Short answer: yes—the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 doesn’t pause for Christmas, New Year or bank holidays. But timing, method of service, and neighbour relations matter more than ever in December–January. Here’s how to get it right and keep your programme on track.
Do statutory timeframes still run during the holidays?
They do. Once a valid notice is served, the statutory clock runs continuously:
- Section 1 (new wall at/astride the boundary): minimum 1 month before works start
- Section 2 (works to a party wall/structure): minimum 2 months
- Section 6 (adjacent excavation): minimum 1 month (must include depth/section drawings)
Your neighbour has 14 days to respond. If they don’t, a deemed dissent arises and the surveyor procedure begins. None of these periods automatically extend because it’s Christmas—or because someone is away.
Professional tip
If you know your neighbour will be travelling, ask them (or their managing agent/freeholder if it’s a flat) to confirm in writing that they’ll accept electronic service and/or agree a longer reply window. Agreement can soften the strict timeframes without risking validity.
Is holiday service a good idea?
It can be—if you plan carefully. Consider:
- Delivery realities
Post can be slow in December. If you’re serving by post, build in extra days and use a trackable method. Better still, hand-deliver with a witness or obtain written acknowledgement. - Email service isn’t automatic
You may only serve by email if the recipient has explicitly agreed and provided an address. If they haven’t, stick to in-person or post. - Neighbour goodwill
A friendly heads-up before a formal notice pays dividends—especially when people are hosting family or taking time off. A short call or note explaining what’s coming can prevent knee-jerk dissents. - Surveyor availability
If dissent occurs in late December, some firms operate skeleton teams. You can proceed, but expect decisions to slide into early January unless you’ve pre-agreed surveyor appointments.
Common holiday pitfalls
- Invalid Section 6 notices: Excavation notices must enclose plans/sections showing location and depth relative to the neighbour’s foundations. Missing drawings = invalid notice = delay.
Fix: prepare concise, scaled drawings up front. - Wrong owners: In flats there may be multiple Adjoining Owners (freeholder and long leaseholders).
Fix: pull Land Registry titles and serve all relevant owners. - Vague descriptions: “Loft works” isn’t enough.
Fix: describe the notifiable operations (e.g., “cutting 203UC beams into party wall on padstones; forming flashings; making good”). - Serving too early: Notices expire after 12 months.
Fix: time service to your programme; don’t waste a notice by serving a year before design is ready. - No contact route: Over the holidays, post sits on doormats.
Fix: include a direct phone/email contact and invite questions—neighbours are more likely to consent when they can reach a human quickly.
Strategic timing ideas
- Serve early–mid December with a start date comfortably after the statutory period (and school holidays), so your neighbour doesn’t feel rushed.
- Or serve in the first week of January if you anticipate complex queries—everyone’s back, and the 14-day response won’t straddle bank holidays.
In both cases, give a clear proposed start date and reassure neighbours that noisy works will observe local hours.
What if there’s no reply over Christmas?
After 14 days with no written consent, the Act treats it as dissent. The next step is:
- Each owner appoints a surveyor or both agree on one Agreed Surveyor;
- The surveyor(s) make a legally binding Party Wall Award setting out how and when the works proceed, protections, access arrangements and costs.
This process can begin over the holidays; it doesn’t have to wait—though practical progress usually accelerates in early January.
Our recommendation
- Talk first, then serve correctly.
- Avoid DIY mistakes that invalidate notices (they’re common and costly).
- If you need momentum over the holidays, line up your notices and surveyor now so January doesn’t become a scramble.
Simple Survey: low-cost, compliant notices—ready when you are
We specialise in fast, watertight Party Wall paperwork that keeps projects moving, even across the festive period:
- Party Wall Notice service: £25 per Adjoining Ownership
(multi-notice bundles discounted) - Act administration as Agreed Surveyor (single surveyor): typically £300 fixed-fee
(scope/complexity and number of owners may vary) - Two-surveyor route (we act for the Building Owner): fixed-fee proposals from £325 for our side
(we work to keep your neighbour’s surveyor’s hourly fees reasonable and contained)
Ready to proceed (or want a sanity check)?
Email team@simplesurvey.co.uk with your address, a brief description of the works, and any drawings you already have. We’ll confirm which notice(s) you need, prepare and serve them correctly, and—if required—act swiftly to agree an Award so your build can start on time.
Serve right the first time. Keep your neighbours onside. Build with confidence—holiday or not.