Party Wall Services. Handled by Professional Surveyors.
When your neighbour dissents to a party wall notice, your project is not blocked, and it can still go ahead. It means a dispute is deemed to have arisen, so surveyors are appointed to agree a Party Wall Award covering the works.
If your neighbour dissents to a party wall notice, the first thing to know is that your works are not blocked. Dissent is a normal step in the party wall process, not a refusal of your project.
This guide explains what dissent means, how surveyors are appointed, what the Party Wall Award covers, and how long the process adds to your timeline.
In short, it means your neighbour does not consent to the works as notified, so the matter moves to the surveyor stage. It does not mean they can stop the works. Under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, a dissent is simply how the Act resolves a difference between two owners.
A neighbour might dissent for several reasons, and often it is caution rather than opposition. They may want a Schedule of Condition recorded, the working hours set out, or protection for their property written into a formal Award. Dissent gives them that protection.
It can also happen automatically. If your neighbour does not respond within 14 days of receiving the notice, the Act treats their silence as a dispute. The route that follows is the same as a formal objection.
The route you take affects cost and speed, not the protection either side receives. The table below compares the two options.
| Agreed Surveyor | Two Surveyors | |
|---|---|---|
| Who acts | One surveyor for both owners | Each owner appoints their own |
| Best when | Both sides accept one impartial surveyor | Either side prefers their own representation |
| Cost | Usually lower | Usually higher (two sets of fees) |
| Speed | Usually faster | Can take a little longer |
Both routes end in the same place: a Party Wall Award. The Building Owner usually pays the reasonable fees in either case. Our guide on the agreed surveyor versus two surveyors covers this choice in full.
The Party Wall Award is the document the surveyors prepare, and it is legally binding on both owners. It sets out how and when the works are carried out, and what happens if anything goes wrong. An Award usually covers:
Once the Award is served on both owners, the works covered by it can begin.
A dissent does add time, but it is usually manageable. After the notice period, preparing the Award typically takes a further four to six weeks. The exact time depends on the surveyors’ availability and the complexity of the works.
Either owner can appeal the Award to the county court within 14 days of it being served. Appeals are uncommon where the Award is fair to both sides. Serving notice early is the simplest way to absorb this time without delaying your start date.
No, a dissent cannot stop reasonable works indefinitely. The Act is designed to let notifiable works go ahead while protecting the neighbouring property. The Award sets the terms. It does not give your neighbour a veto.
There is one important limit. Works covered by the Award cannot begin until the Award is in place. So the practical effect of a dissent is a short delay, not a block on the project.
If a Party Wall Notice was not served correctly in the first place, a neighbour can apply for an injunction. That is a separate issue, and you avoid it by serving valid notices and following the process from the start.
Yes. Once a dispute is deemed to have arisen, the Act requires a surveyor to prepare the Party Wall Award. The works cannot proceed without it. This is the point at which professional help stops being optional.
A party wall surveyor handles the appointment, prepares the Schedule of Condition, and drafts the Award. Where you and your neighbour are both comfortable with one impartial surveyor, LENIO can act as the Agreed Surveyor for both sides.
A chartered surveyor leads every dissent and Award instruction at LENIO personally, a Chartered Civil Engineer with 5+ years of party wall practice across London.
LENIO Party Wall Surveyors provides free initial advice to Building Owners and Adjoining Owners across London. Call or send your details and a chartered surveyor will explain your next step and what the Award involves.
LENIO Party Wall Surveyors has 5+ years of party wall practice across London. A chartered surveyor leads every instruction personally. Dissents and Party Wall Awards are a routine part of the practice’s work. These range from single-surveyor appointments on straightforward extensions to two-surveyor disputes on basement and structural projects.
LENIO specialises entirely in party wall matters. Every guide on this site is written from direct professional experience of the process, not from secondary research.
No. Dissenting is not a refusal of your works. It is the formal route the Act uses to resolve a difference. It leads to a Party Wall Award, not a block on the project.
Most dissents are about getting protection in writing, not about stopping the build. Once the Award is in place, the works covered by it can go ahead.
A Third Surveyor is a surveyor selected by the two appointed surveyors at the start of the process. They are not involved day to day. They only step in if the two surveyors cannot agree on a point.
In practice, the Third Surveyor is rarely needed. The role is a safeguard that keeps the process moving if a disagreement arises.
In most cases, the Building Owner carrying out the works pays the reasonable surveyors’ fees. This applies whether there is one Agreed Surveyor or two appointed surveyors.
The Award itself sets out who pays what. Lenio gives a clear indication of fees at the outset, before any work begins.
Yes. Either owner can appeal the Party Wall Award to the county court within 14 days of it being served. Appeals are uncommon, because a properly prepared Award is fair to both sides.
An appeal rarely arises where the surveyors have done their job correctly. The Award is designed to be balanced, which is why most are accepted without challenge.
After the notice period, the Award is usually prepared within four to six weeks. The exact time depends on the works and the surveyors’ availability. A Schedule of Condition is carried out as part of this.
Serving your notice early is the best way to absorb this time. Our guide on how long the party wall process takes covers the full timeline.
Yes. If you and your neighbour are both comfortable with one impartial surveyor, you can appoint an Agreed Surveyor. This single surveyor acts fairly for both owners and prepares one Award.
It is usually the quicker and cheaper route. Our guide on the agreed surveyor versus two surveyors explains when it works best.
A chartered surveyor leads every dissent and Award instruction at LENIO Party Wall Surveyors personally. With 5+ years of party wall practice across London, LENIO provides free initial advice before any commitment is made.
