Party wall notices and schedule of condition
Preparation of party wall notices for your works and a photographic schedule of condition of the neighbouring property before work starts.
About this service
If your building work involves a wall shared with a neighbour, a new wall on the boundary or digging foundations close to the house next door, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 probably applies. Before work starts, you must serve the correct notice on each adjoining owner and give them the required time to respond. We prepare the notices for your works and record the condition of the neighbouring property, so everyone has a clear starting point.
This service is for homeowners and builders planning extensions, loft conversions, basements and wall removals in terraced and semi-detached London houses. It suits projects where you expect neighbours to consent and want the paperwork done correctly. If a neighbour dissents, surveyors are appointed to agree an award. We do not act as surveyor in a dispute, but well-prepared notices and a dated schedule give that process a solid basis.
In London, almost every home shares at least one wall, and most rear extensions involve digging near a neighbour's footings. A loft conversion may need steel beams bearing into the party wall, and a hip-to-gable change can mean raising it. Accurate notices, with clear descriptions and drawings, avoid invalid service and delays. Our guide to the Party Wall Act and structural works explains the background in more depth.
When you need it
- Your works involve a party wall, a boundary wall or excavation near a neighbour
- You need notices served before starting
- You want a record of the neighbour's property condition
What's included
- Advice on which notices are needed
- Preparation of the party wall notices
- Photographic schedule of condition of the adjoining property
How it works
- Review your worksWe look at your drawings and structural details and identify every part of the work that falls under the Act, including work to party walls, new walls on the boundary and nearby excavation.
- Identify the ownersWe confirm who must be served, which can include both freeholders and long leaseholders of neighbouring flats, and help you check ownership using title records.
- Prepare the noticesWe draft the correct notices with clear descriptions, intended start dates and any drawings needed, ready for you to sign and serve, with guidance on serving them properly.
- Record the neighbour's propertyWith the owner's agreement, we visit before work starts and record the condition of the neighbouring property in dated photographs and notes, focusing on rooms and walls near your works.
- Issue the scheduleWe issue the schedule of condition and offer a copy to the neighbour so both sides hold the same record if damage is alleged later.
What you receive
Notice periods, consent and what happens if a neighbour dissents
The Act sets minimum notice periods. A party structure notice for work to an existing party wall needs at least two months. A line of junction notice for a new wall on the boundary, and an adjacent excavation notice for digging near a neighbour's foundations, need at least one month. Notices also lapse if work has not started within a year. Serving early is the simplest way to protect your build programme.
Once served, the neighbour has 14 days to consent or dissent. If they do not reply, a dispute is treated as having arisen and surveyors must be appointed, either one agreed surveyor or one for each owner. The surveyors then agree a party wall award setting out how the work will be done. This is where most delays happen, so it pays to talk to neighbours before the notices arrive.
Even when a neighbour consents, a schedule of condition is worth having. Cracked plaster, sticking doors and loose tiles appear in older London houses for many reasons, and without a dated record it is hard to show whether your works caused them. If your scheme also needs a structural review of how the works affect the party wall, our party wall structural review can sit alongside the notices.
Not included
- Acting as the agreed surveyor or drafting an award where a dispute arises
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a party wall notice for a rear extension?
Often yes. If you are building a new wall on or astride the boundary, cutting into a party wall for flashings or beams, or digging foundations within three metres of a neighbour's building and deeper than their foundations, the Act is likely to apply. Some deeper excavations within six metres are also caught. We review your drawings and confirm which notices are needed.
How much notice do I have to give my neighbour?
At least two months for work to an existing party wall, such as cutting in steel beams or underpinning it. At least one month for a new wall at the line of junction or for excavating near a neighbour's foundations. The neighbour then has 14 days to respond, and notices lapse if work does not start within a year of being served.
What happens if my neighbour does not reply to a party wall notice?
If there is no written response within 14 days, a dispute is treated as having arisen. That does not mean a falling out, only that surveyors must be appointed to agree an award. A further notice can be served asking the neighbour to appoint a surveyor, and if they still do not, the Act allows one to be appointed on their behalf.
What is a schedule of condition?
It is a dated record of the condition of the neighbour's property before work starts, usually photographs with written notes. It covers the rooms and walls closest to your works, noting existing cracks, stains and defects. If damage is alleged later, comparing before and after shows what has changed. It protects both owners equally. A standalone schedule of condition is also available.
How much do party wall notices and a schedule of condition cost?
This service starts from £550 + VAT for the notices and a photographic schedule of condition. The fee depends on the number of adjoining owners and properties to record. If a dispute arises, surveyors' fees and the award are separate. We confirm a fixed fee in writing before any work begins.