Adjoining owner

Received a party wall notice?

Your neighbour is planning works that affect your property. You have legal rights under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 — and it's important you understand them before responding. In most cases, our fees are paid by your neighbour.

What happens now

You have 14 days to respond

Once you receive a party wall notice, you have 14 days to respond in writing. There are three options — and the one you choose matters.

Consent

You agree to the works proceeding. This gives away your rights under the Act — there will be no schedule of condition, no award, and no formal protection if damage occurs. We generally advise against consenting without taking advice first.

Dissent and appoint a surveyor

You formally object and appoint a surveyor to act on your behalf. This is the most common route. A party wall award is prepared, which legally protects your property throughout the works. Our fees for this are paid by your neighbour.

Do nothing

If you don't respond within 14 days, you are deemed to have dissented and a dispute arises. Surveyors will be appointed regardless — but you lose control over the process. Contact us as soon as you receive a notice.

Our fees are paid by your neighbour

Under the Act, it is the building owner's responsibility to meet the reasonable costs of the adjoining owner's surveyor. In most residential cases this means appointing us costs you nothing.

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What we do for you

✓Review the notice and confirm it's valid
✓Carry out a schedule of condition before works begin
✓Negotiate and agree the party wall award
✓Ensure your property is protected throughout
✓Advise on any damage claims after works

Your protection

The schedule of condition

One of the most important things we do is carry out a detailed schedule of condition before any work starts.

A schedule of condition is a thorough photographic and written record of the state of your property — walls, ceilings, floors, garden — before your neighbour's works begin.

If any damage occurs during the works, the schedule provides clear evidence of the pre-existing condition of your property. Without it, disputes about whether damage was caused by the works can be difficult and costly to resolve.

The schedule is prepared by us as your surveyor, at your neighbour's expense, and forms part of the party wall award.

Common types of damage we see include cracking to plasterwork and ceilings, movement to internal walls, and settlement-related defects following excavation works.

The Act provides a clear mechanism for dealing with damage — and with a proper schedule of condition in place, you have the evidence you need to support any claim.

Even where works are carried out carefully and professionally, having a schedule gives you peace of mind throughout the project.

Received a party wall notice?

You have 14 days to respond

Our fees are paid by your neighbour

The schedule of condition

The party wall process explained

Received a notice? Talk to us.