PARTY WALL AGREEMENTS
INFORMATION & HELP

Expert Advice on the Party Wall etc. Act 1996

 

If you are planning a home extension, loft conversion, basement excavation or structural alterations, you may need to comply with the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. This legislation applies across England and Wales and is designed to prevent and resolve disputes between neighbouring property owners when building work affects a shared wall, boundary, or nearby structure.

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As experienced Party Wall Surveyors, we provide clear, practical advice to homeowners to ensure your project proceeds smoothly, legally and without friction with your neighbour.​

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When is a Party Wall Agreement required?

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Before starting work, if any of the following apply, you are legally required to serve a Party Wall Notice on your adjoining neighbour(s).​​

• Altering, cutting into or removing a shared (party) wall

• Building a new wall on or astride the boundary line

• Excavating within 3 metres of a neighbouring property (or within 6 metres for deeper foundations)

• Loft Conversions in terraced or semi-detached houses

• Undertaking basement or rear extension works

• Piling and Under-pinning

• Repairs to shared party fence walls
   

 ​Once we have assessed your project, if a Party Wall Notice is not required, we will explain our reasoning in writing for your records.

If a Party Award Notice is required, we will advise on our fee to act as Agreed Surveyor and prepare and serve compliant Party Wall Notices.​​

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What is a Party Wall Notice?

A Party Wall Notice is a formal document served by a property owner to their neighbour (s) before undertaking certain types of construction work that might affect shared walls, boundaries, or structures. This notice is a legal requirement under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.  It typically includes:

• Details of the proposed work

• The planned start date

• Drawings or plans of the intended construction

• Information about the property owner’s rights and obligations

 

What Happens After the Party Wall Notice Is Served?

Your neighbour has three options:

1. Provide written consent

2. Dissent (oppose) and request a surveyor

3. Do not respond within 14 days (legally treated as a dispute)

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What is a Party Wall Award?

If a dispute arises, a surveyor (or two surveyors if each party appoints their own) will prepare a Party Wall Award. This is a legally binding document that:

• Defines the proposed works

• Records the condition of neighbouring property

• Sets out working hours and access arrangements

• Allocates responsibility for costs

In most cases, the home or building owner undertaking the work pays all costs, including the neighbour's surveyor fees.

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​As experienced members of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors, we provide clear advice, prepare and serve notices, and act impartially to protect the interests of both building owners and adjoining owners, ensuring compliance with the Act and helping projects proceed smoothly and without unnecessary delay.

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This helpful guide has been created by the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors if you would like more detailed information on the Act (download here (PDF size 5.3kb).