Guide
Party wall notice periods and deadlines
The Act runs on a handful of fixed periods. Know them and you can plan a build to the week.
- 1 or 2 months
- 14 days
- 10 days
The periods at a glance
| What | How long | Runs from | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notice before work to a party wall | At least 2 months | Service of the notice | Earliest start, unless the neighbour agrees to sooner |
| Notice before a boundary wall or excavation | At least 1 month | Service of the notice | Earliest start, unless the neighbour agrees to sooner |
| Neighbour's reply | 14 days | The day the notice is served | No written consent means a dispute for section 2 and 6 notices |
| Counter-notice | 1 month | Service of a party structure notice | The neighbour can ask for extra work for their own benefit |
| Reply to a counter-notice | 14 days | Service of the counter-notice | Silence means a dispute |
| Request to appoint a surveyor | 10 days | Service of the request | After that, a surveyor can be appointed for them |
| Notice of entry onto next door's land | 14 days | Service of the notice of entry | Shorter in an emergency |
| Appeal against an award | 14 days | Service of the award | Appeal goes to the county court |
| Party structure notice lapses | 12 months | Service of the notice | If the work has not begun |
Periods of 14 days and 10 days count the day of service as day one. A notice sent by post is treated as served on the day it would normally arrive, so allow for that and keep proof of postage.
A worked example
A party structure notice for a loft conversion is served by hand on Monday 1 March 2027.
- Notice served. Day one of the 14 days.
- Last day for the neighbour to reply in writing.
- No reply, so a dispute is treated as having arisen. The 10-day request goes out the same day.
- Last day for the neighbour to appoint a surveyor.
- The building owner can appoint a surveyor on the neighbour's behalf.
- Last day for a counter-notice.
- Two months have run. Work can start from here, with the award in place.
- If work has not begun by now, the notice lapses.
Want the dates for your own notice? The notice checker works them all out from the date of service.
How to keep to time
- Serve as soon as the design is settled, not when the builder is booked.
- Get structural drawings early. Neighbours and their surveyors cannot agree an award without them.
- Talk to your neighbours before the notice lands. A notice that arrives out of the blue is more likely to be met with dissent.
- Consider one agreed surveyor for both sides. It is usually the quickest route.