Great—your Party Wall notice is out the door. Now the real admin begins. The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 is a process with clear forks in the road depending on how neighbours respond. If you follow the next steps precisely, you’ll keep momentum, avoid re-serving paperwork, and minimise fees and delays.
Below is a simple, no-nonsense roadmap you can follow today.
1) Log the statutory dates (this protects your programme)
- Day 0: Date of service (email, post or by hand—make sure your method is valid under Section 15).
- Day 14: Deadline for a written response (consent or dissent).
- If no reply by Day 14: Send the 10-day request under Section 10(4) asking the neighbour to appoint a surveyor (or agree to a single surveyor).
- Day 24: If there’s still no response, you may appoint a surveyor on their behalf under Section 10(4), and the dispute resolution stage starts.
Tip: put these dates in your calendar now. Missing them costs time and, often, money elsewhere (contractors, finance, rent).
2) Prepare for the three possible responses
A) Consent
- You’ll receive written consent.
- You retain your duties under the Act and common law (e.g., to avoid unnecessary inconvenience, protect the neighbour’s property, and make good or compensate for loss/damage arising from notifiable works).
- You can progress once the statutory notice period has elapsed or been expressly waived in writing.
B) Dissent + Agreed Surveyor
- Both parties appoint one impartial surveyor to administer the Act and produce an award.
- This is usually the fastest and cheapest route because there’s one point of contact and one set of documents.
C) Dissent + Separate Surveyors
- Each side appoints their own surveyor.
- Those two surveyors must select a third surveyor “forthwith” (immediately) in case there’s a dispute between them later.
- The two surveyors will agree an award; if they can’t, a narrow referral goes to the third surveyor.
3) If there’s no response, act quickly and correctly
Silence is common. Don’t panic—just follow the Act:
- Issue the 10-day request under Section 10(4) as soon as the 14 days expire.
- If still nothing after those 10 days, appoint a surveyor on behalf of the non-responsive owner (you cannot appoint your own surveyor to wear both hats—someone else must be selected).
- Keep all correspondence polite and factual. You’re just moving the statutory process forward.
4) Keep your paperwork tight and consistent
- Make sure your notice descriptions match your drawings and the actual scope on site.
- If the scope changes materially (e.g., deeper foundations, different beam positions, building astride instead of up to the boundary), re-serve the relevant notice(s) so the paperwork reflects reality.
- For Section 6 (excavation), retain your plans and sections and be ready to answer reasonable technical questions.
5) Decide your preferred route in advance (and tell your neighbour)
When you served the notice, you should already have invited an Agreed Surveyor route. If you haven’t:
- Write to the neighbour in calm, neutral language explaining the option and why it saves time and cost for everyone.
- Be clear that an Agreed Surveyor must act impartially under the Act—this isn’t “your” representative.
- Still reassure them that if they prefer, they’re free to appoint someone else.
6) Expect (and manage) common follow-ups
- Who needs notice? More than one owner may be notifiable (freeholder and long-leaseholders; multiple leaseholds in a converted house).
- Security for Expenses (s.12): A neighbour can request funds be held to cover riskier works. Be ready to discuss a proportionate sum and how it’s held/released.
- Access (s.8): If lawful access is needed to do the notifiable works, it’s allowed subject to reasonable notice and making good/compensation for actual loss.
7) Don’t start early
Beginning notifiable works before the award (or before the notice period is properly waived in writing) exposes you to injunction risk and fast-escalating costs. Keeping to the process is considerably cheaper than stepping around it.
8) Use a provider that keeps things moving (and costs down)
This is where delivery model matters. Slow responses, sprawling documents and fuzzy scopes inflate fees—especially if the neighbour’s side runs on hourly rates. Our approach is different: tight scopes, fast comms, proportionate awards, and fixed pricing from the outset.
What if I want help now?
We can take over immediately from the point you’ve served notice—handling responses, statutory steps, and any award(s) needed under Sections 1, 2 or 6. We work anywhere in England & Wales and keep momentum so your project doesn’t drift.
Transparent, fixed pricing (cheapest like-for-like)
- Party Wall Notice service: £25 per adjoining ownership (multi-notice bundles discounted).
- Act administration as Agreed Surveyor (single surveyor): typically £300 fixed-fee, depending on complexity and number of notices/owners.
- Two-surveyor route (we act for the building owner): fixed-fee proposals from £325 for our side. (The neighbour’s surveyor often bills hourly; we work to keep those costs reasonable and contained.)
- Complex works (deep excavations, multi-owner blocks): we’ll still offer the fixed pricing above.
- No surprises, no creeping extras. You’ll know the number before we start.
FAQs
How long until I can start?
It depends on the notice type and whether there’s consent. Section 2 notices require 2 months; Sections 1 and 6 require 1 month. If there’s a dissent, you’ll need an award first. We keep the paperwork moving so you hit lawful start dates without slippage.
Can I change my plans after serving notice?
Yes—but if the changes are material, re-serve to match the updated scope. It’s safer (and cheaper) than arguing later that the original notice covered the change.
Can my neighbour force me to use their surveyor?
No. Each side chooses freely. You may both agree to a single Agreed Surveyor, but it must be mutual.
What happens if my neighbour ignores everything?
After Day 14, send the 10-day request; after Day 24, appoint a surveyor on their behalf under Section 10(4) and proceed to an award.
Is an Agreed Surveyor really cheaper?
Nearly always. One impartial surveyor means fewer emails, fewer drafts, fewer delays—and a smaller bill.
Do I still need an award if my neighbour consents?
If they formally consent in writing and you meet the statutory notice periods (or have an explicit waiver), you can usually proceed without an award. You still carry all legal duties under the Act.
What if the other surveyor is slow or keeps adding conditions?
Your surveyor can keep the scope strictly within the Act, insist on proportionate clauses, and, if necessary, make narrow referrals to the third surveyor to avoid drift.
The Short Version
You’ve served the notice. Now: track the dates, invite the Agreed Surveyor route, follow the Section 10(4) steps if needed, keep the scope tight, don’t start early, and choose a delivery model that’s built for speed and cost control.
Want the fastest, cheapest compliant route from notice to award?
Email team@simplesurvey.co.uk for a fixed, written quote today.
Simple Survey — quick, compliant, and consistently the lowest total cost in England & Wales.