Party wall notices are legal documents, so they must be served correctly. Section 15 of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 sets out the permitted methods.
1) Personal service (by hand)
Hand delivery is fine only if it’s delivered to the person in question.
- If no one is home, do not push the notice through the letterbox and call it “served.”
- Personal service means handing it to the owner/recipient in person.
2) Service by post
Posting is the most common route.
- Send to the Adjoining Owner’s usual or last-known residence or place of business in the UK.
- The Title Register address is often used, but if it’s clearly out of date (e.g., care-of a dissolved company), choose a different permitted method below.
3) When the owner’s identity isn’t known
If you can’t confirm who owns the neighbouring property (unregistered, recently sold, etc.):
- Address the notice to “The Owner”.
- Do not post it. Instead, deliver by hand; if nobody answers, fix it to a conspicuous part of the premises (e.g., front door).
- Take clear photos (close-up and context) for your records.
4) Service by email
Electronic service has been allowed since 2016. It’s quick—but only if:
- You have the correct email address, and
- The recipient has expressly agreed to receive notices by electronic communication.
This makes email great later in the process (further notices, awards), but less reliable for first contact unless consent is already in place.
Practical tips
- Keep evidence of service (proof of posting, delivery note, time-stamped photos).
- Serve promptly and double-check names, addresses, and titles.
- If in doubt about the correct route, use a method you can prove meets Section 15.
Here are the key Party Wall notice timings at a glance (England & Wales):
Lead-in periods (minimum notice before works can start)
- Section 2 – Party Structure Notice: 2 months before the proposed start date.
- Section 1 – Line of Junction (new wall at/near boundary): 1 month.
- Section 6 – Adjacent Excavation (within 3–6m and deeper than neighbour’s foundations / 6m-45°): 1 month.
You still must wait for consent or (if there’s dissent/no reply) a Party Wall Award before starting notifiable works, even after the lead-in expires.
Adjoining Owner response window
- 14 days to respond (consent or dissent).
- No reply after 14 days = deemed dissent.
If there’s no reply (deemed dissent)
Serve a Section 10(4) 10-day request asking the Adjoining Owner to appoint a surveyor.
If still no response, the Building Owner may appoint a surveyor on their behalf (not the same person as their own surveyor).
Got a question or want us to handle service end-to-end Email team@simplesurvey.co.uk — the lowest-cost party wall surveyors across England & Wales. We’ll make sure your notices are compliant and properly served.