What is a party wall notice? It is a formal letter required by the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, telling your neighbour about planned works to a shared wall, a boundary structure or nearby excavation before they start. Serve it properly and most projects proceed smoothly; skip it and your neighbour can halt the works by injunction.
Every party wall matter starts with a notice — and more party wall projects are delayed by defective notices than by difficult neighbours. An invalid notice can void everything that follows, including the award. This page explains how party wall notices work and how to get them right first time.
The Three Notice Types
- Line of Junction Notice (Section 1) — for new walls at the boundary; one month before works
- Party Structure Notice (Section 3) — for works to shared structures such as beam insertion, chimney breast removal or underpinning; two months before works
- Notice of Adjacent Excavation (Section 6) — for digging within 3 or 6 metres of neighbouring structures, depending on depth; one month before works. Our excavation notice guide explains the depth tests
What a Valid Notice Must Contain
- The building owner’s name and address (all owners, if jointly owned)
- The full address of the works and a clear description of the proposed works — with drawings and depths for excavation notices
- The intended start date, and the date the notice is served
Notices must go to every adjoining owner — including freeholders and any leaseholder with more than a year remaining. Flats and mixed-ownership buildings often mean several notices per project; missing one recipient is among the most common and costly mistakes.
After Service: The Response Clock
The adjoining owner has 14 days to respond. Written consent lets works proceed (a schedule of condition remains sensible protection for both sides). Dissent — or silence — triggers the dispute resolution procedure and surveyor appointments under the Act.
Why Have a Surveyor Serve Your Notices?
Because re-serving a defective notice can add two months to a project. We draft and serve valid notices, identify every party who must be notified, and manage responses through to award if needed — for a fixed fee. Read more about party wall costs.
About to serve notice — or just received one? Contact Manchester Surveyors. We act nationwide, including Manchester, London and Birmingham.
Wondering what the process costs? See our guide to the cost of a party wall agreement, and consider a schedule of condition before works start to protect both owners.