What is a Party Wall Notice?

A Party Wall Notice is the formal written notification that a building owner must serve on all affected neighbours before carrying out certain types of work near or on a shared boundary. It explains what work is proposed, when it is likely to start and which sections of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 apply. Without a valid notice, the work will not comply with the Act and the neighbour could seek an injunction to stop it.

When do I need to serve a Party Wall Notice?

You must serve a Party Wall Notice if your project includes works covered by the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. Typical examples include building new walls on or up to the boundary line, cutting into or altering a party wall for loft conversions or chimney breast removal, and excavating within certain distances and depths of a neighbour’s foundations. Westville Associates can review your drawings and confirm whether notices are required before you start work.

How much notice do I need to give my neighbour?

The Act requires a minimum notice period, usually one month for excavation or two months for most works directly affecting a party wall or boundary. Notices are valid for 12 months, so they should not be served too early or too late. Westville Associates will advise on the right timing so that you comply with the Act without risking expiry before your project begins.

What happens after I serve a Party Wall Notice?

Once a valid notice is served, adjoining owners normally have 14 days to respond. They can consent, consent with conditions such as a Schedule of Condition, or dissent, which triggers the appointment of surveyor(s) and the preparation of a Party Wall Award. Westville Associates guides you through neighbour responses, next steps and likely timescales so that your project can move forward lawfully.

Can I use a free online Party Wall Notice template?

Free online templates can be risky. An invalid or incomplete notice may cause delay, extra costs or legal disputes if challenged. The Westville Associates team prepares notices in line with the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, ensuring that the right type of notice is served on the correct adjoining owners with all required information and supporting drawings, so that the process starts on a solid legal footing.

How long does the Party Wall Notice process take?

From service of a notice to agreeing a Party Wall Award, a straightforward matter can commonly take between one and three months, and sometimes longer if neighbours delay or there are disputes. Starting the notice process early, ideally when you submit planning applications or finalise structural drawings, reduces the risk of your building works being held up.

Who is responsible for serving Party Wall Notices?

The legal responsibility lies with the building owner who intends to carry out the notifiable works. While architects and builders may help, it is the building owner’s duty under the Act to ensure that valid notices are served on every adjoining owner who could be affected. Westville Associates acts on your behalf to prepare and serve notices correctly so that this duty is fulfilled.

How can Westville Associates help with Party Wall Notices?

Westville Associates can review your plans, identify which parts of your project are notifiable, determine which neighbours need to receive which type of Party Wall Notice and then prepare and serve those notices for you. The firm also offers downloads and guidance for homeowners and can continue to act through neighbour responses, Schedules of Condition and Party Wall Awards if required.

Party Wall Notices in Surrey & London

Excited about a refurbishment or renovation?
As a building owner before you bring the builders in you’ll may need to notify the adjoining owners if you live in a terraced or semi-detached property. In fact, you’re legally obligated to do so.

Serve a Party Wall Notice
Serving notice instigates the working of the Party Wall Act.

Guide to party wall notices

A Party Wall Notice is essentially a letter informing the adjoining owner of a building owner’s intention to carry out construction work on a party wall.

Westville Associates can help you serve the correct Party Wall Notice, avoid delays and keep your project compliant with the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.

Without serving one, you could be subject to legal action. Discuss your project with us today for free to see how we can help.

Types of a Party Wall Notice

The Party Wall Act 1996 lists three main types of notices:

Line of Junction Notice (to be served 1 month before)
Party Structure Notice (to be served 2 months before)
Notice of Adjacent Excavation (to be served 1 month before)

Notifiable Works to a Party Wall

A Party Wall Notice is required for the following:

Cutting into the party wall
Demolishing and rebuilding a party wall
Raising or shortening the party wall’s height
Removing a chimney on a party wall
Underpinning a party wall
Constructing a new wall at the boundary
Excavating near to an adjoining owner’s structure
Carrying out works to a party fence wall (i.e. shared wall with no building attached)

Building Owner

Owner Prosposing the Work

If your house shares a wall or a boundary with your neighbour, and building work is planned on one side of the wall or structure, then the Party Wall Act 1996 obligates you to notify your neighbour, i.e. give your neighbour sufficient notice of the proposed construction work with a Party Wall Notice.

Is a party wall notice mandatory?

