What GOV.UK publishes, and where to find it
The government’s guidance page, GOVPUBLINK, contains two things worth bookmarking:
- The explanatory booklet (BOOKLETLINK). It explains the Act for building owners and adjoining owners, including notice periods and the dispute procedure. You can read it online or print it.
- Ten example letters, downloadable as editable OpenDocument (.odt) files: party structure notices, line of junction notices for walls astride the boundary and wholly on your own land, 3 and 6 metre excavation notices, and the matching positive and negative acknowledgements.
Those are the only “gov” templates. There is no government “party wall agreement” form, and no official PDF that you fill in and sign to create an agreement. Websites offering an “official party wall agreement PDF” are usually offering one of these example letters or a commercial document.
Why there is no single “agreement template”
The Act does not create a document called an agreement. It works in three stages: the building owner serves notice; the adjoining owner consents or dissents (silence counts as dissent after 14 days); and if there is a dispute, surveyors make an Award under s.10. “Party wall agreement” is the everyday name for either the written consent or the Award.
| What you need | Free template? | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Party wall notice (s.1, s.3 or s.6) | Yes | Our free notice templates and the GOV.UK example letters |
| Neighbour’s reply (consent or dissent) | Yes | Our reply form, the GOV.UK acknowledgements, and the consent wording below |
| Letters around the process | Yes | Party wall agreement letters |
| Schedule of Condition | No useful template | A dated photographic record prepared on site |
| Party Wall Award | No | Drafted by the appointed surveyor(s) for your specific works |
Free template: written consent to a party wall notice
Use this where your neighbour is happy to consent. Ideally they sign and return it within 14 days of service. Replace everything in [square brackets]. It is general guidance, not legal advice.
PARTY WALL etc. ACT 1996: CONSENT TO NOTICE
To: [building owner’s full name(s)] of [address]
Property where the work will be carried out: [building owner’s property address]
Adjoining property: [adjoining owner’s property address]
I/We, [full name(s) of every adjoining owner], being the owner(s) of the adjoining property, acknowledge receipt on [date] of your notice dated [date] served under section [1 / 3 / 6] of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, describing the following work: [short description, as in the notice].
I/We CONSENT to the work described in the notice.
[Optional: My/Our consent is given on the basis that a Schedule of Condition of my/our property will be prepared before work starts and a copy provided to me/us.]
[Optional, section 3 notices only: I/We agree that the work may start before the end of the two-month notice period, on or after [date].]
Signed: ____________________ Date: __________ (each adjoining owner to sign)
Two practical points. First, consent does not remove the building owner’s duties: they must still avoid unnecessary inconvenience (s.7(1)) and compensate for any loss or damage caused by the work (s.7(2)). Second, consent only covers the work described in the notice. If the design changes, serve a fresh notice or agree the change in writing.
What a template cannot do
- It cannot make an Award. Once there is a dispute, only surveyors appointed under s.10 can settle it. A form signed by both owners after dissent is not an Award.
- It cannot check your facts. Templates do not tell you which sections apply, who every owner is, or whether your start date is lawful. Many invalid notices we see used a template correctly, but for the wrong work or the wrong people.
- It cannot record condition. A Schedule of Condition is a site inspection with dated photographs, not a form.
Using templates safely: a short checklist
- Read the GOV.UK booklet first, especially the parts on notice periods and disputes.
- Identify the sections that apply: s.1 (new wall on the boundary), s.2 and s.3 (work to a party wall), s.6 (excavation).
- Check ownership at HM Land Registry and name every owner.
- Give at least two months’ notice for section 3 work and one month for sections 1 and 6.
- Serve by hand or post, or by email only with prior agreement (s.15); keep proof.
- Diary the 14-day response date, and the 10-day request under s.10(4) if the neighbour stays silent.
When a template is the wrong tool
Basements, underpinning, special foundations, flats with several owners, and any job where the neighbour is already unhappy are better handled professionally from the start. We prepare and serve notices for all your neighbours for £150 + VAT; notices with a Schedule of Condition cost £499 + VAT; and the full package with an Agreed Surveyor Award is £899 + VAT (£999 + VAT in London), with the Agreed Surveyor supplement of £50 currently waived.
How we can help
We have handled party wall matters on more than 750 projects across London, the South East and the Midlands. Our qualified surveyors prepare valid notices, Schedules of Condition and Awards on fixed fees, invoiced on completion, and can act as Agreed Surveyor for both owners. Call free on 08000 487897, take the 1-minute check or see our fixed fees. More short answers: party wall agreement questions answered.
This guide is general information on the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, which applies in England and Wales. It is written from our surveyors’ practical experience and is not legal advice; for a specific dispute, take advice on your own facts.
- Party wall agreement questions answered
- Party wall notices for building owners
- Party wall agreement surveyor
- Fixed fees: party wall agreement cost
- Do I need a party wall agreement? (1-minute check)
Areas we cover include Party Wall Agreement Kent · Party Wall Agreement Hertfordshire · Party Wall Agreement Surrey and more.
Sources: Party Wall etc. Act 1996 (legislation.gov.uk) · The Party Wall etc. Act 1996: explanatory booklet (GOV.UK). Last reviewed 29 October 2026. General guidance on the law in England and Wales, not legal advice.