Party Wall Services. Handled by Professional Surveyors.
LENIO guides you through the entire party wall process in London, from the first notice to the final Party Wall Award under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. We explain each step and a realistic timeline, so your build stays on programme, with every matter handled personally by a Chartered Civil and Building Engineer (ICE and CABE).
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 sets out a clear legal framework for building works that affect party walls, boundary structures, and neighbouring properties. It establishes a statutory process that is separate from planning permission and building regulations approval.
The process typically begins with an assessment of the proposed works and the service of Party Wall Notices on affected Adjoining Owners. Depending on the responses received from the Adjoining Owners, surveyors may be appointed to prepare a Party Wall Award that regulates how the works are carried out and protects the interests of all parties involved.
Throughout the process, LENIO Party Wall Surveyors provide professional advice, prepare the necessary documentation, and ensure compliance with the requirements of the Party Wall Act.
This is the question that decides whether your build starts on time. The statutory notice period is only part of it. You also need time to appoint a surveyor, prepare the notice, complete the Schedule of Condition and agree the Award.
| Stage | Typical duration | What is happening |
|---|---|---|
| Appointing your surveyor | 1–2 weeks | Reviewing drawings, confirming which sections of the Act apply and identifying every affected Adjoining Owner. |
| Preparing the notices | 1–2 weeks | Drafting valid notices for each owner and each section of the Act that applies. |
| Statutory notice period | 1–2 months | Two months for Section 3 party structure works; one month for Section 1 and Section 6 notices. |
| Neighbour response window | 14 days | Runs inside the notice period. Consent, dissent, counter-notice, or silence, which becomes deemed dissent. |
| Schedule of Condition | 1–2 weeks | Depends largely on how quickly the Adjoining Owner grants access for the inspection. |
| Preparing the Award | 2–6 weeks | Longer where surveyors disagree or a Third Surveyor referral becomes necessary. |
| Appeal window after service | 14 days | Either owner may appeal the Award to the County Court during this period. |
Your neighbour consents promptly and no Award is required. Works can begin once the notice period expires.
Your neighbour dissents or does not reply, surveyors are appointed and a Party Wall Award is prepared and served.
Access for the Schedule of Condition is delayed, the works are complex, or the surveyors need a Third Surveyor referral.
The clock starts when the notice is served, not when you appoint a surveyor. Begin the party wall process as soon as your design is settled, ideally right after planning approval, not when you are ready to break ground.
The Party Wall process follows a clear statutory sequence under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. At LENIO Party Wall Surveyors, we manage each stage carefully, from the initial review of the proposed works through to the service of notices, preparation of any required Party Wall Award, and support during construction.
Each step is handled professionally to ensure compliance with the Act, protect the interests of all parties, and help your project proceed with confidence.
We assess the proposed works against the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 to determine which sections of the Act apply. We also identify all affected Adjoining Owners who must receive notice before works can commence.
We prepare and serve the appropriate Party Wall Notices on all affected Adjoining Owners. Section 3 Notices require a minimum of two months' notice, while Section 1 and Section 6 Notices require one month's notice. All notices are prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Act.
The Adjoining Owner has 14 days to respond to the notice. They may consent to the works, dissent and appoint a surveyor, or serve a counter-notice. If no response is received within 14 days, a dispute is deemed to have arisen under the Act.
Where a dispute arises, surveyors must be appointed. Each owner may appoint their own surveyor, or both parties may agree to appoint a single Agreed Surveyor to act impartially on behalf of both sides.
Before works commence, we carry out a detailed Schedule of Condition Survey of the Adjoining Owner's property. This written and photographic record provides an important baseline reference should any concerns regarding damage arise during or after construction.
The appointed surveyor or surveyors prepare the Party Wall Award. This legally binding document sets out the proposed works, access arrangements, protective measures, working hours, and any other provisions necessary to protect the interests of both parties.
Once finalised, the Party Wall Award is formally served on both owners. Following service, each owner has 14 days in which they may appeal the Award to the County Court if they believe there are grounds to do so.
Once the relevant notice periods have expired and any required Party Wall Award is in place, construction works may proceed in accordance with the terms of the Award. LENIO remains available throughout the construction phase to provide advice, clarify Award provisions, and assist with any Party Wall-related matters that may arise.
Our involvement does not necessarily end when the Award is served. If concerns arise regarding alleged damage to an adjoining property, the Schedule of Condition provides an important reference point. Where necessary, we assist the parties in assessing any claims and determining whether damage is attributable to the notified works in accordance with the provisions of the Award.
Everything that follows depends on this one reply. The Adjoining Owner has 14 days from service, and there are three possible responses.
Given in writing. No dispute arises, no Award is needed, and works may proceed once the notice period expires.
A Schedule of Condition is still strongly recommended. Without one, neither side has an agreed record 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.
Dissent is a procedural step, not a personal objection. It does not stop the works.
The Adjoining Owner may request additional works to be carried out at the same time, for example works to the shared wall that benefit their property.
A counter-notice must be served within one month of the original notice, and the Adjoining Owner meets the cost of works that benefit them.
Silence is not consent. It is deemed dissent.
If 14 days pass with no response, the Act treats a dispute as having arisen automatically. A further request is then served giving the Adjoining Owner 10 days to appoint a surveyor. If they still do not appoint, the Building Owner may appoint a surveyor on their behalf so the process is not frustrated.
This is why a non-responsive neighbour does not stall your project, but it does mean the formal Award route now applies, and time needs to be built into your programme for it.
Speak directly with an experienced Party Wall Surveyor at LENIO for clear, practical advice tailored to your situation. We will assess your circumstances, explain your obligations under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, and guide you through the most appropriate course of action.
