Yes—you’re allowed to serve your own Party Wall notice. The law doesn’t force you to use a surveyor just to notify neighbours. But a notice is still a legal document: get the content, timing, or service wrong and you risk delays, invalid paperwork, or avoidable disputes.
Below is a short, practical guide to doing it yourself—plus the key points that most DIY notices miss.
The simple version
- Confirm the works are notifiable
Most common triggers are:- Building a new wall up to/astride the boundary (Section 1)
- Works to a shared wall/party structure (Section 2)
- Excavation near a neighbour’s structure and deeper than their foundations (Section 6)
- Identify all legal owners
Freeholder(s) and any long-leaseholder(s) whose demise is affected must be notified. Flats often mean multiple notices to the freeholder and each leaseholder. - Use the right notice(s) and content
Each section of the Act has its own notice. Your notice must include:- Your full details and the neighbour’s legal names/addresses
- A clear description of the notifiable works (plain English is fine)
- The proposed start date (observing minimum notice periods)
- Plans/sections for Section 6 excavations
- Any note about foundations crossing the boundary / special foundations (where relevant)
- Serve correctly and prove it
Accepted methods include personal service, first-class post to the “usual or last-known residence,” and email only where the neighbour has agreed to receive documents electronically. Keep proof of posting/delivery. - Manage the responses
Neighbours have 14 days to consent or dissent. If there’s no reply, a further 10-day request can be issued. No response after that and a deemed dispute arises—triggering the Act’s dispute-resolution route.
Timing rules (don’t trip on these)
- Section 1 (new walls at the boundary): serve ≥ 1 month before works.
- Section 2 (works to party structures): serve ≥ 2 months before works.
- Section 6 (adjacent excavation): serve ≥ 1 month before works.
(You can only start earlier if your neighbour agrees in writing to waive the remaining period.)
Common DIY pitfalls (and how to avoid them)
- Not notifying everyone you should. Miss a long leaseholder or freeholder and the process can unravel.
- Using the wrong notice or mixing sections. Combine only if every statutory requirement for each section is satisfied; otherwise, send separate notices.
- Vague scope. “General renovations” won’t cut it. Be specific about the notifiable parts (e.g., “inserting steel beams into the party wall,” “excavating for new strip foundations to 1.0m”).
- Missing drawings for Section 6. Plans/sections of the proposed foundations are mandatory.
- Invalid service. Posting to a building site address or emailing without prior consent can render service invalid.
- Forgetting the follow-up. Silence after 14 days isn’t consent; it triggers the 10-day request stage.
When to consider professional help
- You’re dealing with blocks of flats or multiple titles
- You’re unsure which section(s) apply
- You’re proposing deep excavations, piled foundations, or basement works
- You want to minimise the risk of invalid notices and stop-start timelines
Sometimes, paying a small fixed fee to get notices right first time is the cheapest option overall.
Our lowest-cost notice service (optional—but popular)
- 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 other surveyor may bill hourly; we work to keep those costs reasonable and contained.)
- Complex works (deep excavations, multi-owner blocks): we’ll still offer the fixed pricing as above.
- No surprises, no creeping extras. You’ll know the number before we start.
FAQs
Do I need a surveyor just to serve the notice?
No. You can serve it yourself—provided it’s valid in content, timing, and service.
Can I email the notice?
Only if your neighbour has already confirmed they’re willing to receive statutory documents by email. Otherwise, use personal service or first-class post to the usual/last-known address and keep proof.
What happens if my neighbour doesn’t reply?
After 14 days, send the 10-day request. If there’s still no response, a deemed dispute arises and you can proceed under the Act’s dispute-resolution pathway.
Can I merge multiple works into one notice?
Yes—if the combined notice satisfies the statutory requirements for each section (including drawings for Section 6). If in doubt, issue separate notices.
Is describing the whole project necessary?
Focus on the notifiable elements. Ordinary, non-notifiable works don’t need to be listed in the party wall notice.
Bottom line
You can absolutely DIY a Party Wall notice—but it must be legally correct. Valid content, the right timing, proper service, and clear follow-up are non-negotiable. If you want to guarantee compliance and keep your programme moving, we’ll do it for the lowest like-for-like cost we’ve seen in England & Wales.
Get your notices prepared and served today — fast, valid, and fixed-fee.
Email: team@simplesurvey.co.uk