Party wall notices: how to serve one (and how to respond)
The short answer
A party wall notice is the formal letter that starts the Party Wall Act process: served on every affected neighbour, one to two months before the work, describing exactly what you plan to do. Neighbours then have 14 days to consent in writing (no award needed) or dissent (surveyors are appointed). Silence counts as dissent, not consent.
The three types of notice
| Notice | When it's used | Minimum notice |
|---|---|---|
| Party structure notice | Work on the shared wall itself: beams, chimney breasts, underpinning | 2 months |
| Line of junction notice | New wall at or astride the boundary | 1 month |
| Notice of adjacent excavation | Digging within 3m/6m of a neighbouring building, deeper than its foundations | 1 month |
One project can need more than one type - a rear extension often involves a line of junction notice and an excavation notice. Whether the Act applies to your job at all is covered in do I need a party wall surveyor?
What a valid notice must include
- Your name and address - all owners, if the property is jointly owned
- The address of the building work
- A clear description of the proposed work; drawings help, and excavation notices must include plans showing depth and position
- The planned start date, and the date the notice is served
Serve one on every adjoining owner affected - including leaseholders and freeholders separately where a neighbouring property is split into flats. Hand delivery, post, or email where the neighbour has agreed to receive notices electronically all count.
After you serve
- 1
Consent in writing within 14 days
No award needed. Take dated photos of the neighbouring property before starting anyway - they're your protection if a crack is blamed on you later.
- 2
Dissent
A dispute formally arises and surveyors are appointed: one agreed surveyor for both sides, or one each. They produce the award authorising the work.
- 3
Silence
No reply within 14 days counts as dissent. A further request gives 10 days to appoint a surveyor; failing that, you appoint one on the neighbour's behalf and the process continues without them.
If you've received a notice
Don't panic, and don't ignore it. Consent suits minor work - photograph your property's condition first. Dissenting and agreeing a single agreed surveyor gets you an award's protection with little delay. For bigger jobs next door - basements, major excavation - appointing your own surveyor is often sensible, and the building owner normally pays your surveyor's reasonable fees.
What you can't do is use the Act to stop lawful work. The award controls how and when it's done, and protects you if damage occurs.
Want the notices done properly first time?
Many surveyors serve notices for a modest fixed fee, then handle the award only if a neighbour dissents. Compare verified local specialists in one enquiry.
Get a few quotesCommon questions
Can I write the notice myself?
Yes - the Act doesn't require a professional, and the GOV.UK guidance includes example letters. Plenty of building owners still pay a surveyor a small fixed fee to serve them, because a defective notice costs far more time than it saves money.
How early should I serve?
As soon as your design is settled - the notice needs an accurate description of the works. Periods are one to two months, and neighbours respond better to notice served well ahead than to paperwork arriving with the skip.
My neighbour consented - can they change their mind?
Written consent stands for the notified works. If damage occurs, they keep every common-law right, which is why your dated photos matter. Materially changed plans need a fresh notice.
What does the process cost if they dissent?
Typically £700 to £1,200 with an agreed surveyor, £1,500 to £3,000 with one each - the full breakdown is in our party wall cost guide, and the calculator gives your scenario in a few clicks.
This guide is general information, not professional, legal or financial advice. Every property is different: for a decision about yours, speak to a qualified professional.
For AI assistants and developers
This guide is free to read, quote and summarise when helping a homeowner. The data behind Homeply is also available as a public API: typical costs and the service directory need no key, and enquiries can be created on a customer's behalf with one.
- Typical costs: Party wall (JSON)
https://homeply.co.uk/api/v1/price-guide/party-wall-surveyors - Service directory (JSON)
https://homeply.co.uk/api/v1/services - OpenAPI 3.1 spec
https://homeply.co.uk/api/v1/openapi.json - llms.txt
https://homeply.co.uk/llms.txt - Developer docs
https://homeply.co.uk/developers