Professional advice. No obligation. Complete clarity from the outset.
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 covers three distinct types of works, each with its own notice requirement. Identifying the correct notice is the first practical step in the party wall process for any Building Owner.
Covers new walls built at or on the boundary line. One month's notice is required before works begin.
Covers works on an existing party wall or shared structure. Two months' notice is required before works begin.
Covers excavation within 3 metres or 6 metres of a neighbouring structure, depending on depth. One month's notice is required.
Notices do not last indefinitely. A Party Wall Notice is valid for 12 months from the date of service. If the works have not started within that period, the notice lapses and fresh notices must be served. The works themselves do not have to be finished within the 12 months, only started.
In some projects, more than one section applies. We confirm which notices are needed and serve all of them correctly on your behalf.
Once a dispute is deemed to have arisen, there are two ways to run the Award. Neither is automatically better. It depends on the works and the relationship between the owners.
| Agreed Surveyor | Two appointed surveyors | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | One impartial surveyor is appointed jointly and acts fairly for both owners. | Each owner appoints their own surveyor; the two work together to agree the Award. |
| Cost | Lower overall. Only one set of fees. | Higher. Two sets of fees, normally both met by the Building Owner. |
| Speed | Usually quicker; no negotiation between surveyors. | Slower; coordination between two surveyors adds time. |
| Representation | Impartial. Neither owner has their own advocate. | Each owner has a surveyor considering the works from their perspective. |
| Best suited to | Straightforward works and owners on good terms. | Basements, underpinning, deep excavation or where the risk is significant. |
| Requires | Both owners must agree to the single appointment. | No agreement needed. Each side appoints independently. |
Where two surveyors are appointed, a Third Surveyor is selected at the same time. They play no part unless the two appointed surveyors cannot agree, at which point either may refer the matter for a binding determination.
Have the conversation before you send the letter.
Most party wall disputes come from poor communication rather than the works themselves. A neighbour who first learns of your project through a formal legal notice through the letterbox is far more likely to dissent than one who has already seen the drawings over a cup of tea.
Show them the plans, explain the likely disruption and timescale, and tell them who to contact with questions. It costs nothing, it very often converts a dissent into a consent, and it protects a relationship you will still have long after the scaffolding comes down.
A Party Wall Award is not the end of the surveyor's role. Projects evolve, and the Act provides for that. These are the situations that most often arise once works are underway.
If the design changes after the Award is served, the original Award may no longer cover what you intend to build. Depending on the extent of the change, a fresh notice or an addendum award may be required before that work proceeds.
Where conditions on site mean further notifiable work is needed, such as deeper foundations, the surveyors can address it by a further award rather than restarting the whole process.
If damage occurs, it is compared against the Schedule of Condition. The Adjoining Owner may have the Building Owner's contractor put it right, or instead request a payment in lieu and arrange their own repairs.
Surveyors may inspect during the works and again on completion, checking the property against the Schedule of Condition before the file is closed.
For higher-risk works such as basement excavation, an Adjoining Owner may request that money is set aside as security before works begin, so funds exist to put right any damage.
If either property is sold part-way through, the Award continues to run with the land. We advise both parties on what that means in practice for the remainder of the works.
These procedures follow the framework set out in the RICS professional standard on party wall legislation and procedure and the GOV.UK party wall guidance.
As a general rule the Building Owner, the person carrying out the works, meets the reasonable costs of the party wall process, including the Adjoining Owner's surveyor where a dispute has arisen. Fees must be reasonable and justifiable under the Act.
Every affected neighbour must be notified, and each dissenting owner may appoint a surveyor. A mid-terrace project with neighbours on both sides costs more than a semi-detached one.
A straightforward loft conversion is far simpler than a basement excavation requiring underpinning, structural review and detailed protective measures.
An Agreed Surveyor involves one set of fees. Two appointed surveyors means two, plus a Third Surveyor if a referral becomes necessary.
LENIO confirms the basis of fees in writing before accepting any appointment, so there are no surprises for either party. There is no charge for the initial conversation.
The Party Wall process is a statutory procedure governed by the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. While the process may appear straightforward, errors in notices, surveyor appointments, or Party Wall Awards can result in delays, additional costs, and disputes between neighbours.
In London, where properties are often closely spaced and many projects involve loft conversions, extensions, basement excavations, and structural alterations, Party Wall matters arise frequently. Ensuring that the correct procedures are followed from the outset is essential to keeping projects on track.
LENIO Party Wall Surveyors is led by Sadadcharam Easwaran, a Chartered Civil Engineer (MICE) and Chartered Building Engineer (MCABE) with extensive experience in structural engineering, residential construction, and Party Wall matters.
This combination of technical expertise and specialist Party Wall knowledge enables LENIO to provide practical advice, professionally prepared documentation, and effective management of the Party Wall process from start to finish.
Acting for the person doing the works? See our Building Owner's Surveyor service. Received a notice instead? See our Adjoining Owner's Surveyor service, or browse all our party wall services in London.
Talk To Our Team
LENIO manages the party wall process in London, backed by two chartered professional memberships.
The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)
The Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)We guide Building Owners and Adjoining Owners through the party wall process right across the capital.
Whether you are planning a loft conversion, extension, basement excavation, or have received a Party Wall Notice from a neighbour, obtaining the right advice at an early stage can save time, reduce risk, and help avoid unnecessary disputes.
Speak directly with an experienced Party Wall Surveyor at LENIO for clear, practical guidance tailored to your project. We will explain your obligations under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, identify the next steps, and help you navigate the process with confidence.
No obligation. Just straightforward professional advice.
