Party Wall Services. Handled by Professional Surveyors.
LENIO acts as your Building Owner Surveyor in London, representing you under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 when you are carrying out the works, from serving notices to agreeing the Party Wall Award. Every appointment is handled personally by a Chartered Civil and Building Engineer (ICE and CABE).
When you are planning building work in London, a building owner surveyor manages the full party wall process on your behalf. LENIO handles every stage from notices to Awards.
If you are planning building works in London, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 may apply. As the Building Owner, you may need a party wall surveyor if an Adjoining Owner dissents or does not respond.
A building owner surveyor is the party wall surveyor appointed to act on your behalf. Their role covers serving the correct Party Wall Notices, arranging the Schedule of Condition and preparing the Party Wall Award.
Appointing a building owner surveyor removes the risk of incorrect notices, missed Adjoining Owners and procedural errors that can delay your project. It is the most effective way to keep your project compliant and on track from the start.
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 sets minimum notice periods before notifiable works may begin. Serving late is one of the most common causes of delay, so build these into your programme early.
Party Structure Notices for works to an existing party wall or party structure, for example cutting in steel beams or removing a chimney breast.
Line of Junction Notices for building a new wall at or astride the boundary line between two properties.
Notices of Adjacent Excavation for digging within three or six metres of a neighbouring structure and deeper than its foundations.
Once served, each Adjoining Owner has 14 days to respond. For the full statutory wording, see the GOV.UK Party Wall explanatory booklet.
Every Adjoining Owner has 14 days to reply to a Party Wall Notice. Their response determines what happens next, and how quickly your project can start.
Your neighbour agrees in writing and no dispute arises. A Party Wall Award is not required, and works may proceed once the notice period has passed.
Consent must be given in writing. We still recommend a Schedule of Condition, which protects both sides if damage is alleged later.
A dispute is deemed to have arisen. Surveyors are appointed and a Party Wall Award must be prepared and served before notifiable works begin.
Either both parties use one Agreed Surveyor, or each appoints their own surveyor who then work together.
If there is no response within 14 days, a dispute is deemed to have arisen, even though nobody has objected.
Surveyors must then be appointed and an Award prepared. This does not stop your project; it simply means the formal route applies.
Whichever response you receive, LENIO manages the next step for you. Acting for the neighbour instead?
A building owner surveyor manages every aspect of the party wall process on your behalf. From initial project review to post-award support, LENIO covers six key responsibilities at every instruction.
We assess your proposed works against the Act to confirm whether notices are required and which sections apply. This review is the foundation of the entire party wall process.
We prepare and serve the correct Party Wall Notice on every affected Adjoining Owner. Each notice is drafted to the full requirements of the Act within the correct notice period.
We follow up on every response and keep you informed throughout. Whether your neighbour consents, dissents or does not reply, we manage the correct next steps under the Act.
Before works begin, we carry out a full Schedule of Condition survey of each neighbouring property. This creates a written and photographic record that protects you if damage is alleged.
Where a neighbour dissents, we prepare a legally binding Party Wall Award. This sets out how works may proceed, covering access arrangements, working hours, protective measures and construction methodology.
Once the Award is in place, we remain available throughout construction. We advise on compliance, respond to any concerns and inspect any reported damage against the Schedule of Condition.
As the Building Owner, you have a legal duty to follow the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 correctly. Having a building owner surveyor manage this independently protects you throughout the process.
An incorrect or missing Party Wall Notice can invalidate the process entirely, forcing you to restart from the beginning. A building owner surveyor ensures every notice is accurate, served on every affected Adjoining Owner and compliant with the Act from the outset.
If a neighbour alleges damage after works, the Schedule of Condition is your first line of protection. Your building owner surveyor arranges this record before construction begins, giving you an agreed baseline that cannot be disputed later.
Timing matters in the party wall process. A building owner surveyor appointed early can advise on notices, manage responses and prepare the Award before complications arise. There are four key appointment stages.
Once you confirm your project involves notifiable works, appoint a building owner surveyor before anything else. LENIO reviews your plans and confirms what applies before any notice is served.
The Party Wall Notice must be served correctly and on the right parties. A building owner surveyor confirms the notice is valid before the 14-day response period begins.
If your neighbour dissents or fails to respond within 14 days, the Award process begins. LENIO accepts the appointment promptly and manages the matter through to the Award.
Where dissent or deemed dissent arises, a Party Wall Award must be agreed and served before notifiable works proceed. Appointing a building owner surveyor early allows time to prepare and serve the Award before your contractor starts.
Speak with a building owner surveyor in London before works begin. In one short call, LENIO can confirm what the party wall process requires for your specific project.
As your building owner surveyor, LENIO manages every stage of the party wall process on your behalf. From the initial project review through to post-award support, we keep you informed throughout.
We review your proposed works and confirm whether they are notifiable under the Act. This establishes the correct notice type, the affected Adjoining Owners, and the notice period required before works begin.
We prepare the correct Party Wall Notice and serve it on each Adjoining Owner before works begin. The notice is drafted in the correct statutory form and served within the required notice period.
We monitor the 14-day response period and keep you informed of each Adjoining Owner’s reply. If valid consent is given, works may usually proceed subject to any other permissions and statutory requirements. If dissent or deemed dissent arises, we manage the next steps.
If dissent or deemed dissent arises, we formally accept the Building Owner’s Surveyor appointment without delay. We confirm the appointment in writing and progress the matter toward the Party Wall Award stage.
We carry out a full Schedule of Condition survey of the neighbouring property before works begin. This creates a detailed written and photographic record that is annexed to the Party Wall Award.
We draft a thorough Party Wall Award covering permitted works, construction method, working hours, access arrangements and protective measures. The Award is prepared with the Adjoining Owner’s Surveyor and served on both parties.
We remain available throughout the construction phase to advise on compliance with the Award. We respond to any concerns raised, inspect reported damage and compare conditions against the Schedule of Condition where required.
You should never be surprised by a party wall fee. LENIO confirms the basis of charges in writing before accepting any appointment, so you know where you stand before the process begins.
Send us your drawings and we will review them and set out a written proposal, broken down by stage, so you can see what each part of the process involves before you commit.
As a general rule the Building Owner covers the reasonable costs of the party wall process, including the Adjoining Owner’s surveyor fees where a dispute has arisen under the Act.
There is no charge for the initial conversation or for an early view on whether the Act applies to your project. Ask before you commit to anything.
The party wall process has legal requirements at every stage. A notice drafted incorrectly, or served on the wrong party, can be challenged and set aside. For this reason, the quality of the building owner surveyor appointed at the outset shapes everything that follows.
In London, terraced houses, semi-detached homes and converted flats mean that shared walls and tight boundaries are the norm. In practice, most renovation projects involve at least one notifiable element under the Act. Appointing a building owner surveyor at the start protects your project and your position.
LENIO is led by a Chartered Civil Engineer and Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), and a Chartered Building Engineer and Member of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE). A chartered surveyor leads every instruction personally.
See the full range of our party wall services in London, or read our guidance for Building Owners.
LENIO acts as Building Owner’s Surveyor across London, backed by two chartered professional memberships.
The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
The Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)We act as Building Owner’s Surveyor for homeowners and developers right across the capital.
If your project involves notifiable works or your neighbour has already responded to a notice, the right starting point is a conversation. LENIO acts as building owner surveyor for homeowners across London. There is no obligation.
