If you need clear guidance on Party Wall Notices, have received a notice from a neighbour, or are concerned about works being carried out next door, we can help. Simple Survey provides professional party wall advice and services for both Building Owners (the person undertaking the works) and Adjoining Owners (the neighbour affected by them).
We offer straightforward, impartial guidance on whether the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies, what steps must be followed, and how to keep the process calm, compliant, and cost-controlled.
What we help with
Party Wall Notices
If you are:
- building at or near the boundary line,
- carrying out works to a shared wall or shared structure, or
- excavating near a neighbour’s foundations,
you may need to serve a Party Wall Notice under the Act. We can:
- confirm whether the Act applies,
- identify the correct adjoining owners to serve (including leaseholders/freeholders where relevant),
- prepare and serve the correct notice type(s), and
- keep clear records of service and timelines.
Acting for Building Owners
If you are undertaking the works, we help you:
- understand which parts of the project are notifiable,
- serve correct notices in good time,
- manage neighbour responses professionally, and
- progress to a formal Party Wall Award if consent is not received.
Acting for Adjoining Owners
If you have received a notice, we can:
- explain what the notice means and what your options are,
- help you respond without pressure,
- act as your appointed surveyor if needed, and
- ensure the process protects your property and your position.
Party Wall Notices: the practical essentials
If works fall under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, valid notices must be served on the correct people. This can include:
- joint owners,
- long leaseholders,
- freeholders, or
- other parties with a legal interest in the neighbouring property.
Why timing matters
The Act includes minimum notice periods (often around 1–2 months depending on the category of work). These timeframes exist to:
- give neighbours proper opportunity to consider the proposals, and
- allow safeguarding measures to be agreed properly before works begin.
Leaving notices late creates programme pressure. Programme pressure creates disputes.
DIY notices: possible, but risky
Building owners can serve notices themselves. Many try to do so to save money. The risk is simple: if the notice is incorrect (wrong person served, wrong notice type, vague scope, incorrect dates), then if a dispute arises the notice may be challenged and the notice period may need to start again. That is often more costly than doing it properly first time.
If you want certainty, we can serve notices on your behalf correctly and professionally.
If the neighbour dissents: the Party Wall Award stage
If an adjoining owner does not consent in writing, the party wall matter typically proceeds through the Act’s dispute procedure and a Party Wall Award is required before notifiable works proceed in the formal route.
A Party Wall Award is an impartial, legally binding document which typically sets out:
- what works are authorised under the Act,
- how the works must be carried out (practical controls such as working hours and method),
- access arrangements (where needed), and
- time limits and procedural protections.
The purpose is simple: a clear route forward that prevents uncertainty turning into conflict.
Agreed Surveyor vs Two Surveyors
Agreed Surveyor
This is where both owners agree to appoint one surveyor who acts impartially for both parties. It can be:
- quicker, and
- more cost-effective overall,
provided trust and communication are workable.
Two Surveyors
If the adjoining owner appoints their own surveyor, then each party has a surveyor and they proceed under the Act’s dispute procedure. In many typical domestic cases, the building owner (the person carrying out the works) commonly pays the reasonable professional fees associated with the process—particularly where the works are solely for their benefit.
Get Cost Saving Pro Advice Now
If you need Party Wall Notices served correctly, a clear response strategy to a notice you’ve received, or a properly managed Party Wall Award process, contact Simple Survey. We keep party wall matters professional, calm, and cost-controlled—and we aim to be the UK’s cheapest party wall surveyors without compromising standards.