“Party wall agreement” is the everyday name. The Act itself speaks of notices, consent and, where there is a dispute, an Award made by surveyors under s.10. In practice, you have a party wall agreement with a neighbour when either they have consented in writing to your notice, or an Award has been served on you both. Each adjoining owner is dealt with separately.
Step 1: check whether your works are covered
| Your works | Section | Notice period |
|---|---|---|
| New wall on or against the boundary line (for example an extension wall or garden wall on the line of junction) | s.1 | One month (s.1(2), s.1(5)) |
| Work to an existing party wall or party structure: steel beams, loft conversions, chimney breast removal, raising, thickening, underpinning, cutting in flashings | s.2, s.3 | Two months (s.3(2)(a)) |
| Excavating within 3 metres of a neighbour’s building to below their foundations, or within 6 metres where a 45-degree line from their foundations is crossed | s.6(1), s.6(2) | One month (s.6(5)) |
Minor works, such as fixing shelves, replastering, rewiring or minor chases for sockets and wiring, are not notifiable. Roof work such as rooflights may not need notice either, because only work to or into the party wall (or s.1 or s.6 work) is relevant. If in doubt, use our 1-minute checker or see which works need a party wall agreement. Party wall matters are separate from planning permission and building regulations; you may need all three (how they differ).
Step 2: identify every adjoining owner
An “owner” under s.20 includes the freeholder and anyone holding a lease of more than a year. A terraced house usually has two neighbours; a flat can have owners above, below and beside, plus freeholders. For s.6 excavation work, owners who are not immediately next door can be adjoining owners if their building is within the 3 or 6 metre distances (s.6(4)). Land Registry title checks confirm names and addresses; get these right, because notices served on the wrong person do not count.
Step 3: prepare and serve valid notices
- Content: a party structure notice must state the building owner’s name and address, the nature and particulars of the work, and the start date (s.3(1)). An excavation notice must say whether you propose to underpin or strengthen the neighbour’s foundations and be accompanied by plans and sections showing the site and depth of the excavation (s.6(5), s.6(6)).
- Timing: serve at least the minimum period before you start. Notices cease to have effect if work has not begun within 12 months and is not prosecuted with due diligence (s.3(2)(b), s.6(8)).
- Service: in person, by post, addressed to “the owner” at the premises, or by email only where the recipient has agreed to accept it (s.15).
You can serve notice yourself using a notice template, or we prepare and serve notices for all your neighbours for £150 + VAT. An invalid notice is one of the most common causes of delay we see.
Step 4: wait for the response
Each neighbour has 14 days to respond to a s.3 or s.6 notice (s.5, s.6(7)). The responses you can expect, following FPWS guidance, are: consent; consent subject to a Schedule of Condition (the most popular choice for straightforward works); dissent and concur in an Agreed Surveyor; or dissent and appoint their own surveyor. Silence is treated as dissent, not consent. See the 14-day rule and how the responses compare.
Step 5: if the neighbour consents
Keep the signed consent with your notice: that is your agreement. Arrange a Schedule of Condition of their property before work starts, so any later damage claim can be judged fairly. You must still compensate the neighbour for any loss or damage caused by the work (s.7(2)), avoid unnecessary inconvenience (s.7(1)) and not deviate from the notified work without agreement (s.7(5)).
Step 6: if there is a dispute
Under s.10(1) the owners either concur in appointing one Agreed Surveyor, or each appoints a surveyor and the two select a third surveyor. Appointments are in writing and cannot be rescinded (s.10(2)). If the neighbour does not appoint within 10 days of your written request, you may appoint a surveyor on their behalf (s.10(4)); see the section 10(4) ten-day request. Compare the routes in Agreed Surveyor vs two surveyors.
Step 7: the Award is made and served
The surveyor(s) review the drawings, inspect and record the neighbour’s property, and make a Party Wall Award. An Award may determine the right to execute work, the time and manner of executing it, and any incidental matter including costs (s.10(12)). Any period the Award sets for the work will not, unless the owners agree, begin before the notice period expires. The Award is served on both owners (s.10(14)), and either can appeal to the county court within 14 days (s.10(17)).
Step 8: start work, then close out
Start once the notice period has run (or earlier with written agreement) and, where there is a dispute, the Award has been served. Give at least 14 days’ notice if you need access to the neighbour’s land (s.8(4)). At the end, the surveyor carries out a final inspection and any damage is made good or paid for (s.11(8)).
Summary
| Stage | What you do | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Check works and owners | Confirm sections that apply and identify every owner | Days |
| Serve notices | Valid notice with drawings where required | Notice period: 1 or 2 months |
| Response | Neighbour replies within 14 days | 14 days |
| Consent route | Schedule of Condition, then start after notice period | Inspection within days |
| Dispute route | Surveyors appointed, Schedule, Award served | Weeks, depending on the works |
| Appeal window | Either owner may appeal | 14 days from service |
A homeowner plans a loft conversion with steel beams bearing into both party walls of a mid-terrace house. They instruct notices in March, two and a half months before the builder’s start date. Notices go to both neighbours and, for one neighbour who owns a flat, to the freeholder as well. The first neighbour consents subject to a Schedule of Condition; the inspection happens the following week. The second neighbour and the freeholder concur in an Agreed Surveyor, who inspects, prepares a Schedule and serves an Award with working hours and access terms. Both agreements are in place before the two-month notice period ends, and the work starts on time.
This is an illustrative scenario to show how the Act works in practice. It is not a real case, and the outcome on any real project depends on its own facts.
What it costs with us
| Service | Fee + VAT | inc VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Party wall notices (all your neighbours) | £150 | £180 |
| Notices + one Schedule of Condition | £499 | £598.80 |
| Each extra Schedule of Condition | £399 | £478.80 |
| Standalone Schedule of Condition | £450 | £540 |
| Party Wall Award | £400 | £480 |
| Full package (notices, Schedule, Award) | £899 | £1,078.80 |
| Full package, London | £999 | £1,198.80 |
| Agreed Surveyor supplement | £0 |
Domestic extensions and loft conversions. Fixed fees, invoiced on completion; we take enquiries only, with no online payment. If your neighbour appoints their own surveyor, the building owner normally pays that surveyor’s reasonable fees as well (s.10(13)), and those are set by that surveyor, not by us.
For a full breakdown, including the neighbour’s own surveyor, see how much a party wall agreement costs and who pays for a party wall agreement. For timing, see how long a party wall agreement takes.
Checklist
- Settle drawings and, for structural work, engineer’s details.
- Confirm which sections apply and who every owner is.
- Serve valid notices at least two months before s.3 work, one month before s.1 or s.6 work.
- Diary the 14-day response and any 10-day request dates.
- Arrange Schedules of Condition before work starts.
- Do not start disputed work until the Award is served.
- Keep all notices, consents and Awards with your property records; buyers’ solicitors will ask for them.
How we can help
We have handled party wall matters on more than 750 projects. Our qualified surveyors prepare valid notices, Schedules of Condition and Awards on fixed fees, and we can act as Agreed Surveyor for both owners where the neighbour agrees. Call free on 08000 487897, take the 1-minute check or see our fixed fees.
- Party wall notices for building owners
- Fixed fees: party wall agreement cost
- Do I need a party wall agreement? (1-minute check)
Areas we cover include Party Wall Agreement Birmingham · Party Wall Agreement West Midlands · Party Wall Agreement East Midlands and more.
Sources: Party Wall etc. Act 1996 (legislation.gov.uk) · The Party Wall etc. Act 1996: explanatory booklet (GOV.UK). Last reviewed 27 October 2026. General guidance on the law in England and Wales, not legal advice.