Service
Party wall notices, served properly
The notice starts everything under the Act. Get it right and the rest follows on time. Get it wrong and the clock starts again.
- Section 1 · 1 month
- Section 2 · 2 months
- Section 6 · 1 month
Which notice does your work need?
| Notice | When it applies | Minimum notice | A South London example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Line of junction Section 1 | A new wall on the boundary line, either astride it or wholly on your side | 1 month | A side-return extension built up to next door's passage |
| Party structure Sections 2 and 3 | Work to an existing party wall, party fence wall or party floor | 2 months | Steel beams for a rear dormer, or taking out a chimney breast |
| Adjacent excavation Section 6 | Digging within 3 m of next door and deeper than its foundations, or within 6 m and cutting a 45° line below them | 1 month | Deeper clay footings for a rear extension, or a basement |
Plenty of projects need more than one. A loft and kitchen extension on a Victorian terrace often needs all three, on both neighbours.
What a valid notice contains
- The name and address of every building owner, including joint owners.
- A clear description of the work, under the right section of the Act.
- The date the work will start, far enough ahead to respect the notice period.
- For work to a shared wall: details of any special foundations proposed.
- For excavation: plans and sections showing where and how deep the dig will go, and whether underpinning is proposed.
Who has to receive one
Every adjoining owner. That means the freeholder and any leaseholder whose lease runs for more than a year. In a house split into flats, the freeholder and each flat owner affected may all need their own notice. We search the Land Registry for each neighbouring property so nobody is missed, and we deal with company owners, landlords and empty houses too.
How we serve notices
- By post, with proof of postage kept on file.
- By hand, with a note of the date and time.
- By email, but only where the owner has said in writing that they accept documents that way.
- For an empty property or an unknown owner, the Act allows a notice addressed to "the owner" to be fixed somewhere conspicuous on the premises.
Each notice goes with a covering letter in plain English and a reply form, so neighbours can consent or dissent without having to work out how.
After the notice
We track the 14 days for each owner. If a neighbour does not reply to a notice for work to a shared wall or an excavation, a dispute is treated as having arisen, and we send the 10-day request asking them to appoint a surveyor. Then the matter moves on to the schedule of condition and the award.
Why notices go wrong
- A template notice under the wrong section, or one notice stretched to cover everything.
- Missing owners: leaseholders, joint owners, a company that owns the freehold.
- No start date, or a start date earlier than the notice period allows.
- Excavation notices sent without plans and sections.
- Notices served so early that they lapse before the work begins.
A notice costs £70, fixed. See fees.
Questions people ask
How quickly can you serve a notice?
As soon as we have the property details, your instructions and any drawings the notice needs. Tell us your builder's start date and we will work back from it.
Do I need drawings for a notice?
For an excavation notice under section 6, yes: the Act requires plans and sections showing the site and depth of the dig. For other notices, drawings are not strictly required but they help neighbours understand the work and usually speed up their replies.
Can one notice cover several types of work?
Each type of work needs notice under the right section, with the details that section asks for. We serve them as separate documents so each one is clearly valid on its own.
How long does a notice last?
A notice for work to a shared wall lapses if the work has not begun within 12 months of service, and once begun the work has to be carried on with reasonable diligence. Serve when the design is settled, not years ahead.