome. Here’s a clear, practical guide to how they...
Oversailing Licence vs Party Wall Access
Planning a loft, extension or basement and wondering whether you can swing a crane over next-door’s garden or drop a scaffold on their land? Two routes might apply: Licence to Oversail / Scaffold Licence – a private agreement (a licence) for your works or equipment to...
Is the Party Wall Surveyor Allowed to Sign the Award Without My Input?
Short answer: yes—and that’s by design. Under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, once a dispute has arisen (because your neighbour dissented or didn’t reply within 14 days), Section 10 hands the pen to the appointed surveyor(s). Their statutory job is to determine the...
Agreed Surveyor Party Wall Awards vs Two-Surveyor Awards, Which Route Is Right for You?
When a neighbour consents to your Party Wall notice, there’s nothing more to do. But if they dissent (or don’t reply within 14 days), the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 requires a dispute-resolution route. You have two choices: appoint one “Agreed Surveyor” to act...
What Are the 4 Valid Forms of Party Wall Notice Service?
Serving a Party Wall Notice correctly is not optional—it’s the foundation on which the whole Party Wall process stands. If service is invalid, the notice clock doesn’t start, responses can’t be relied upon, and you risk delay or even injunction. Under the Party Wall...
Who Serves the Party Wall Notice on the Adjoining Owner?
Under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, the duty to serve a valid Party Wall Notice sits squarely with the Building Owner—the person proposing the works. That notice can be prepared and issued by the Building Owner personally or by an authorised agent acting for them. The...
I’ve Left the Party Wall Process to the Last Moment, What Can I Do?
Take a breath. You still have options—but you’ll need to act methodically and right now. The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 is a procedural law with statutory timelines. You can’t bulldoze those deadlines, but you can minimise delay by serving valid notices immediately,...
Can Party Wall Awards Be Agreed After the Works Have Been Completed?
Short answer: no. Under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, the statutory process is prospective, not retrospective. If notifiable works have already been carried out, you cannot “go back” and serve valid Party Wall Notices or obtain a lawful Party Wall Award for what has...
Do Party Wall Surveyors “Police” Party Wall Awards?
In short: no. Under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, surveyors are not site police and they do not supervise your contractor day-to-day. Their powers are strictly defined by the Act. A party wall surveyor’s job is to make an Award that regulates the time and manner of...
Do Party Wall Surveyors Determine Boundary Lines?
Short answer: no—not when they’re acting under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. A party wall surveyor’s legal powers (their jurisdiction) are tightly defined by the Act. Those powers let surveyors regulate how notifiable works are carried out near shared walls and...
Party Wall Damage Occurs will Further Surveyor Fees Apply?
Even with competent contractors and a well-drafted Party Wall Award, construction carries risk. If the Adjoining Owner’s property suffers damage as a result of notifiable party wall works, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 provides a clear route to put things right—and it...
Is an Adjoining Owner’s Consent Binding?
When a Building Owner serves a Party Wall Notice, the Adjoining Owner has three basic choices within 14 days: Consent in writing – confirming there’s nothing “in dispute” at that point. Dissent and appoint an Agreed Surveyor – one impartial surveyor acts for both...
Basement Excavations Party Wall Dispute Guide
Basement projects are structurally demanding and almost always activate the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. If your excavation will be within 3 metres of a neighbour’s house, extension, wall or other structure and deeper than their foundations, you must serve a Section 6...
Rear Extension Party Wall Dispute Guide
Rear extensions are brilliant for creating open-plan living—but they almost always wake up the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. That’s because new foundations, drainage runs, and pad foundations for steels are frequently dug within 3 metres of a neighbour’s wall, house,...
Loft Conversion Party Wall Dispute Guide
Loft conversions in terraced and semi-detached homes almost always engage the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. The reason is simple: to create new habitable space you’ll typically cut steel beams into the party wall, raise parapets, or alter the roof structure at or near the...
Why Hand Tools Are Key During Party Wall Works
When you’re working on or near a party wall, finesse beats force every time. Many Party Wall Awards specify “hand tools only” for sensitive operations—and for good reason. Hand tools dramatically reduce vibration, give finer control at the wall face, and lower the...
Why Did the Award Give My Neighbour Access Rights Onto My Land?
It can feel intrusive to see “access to the Adjoining Owner’s land” written into a Party Wall Award—especially when it’s your garden, side return or driveway. The good news: this isn’t a free-for-all. Access is a limited, legal right under the Party Wall etc. Act...
How to Avoid the High Costs You Hear About with Party Wall Surveying
Horror stories about party wall fees usually have the same roots: vague drawings, late notices, frosty neighbours, and an open-ended hourly fee model. The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 is designed to facilitate works, not make them unaffordable—but you need to set the job...
My Neighbour Says They Didn’t Receive My Party Wall Notice—Do I Have to Re-Serve?
It’s a common (and stressful) moment: you’ve properly posted or delivered your Party Wall Notice, the clock is ticking, and your neighbour says, “We never got it—send it again.” So… must you re-serve? The answer depends on how you served the notice, what evidence you...
What Happens When a Party Wall Surveyor Goes “Missing in Action”?
Most party wall matters run to time: notices go out, responses come back, surveyors agree an Award and works proceed. But sometimes an appointed surveyor becomes unresponsive—emails unanswered, calls ignored, milestones slipping. Here’s what that means under the Party...
Simple Survey: the most cost-effective party wall surveyors around
If you’re planning an extension, loft conversion or excavation, you need the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 on your side—without wrecking your budget. That’s exactly what we do. Simple Survey delivers robust, legally compliant party wall work at sensible, fixed fees, with...
How Simple Survey Doesn’t Break the Bank on Party Wall Fees
Party wall costs shouldn’t swamp your build budget. At Simple Survey, we’ve engineered a pricing model that’s lean, transparent and focused on doing the essentials really well—so you stay compliant with the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 without paying premium-rate mystery...
The Party Wall Award Is Being Breached
A properly served Party Wall Award is legally binding on both owners. If the Building Owner (the party doing the works) drifts from the Award—or ignores it altogether—the Adjoining Owner doesn’t have to tolerate it. The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 gives clear remedies to...