Schedule of Condition: what neighbours need to know

Why a Schedule matters

The building owner must compensate you for loss or damage caused by work under the Act (s.7(2)). The difficulty in practice is proving what is new. Older houses almost always have some cracks, uneven plaster or stained ceilings. Without a record, a perfectly genuine claim can turn into an argument about whether a crack was “always there”. A Schedule of Condition settles that question before it arises, protecting you, and also protecting the building owner against claims for old defects.

The Act does not require a Schedule of Condition by name, but it is standard practice for surveyors to prepare one before an Award, and the government booklet recommends keeping a record of the condition of the adjoining property.

What the surveyor records

Each entry is supported by photographs, normally hundreds for a typical terraced house. The surveyor will often use a crack width gauge, note whether doors and windows open freely, and mark cracks with a pencil line at their ends so later extension is obvious. Areas furthest from the work are usually recorded more briefly.

How the process works

1. You reply to the notice, consenting subject to a Schedule of Condition, or dissenting (in which case the Schedule forms part of the Award).
2. The surveyor contacts you to arrange a visit, usually within days.
3. The inspection takes typically 1 to 2 hours for a house, depending on size and how many rooms adjoin the works.
4. The report can normally be sent within a few days, along with the Award if all matters have been agreed, and a copy is sent to both owners. Check it and point out anything missed.
5. Keep it safe until the final inspection after the works.
6. Final inspection. When work finishes, the property is compared with the Schedule. Any new damage is dealt with under s.7(2), s.2 making good, or a payment in lieu (s.11(8)).

Preparing for the visit

• Clear access to the party wall in each room, and to the loft hatch.
• Point out any cracks or defects you already know about, so they are recorded accurately.
• Tell the surveyor about anything fragile or valuable near the party wall: ornate ceilings, cornicing, tiled fireplaces, a recently decorated room.
• Mention any planned redecoration, so it can be recorded properly afterwards.
• If tenants live there, arrange access with them in advance.

Who pays

Normally the building owner. If you consent subject to a Schedule of Condition, the building owner usually commissions and pays for it. If you dissent, it forms part of the Award and its cost is part of the reasonable costs under s.10(13). For building owners, our fixed fees are a standalone Schedule of Condition at £450 + VAT, or notices plus a Schedule at £499 + VAT (each extra Schedule £399 + VAT).

Common problems

• Refusing access. Some neighbours refuse to let the surveyor in. That only weakens their own position if damage occurs.
• Schedule taken too late. It must be done before work starts. A Schedule taken after demolition has begun has much less value.
• Rooms missed. Read the report and say promptly if anything important is missing.
• Losing the report. Store it digitally. You will need it at the end of the works.

Your checklist

• Reply to the notice requesting a Schedule of Condition.
• Arrange the inspection before work starts.
• Prepare access and point out known defects.
• Check the report and raise omissions.
• Keep the report safe and photograph new damage promptly.
• Ask for a final inspection when the work is complete.

Related: Schedules of Condition from the building owner’s side, making a damage claim and consent or dissent.

Schedule of Condition vs your own photos vs an Award

Key points

• Take the Schedule before any work starts.
• Consent subject to a Schedule keeps the full protection of the Act for straightforward works.
• It protects both owners and reduces disputes.
• Keep it until the final inspection.

For complex or contentious works, a Schedule on its own is not enough: you will usually want an Award setting out method, protection and access, and for the most complex works your own surveyor.

Common questions surveyors are asked on site

Will you look in every room? Usually the rooms, loft and external areas nearest the works are recorded in detail, with other areas noted more briefly. Will you move furniture? Surveyors normally record what is reasonably visible; clear the party wall where you can. Can I be present? Yes, and it helps, because you can point out defects you know about. Will the building owner see the photographs? Yes; the Schedule is shared with both owners so it can be relied on by both.

When the works are delayed

If the works do not start for many months after the Schedule, the record may need updating, particularly if you have redecorated or new defects have appeared for unrelated reasons. Tell the surveyor or building owner of any changes before work starts, so the Schedule remains a fair baseline. A notice ceases to have effect if work has not begun within 12 months (s.3(2)(b), s.6(8)), in which case a new notice and usually a new Schedule are needed.

Schedules for gardens and boundary walls

For excavations near the boundary, ask for garden walls, paving, patios and any visible drainage to be recorded. Damage to these is as compensable as damage inside the house (s.7(2)), and it is often overlooked.

How we can help

We have handled party wall matters on more than 750 projects, acting for building owners and adjoining owners. If you have received a notice, we can prepare a Schedule of Condition of your property, act as Agreed Surveyor for both owners, or act as your own surveyor. In the normal case the building owner pays the reasonable surveyors’ fees, including ours when we act for you (s.10(13)). Call free on 08000 487897 or see your options as a neighbour.

Sources: Party Wall etc. Act 1996 (legislation.gov.uk) · The Party Wall etc. Act 1996: explanatory booklet (GOV.UK) · Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors (FPWS). Last reviewed 27 October 2026. General guidance on the law in England and Wales, not legal advice.