The Party Wall Act does not precisely state the consequences for the building owner if they fail to give an adjoining owner notice before commencing work on a party wall – and it does allow for work that is so minor that there’s little risk of affecting the wall’s structural strength.

However, don’t let the above lead you to believe you can get away without serving one. If your neighbour is switched on, they can still seek redress and compensation if you fail to inform them before starting work.

Redresses can take the form of an injunction, preventing the work from taking place, or a claim for damages.

What types of work require notice?

Damp-proof courses or flashing, or cutting into a party wall to support a steel beam.
Remove projections from a party wall (such as a chimney)
Raise the height of a party wall or demolish and rebuild a party wall
Underpin a party wall or just repair a party wall.

A statutory waiting period of two months starts from the date when the Notice is served. During this period, work cannot begin without your neighbour’s permission.

Who pays?

The party instigating the work will need to cover the costs. Surveyors can charge for their services in two ways: one set fee or an hourly rate between £100 £150 per hour. The latter will only be cost-effective if your neighbour agrees early to the notice served.
The party initiating the work covers the fees, but the neighbour will have to split the costs if the work is due to defects or lack of repair.
They will also need to pay for any work carried out for their benefit. The appointed surveyor manages any disagreement on costs.

How much does a party wall surveyor cost?

Neighbour/Adjacent Owner

You are the recipient of a notice.

You are not legally obliged to do anything.
You have the right to reasonable measures to stop your property from being damaged by party wall works.
The right not to endure unnecessary inconvenience.
The right to compensation for loss or damage.

It might be in your interests to respond. It does not have to cost you anything and it will bring peace of mind.

Here is a list of options you have in response to a Party Wall Notice or for Party Wall Notice Cost click here.

Get in touch today

Party Wall Notice for Building Work

You can do a Party Wall Notice yourself, and if the work is very insignificant, this might be an idea.

However, if your building work is costing a lot of money and there is a risk that the wall between you and your neighbour could be damaged, then it is an idea to use a Party Wall Notice Surveyor.

When not to DIY

If your neighbour is difficult or just likes to dot the i’s and cross the t’s, they are likely to ask your Surveyor to provide other documents outside of a simple notice.

In this case, you would need to employ a Surrey Party Wall Surveyor like Westville.

See what’s involved within the whole process.

Talk to your Neighbours, save money

As with most problems in life, clear communication can solve most difficulties in advance. When people are consulted and kept informed, they are much less likely to hire their own surveyor when a notice is served promptly.

This can avoid running up a large bill for surveyor’s fees.

Have you already planned the work you would like to do?
Meet with your neighbours for coffee and show them your proposed drawings or chat about the principal building project. If you haven’t employed an architect or a builder then you will have to to provide notice details.

See what their reaction is.

If they immediately disagree, (they dissent and you will be in dispute) you will have to employ Westville as your party wall surveyors. We are experienced with smoothing feathers and nipping disputes in the bud.

What has to be included the Party Wall Notice

The serving of a valid notice is a key part of the Party Wall Act. Un-notified building works are unlawful. The notices must be valid, served at the correct time, and in the right manner to the right respondents. They need to contain the correct information.

What to Include in a Party Wall Notice

The answer will depend on the type of work you propose to undertake; however, generally, the following information should be included:

The nature of the work you intend to do to the party wall.
Your proposed start date for the construction.
Information about whether the work requires special foundations.
Notification that you’ve appointed a surveyor.
An acknowledgement of the Party Wall Notice.

Notices can be invalid. This could result in legal disputes, building project delays, or even a legal injunction to stop work. There are also counter-notices.

Key takeaways - Party walls and building work

Notices are valid for 12 months, so do not serve them too early. It is only valid for a year, so it is also important that it is not served too early. Planning Permission is not required to serve a notice.

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Quick Summary

Offer: We prepare and serve Party Wall Notices and guide both building owners and adjoining owners through compliance under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
Scope: We advise on the three notice types (Line of Junction, Party Structure, Adjacent Excavation) and what counts as notifiable works (e.g., cutting into/altering a party wall, rebuilding/raising it, removing chimneys, underpinning, new boundary walls, and nearby excavation/party fence walls).
Process: We ensure notices are valid and correctly served, manage responses and next steps, and help avoid escalation (e.g., dispute/award route). We also flag key timing rules: 1–2 months’ notice, a 14-day response window, and notices being valid for 12 months (so not too early).
Areas: We support clients across Surrey and nearby London areas.